Johann Johannsson
Sicario OST
Varese Sarabande
A diverting digression in Steve Coogan's new autobiography relates how he discovered the music of Iceland's Johann Johannsson via the 2006 album IBM 1401, A User's Manual, which created an electronic score for a narrative of technology that started with the early computer of which both their fathers were pioneer operators. That recording was the first introduction to Johannsson for many, but he has since found inspiration in the utopian dreams of the Ford motor company in Brazil and the brass bands of North East England, as well as a career in movie soundtracks, with the Golden Globe-winning music of Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything possibly the best known.
It will be no surprise if his music for Denis Villeneuve's Cannes-feted thriller Sicario is among the award nominations, as its success has often been mentioned in praise for the film. Insistent drum beats - recorded using an international cast of five drummers, electronically treated - and swelling chords, both synthesised and orchestral, include the use of a descending three tone motif that instantly links it to the Low album that was the first collaboration of David Bowie and Eno in Berlin, where Johannsson now lives. With cellist Hildur Gudnadottir among the soloists, this music is fine contemporary minimalism.
Keith Bruce
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article