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Ulver
Lyckantropen Themes OST


4.0
excellent

Review

by fireaboveicebelow USER (107 Reviews)
December 29th, 2008 | 31 replies


Release Date: 2002 | Tracklist


When a composer begins to write a soundtrack for a film, there are three things to accomplish. First, it must attribute in some way to getting a feeling across to the audience in association with the scene it plays over. Second, the composer has to write under the circumstance of the director/screenwriter while simultaneously compromising the composer’s own style. Third, and most importantly to a musician, it can stand alone from the film and still procreate an impact. Ulver formidably accomplish all three with apparent ease and grace, and also illustrate an unfamiliar way to approach arranging the soundtrack apart from the film.

Lyckantropen is a short film by up and coming director/writer Steve Ericsson only running for just under a half hour. It’s very interesting and captivating due to its ominous tone and open-endedness. Ericsson obviously paid attention to color patterns throughout the scenes and transitions because of how the sum of the parts corresponded so well, and getting all the ideas of what exactly happens across in a half hour is inimitably refreshing and powerful. It’s no wonder why Ulver agreed to work on the film. It seems they paid just as much attention to the music playing through each scene as the director did to his portion. This is also Ulver’s first of two dives into the world of soundtracks, and it’s pretty incredible how well they adjusted to this format.

The film deals with the emotional breakdown of a man and his family, but the means of how strong the events play out is due to the music behind them. Without the music, the film would still be interesting but could not convey the same impact. The music brings the kind of current that rushes through you without you knowing until that one note hits with the certain event that bursts you open and you can realize so much more about what you’re witnessing. The music can only be described as emotional, piano driven dub electronica with very subtle percussion, if any, that plays as slow or fast as the film allows it, adding a very strong, dark undercurrent of wonder. Though, wonder is not the only key word here, but also mystery, and sadness and hate. Ulver manage to use recurring themes of these dub-piano dirges to melancholic effects, and create spin-offs of the sound with shrouds of brass that sounds like it wants to escape when the music gets quiet…and then the piano strums in with its repetition. When the drums do fully work their way in, the piano gets much more sad and inclusive while the weird, yet familiar mixing board effects build upon the ever-evolving theme, while incorporating certain sounds of from the film to add that much more.

The best thing about Ulver is their ability to adapt. They can use any given situation or feeling and produce a whole record without overplaying or showboating, they just get their point across and finish in silence. When you watch the film and lose your mind in the soundtrack, that’s the best experience for you to begin to understand what the film is actually doing. The ending is so bizarre if you pay that kind of attention, and was obviously meant to be that way since the film just screams “eerie” even without an eerie plot. Ulver’s contribution to these emotions is recognized and utilized to full effect, you just have to witness it, and listen.



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user ratings (145)
3.4
great

Comments:Add a Comment 
Nauseum
December 30th 2008


160 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Short but sweet review. Makes me want to check out this movie. I love this soundtrack as well.

fireaboveicebelow
December 30th 2008


6835 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

you can find the subtitled movie (its in norwegian) on youtube just type in lyckantropen

DoctorNurse
December 30th 2008


475 Comments


I've never listened to any Ulver. Their extensive back catalogue is daunting.....

fireaboveicebelow
December 30th 2008


6835 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

now's better to start than later yeah?

DoctorNurse
December 30th 2008


475 Comments


I suppose I should really, got 2 reviews i want to write so don't have the time right now. Whats a good album to start with?

fireaboveicebelow
December 30th 2008


6835 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

if you like black metal Bergtatt, if you like folk Kveldssanger, if you like ambient Shadows Of The Sun, if you like ambient electronica Perdition City, if you like awesomeawesomeawesome get Svidd Neger

Willie
Moderator
December 30th 2008


20311 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

I like this, but I don't find myself ever listening to it... weird.

You're on a damn roll with these reviews, and you're still managing to keep the quality; nice.

Wizard
December 30th 2008


20564 Comments


Stellar review fireaboveicebelow. I'm so checking this out seeing as I'm on a huge Ulver bender right now.

This is also Ulver’s first of two dives into the world of soundtracks, and it’s pretty incredible how well they adjusted to this format.


I almost find this with all their electronic stuff I've heard. Their later albums could be tied to some sci-fi movie in a way (ie. Perdition City sounds like the perfect soundtrack to a modernized Blade Runner, almost a Vangelis kind of feel, and Blood Inside could fit perfectly to a movie like _________ (hahaha still on my first listen to that album atm)).



fireaboveicebelow
December 30th 2008


6835 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Blood Inside is the soundtrack to Kingdom Hospital as far as I'm concerned, but I like that analysisThis Message Edited On 12.30.08

Wizard
December 30th 2008


20564 Comments


Never heard of that movie. Sci-fi? Am I missing out?

fireaboveicebelow
December 30th 2008


6835 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

its one of those handful of series movies by Stephen King, you're only missing out if you're a fan. I need to buy Blade Runner thanks for the reminder

Wizard
December 30th 2008


20564 Comments


You don't own Blade Runner? Fail!!! hahahaha

And most Stephen King movies fail for the most part (well......Misery ftw).

fireaboveicebelow
December 30th 2008


6835 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The Mist dude, Rose Red...well that's it really, IT was just hilarious

Hawks
December 30th 2008


94268 Comments


IT fucking rules. I used to watch that all the time lol.

Crysis
Emeritus
December 30th 2008


17640 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

I have a hard time really getting into Ulver's latest offerings (Blood Inside and Shadows Of The Sun) but I may try this, nice job.

Ominous Inane
January 9th 2009


188 Comments


This soundtrack is immensely boring. Svidd Neger is a million times better. This Message Edited On 01.09.09

fireaboveicebelow
January 9th 2009


6835 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

why do you think it's boring?

FR33L0RD
August 5th 2009


6400 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0

musically uninteresting, only my opinion of course

Taoboxer9
March 6th 2011


207 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I'll get heat for this but, this is my favorite album by Ulver.

Wizard
March 7th 2011


20564 Comments


You shouldn't get heat for that considering electronic Ulver is a million times more interesting than their bm days.



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