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OUT OF THE ’80S
As I sit here working my CD changer has just slid over to the Mysterious Skin soundtrack, which has not left the platter since I received a promotional copy about a week ago. From its first seesawing notes, Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd’s distinctive style, echoing their classic The Moon and the Melodies, evokes the 4AD and Budd ambient releases that provided a dreamy backdrop to many of our adolescences years ago.
Writes Skin director Gregg Araki, “I have been a huge fan of Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd since the glory days of the 80s when 4AD, the Cocteau Twins, the White Arcades et al ruled and shaped my world… I always listen to music when I write — as does Scott Heim, author of the original novel Mysterious Skin — so this soundtrack is much, much more than mere background music: its the heart and soul of the whole movie. The dreamy poetic nature of both the book and the film comes directlly from this style of music…”
Listening to it now, I can attest to the fact that the album is no mere collection of background odds and ends. It’s as mysterious, pure and entrancing as the film itself. Released by Tracy McKnight and Walter Yetnikoff’s label A Record Commotion, it’s in stores and on ITunes.
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