Hallam Foe has been described as a magical story of redemptive love, loss and life set on the rooftops of Edinburgh. Starring Jamie Bell, it is a soulful, deep and meditative experience and is rewarded with a soundtrack release that captures the mood perfectly, and further also acts as a neat, leftfield compilation from Domino’s outstanding back catalogue.
The unconventional musical concept for the film was devised by director David McKenzie who wanted to adapt original songs that he felt fitted the story, rather than commission a bespoke score. His aim was to sequence tracks from his favourite record label, Domino, around the film’s scenes and he readily admitted he and his editor faced an exciting challenge in construct the sequences accordingly, ‘I’m looking forwards to having a chance to DJ the score. In normal circumstances one gives a film to a composer... Now, doing a contemporary film its fantastic to have a chance to put the music I’ve been listening to for a long time, over the last few years, maybe into the film’.
Adopting software packages popular in music production and sound design and with the permission of the artists and label, a certain amount of re-editing was possible for the actual film soundtrack, but the CD itself keeps the tracks in their original form, it also features a brand new recording from Franz Ferdinand, specially recorded for the film.
Surprisingly that track ‘Hallam Foe, Dandelion Blow’ is a soft, heartfelt character piece and in pace and rhythm is very different from the bulk of the bands’ previous work. It is not a dancefloor stomper in any shape or form, but it is an engrossing lament to the film’s protagonist and fits perfectly both sonically and in imagery to the project.
It is hard to believe that the Orange Juice track on the compilation, ‘Blue Boy’ is over twenty five years old, perhaps this is indicative of the early 80’s post punk revival in production and attitude that has seen similar-sounding acts crop up over the past few years. Clinic’s ‘if you could read your mind’ is a dense, claustrophobic affair, but elsewhere on the album, the mood is redemptive and contemplative.
This would be a fantastic compilation on its own, and fittingly it was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Music In a Film at the Berlin Film Festival. To truly enjoy it though, is to watch it in its proper context and see the film.
