Riverhead | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | 9 December 2016 | |||
Recorded | June–July 2016 | |||
Studio | Oak Hill studios, Oslo | |||
Genre | Experimental music, drone, dark ambient | |||
Length | 42:13 | |||
Label | House of Mythology | |||
Producer | Ulver | |||
Ulver chronology | ||||
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Riverhead is an original motion picture soundtrack album by Norwegian experimental collective Ulver for Justin Oakey's 2016 film of the same name. The album was issued in December 2016 via House of Mythology. [1]
The music was composed by Ulver, this time consisting of Ole-Henrik Moe, Kristoffer Rygg, Kari Rønnekleiv, Jørn H. Sværen, and Tore Ylwizaker and recorded, edited, and mixed by Kristoffer Rygg and Tore Ylwizaker at Oak Hill studios, Oslo, between June–July 2016. The final recordings were mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone, London, in September 2016. The soundtrack has been described as “sparse and minimal as ever, but with a gentle drive to its arc.” [2]
Justin Oakey is a filmmaker from Newfoundland [3] who had previously collaborated with Ulver.
Writing about the soundtrack, Oakey says:
Late last fall I sent Kristoffer Rygg my latest short film, FLANKERS, and we began chatting about the soundtrack, eventually going back and forth about a potential collaboration. At this point, I went out on a limb and asked if ULVER would be interested in composing the music for my upcoming feature, RIVERHEAD. They kindly accepted and here is the result. As a long-time fan, this was an incredible collaboration for me – and further, it allowed us to find aesthetic and cultural similarities between our lands. With this in mind, the soundtrack certainly touches on Nordic and Celtic folk music from within an ambient/atmospheric frame. There was a mutual understanding that the soundtrack should be hushed, airy and ominous, almost elemental in its minimalism, with only a few key moments that rupture into larger, more augmented pieces. As far as the method, ULVER started by recording and sending over some sketches and atmospheres before we shot a single scene of the film. This allowed me to go into the filming with an understanding of the soundtrack, and how the scenes could (and would) be paced – truly an invaluable asset, especially with a fragmented film like this. Afterwards, they continued to record and we fine-tuned said sketches as well as some new pieces together. Ultimately, I am as proud of this collaboration as a standalone project as I am with the film itself. [4]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Prog | Favourable [2] |
The Wire | Favourable [5] |
Alex Lynham, writing for Prog magazine, says “their electronic and ambient influences shine strongly, and lend themselves well to the cinematic atmosphere, but perhaps less obviously where there are organic instruments there remains a strong folk influence.” Lynham concludes, “As a soundtrack album, it’s entirely possible that only hardcore fans of Ulver will find it essential; however, for those interested in the band beyond their early mercurial folk and black metal records, this is an interesting and captivating document of their electronic and cinematic work.” [2]
The Wire magazine’s review in their February 2017 issue explains, “The film deals with poisonous rivalry existing between two hierarchical neighbours over family and religion. It’s bleak and minimalist in its telling, and Ulver’s score accompanies the mood of the story perfectly, with sawing strings and frozen musical passages giving a sense of immediate danger as the plot unravels. Also impressive is the way the music entwines round the film’s snowy landscape, soughing through the trees like an ill wind to add an extra chill to the proceedings.” [5]
All music is composed by Ulver
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Riverhead" | 5:13 |
2. | "Dark Alley" | 1:34 |
3. | "Road to Town" | 2:26 |
4. | "In a Wooden Coat" | 3:08 |
5. | "Idle Hands Are the Devil's Playthings" | 2:54 |
6. | "Father's Feud" | 3:11 |
7. | "In Memoriam" | 3:00 |
8. | "Stoke the Fire" | 2:44 |
9. | "Bored of Canada" | 3:30 |
10. | "Hard Standing" | 1:55 |
11. | "Stalking" | 1:31 |
12. | "A Waste of Your Father's Life" | 2:09 |
13. | "Spiteful Things" | 3:00 |
14. | "The Hunt" | 1:51 |
15. | "Snake in the Grass" | 4:07 |
Total length: | 42:13 |
Ulver
Additional musicians
Production and design
Ulver is a Norwegian experimental electronica band founded in 1993, by vocalist Kristoffer Rygg. Their early works, such as debut album Bergtatt, were categorised as folklore-influenced black metal, but the band has since evolved a fluid and increasingly eclectic musical style, blending genres such as experimental rock, electronica, ambient, trip hop, symphonic and chamber traditions, noise, progressive and experimental music into their oeuvre. 1997 marked their international debut with the release of their third album Nattens madrigal through German label Century Media. However, following discord with the label, Rygg formed his own imprint, Jester Records, in 1998.
A Quick Fix of Melancholy is the fourth EP by Norwegian experimental collective Ulver. Produced in the Winter of 2002, the EP was issued on 26 August 2003 via Jester Records. A precursor to the album Blood Inside, A Quick Fix of Melancholy showcases the band's ability to seamlessly combine ambient and electronic music with orchestral elements.
Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is the fourth studio album by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Produced with Kristoffer Rygg, together with Knut Magne Valle and Tore Ylwizaker, it was issued on 17 December 1998 via Jester Records. It is a musical adaptation of William Blake's poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. The album blends electronics, industrial music elements, progressive metal, avant-garde rock and ambient passages, following Blake's plates as track indexes. Stine Grytøyr, Ihsahn, Samoth and Fenriz all feature as guest vocalists.
The Sham Mirrors is the third studio album by Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on April 9, 2002.
Perdition City is the fifth studio album by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver, issued in March 2000, via Jester Records. The album was recorded and produced by Kristoffer Rygg and Tore Ylwizaker, mixed by Ylwizaker at Beep Jam Studio and mastered by Audun Strype at Strype Audio.
Kristoffer Rygg, also known as Garm, Trickster G. Rex and God Head, is a Norwegian vocalist, musician and producer known primarily for his work with Ulver, Arcturus, and Borknagar.
Fleurety is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band. The band was formed in 1991 by Svein Egil Hatlevik and Alexander Nordgaren.
Silence Teaches You How to Sing is an EP by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Recorded and mixed in February 2001, the EP was issued by Jester Records in September 2001. Loosely recorded during the sessions for the Perdition City, together with Silencing the Singing, the EP is a subtle counterpart to the more dramatic full-length, issued in March 2000.
Silencing the Singing is an EP by Norwegian experimental collective Ulver. Recorded and mixed in February 2001, the EP was issued by Jester Records in December 2001. Loosely recorded during the sessions for the Perdition City, together with Silence Teaches You How to Sing, the EP is a subtle counterpart to the more dramatic full-length, issued in March 2000.
Teachings in Silence is a compilation album by Norwegian collective Ulver. Issued through American independent label Black Apple Records in March 2002, it combines Silence Teaches You How to Sing and Silencing the Singing, originally issued in September and December 2001, respectively. It was subsequently released in Europe one year later by Norwegian record company Jester Records. Due to the experimental nature of the music, both Silence EPs were limited to two thousand, and three thousand copies.
Lyckantropen Themes is an original soundtrack album by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Produced by Ulver on mobile equipment in Oslo, Norway and Stockholm, Sweden in May 2002 for the Swedish short film Lyckantropen, the album was issued in November 2002 via Jester Records. Lyckantropen Themes is Ulver's first foray into film soundtrack music, although musically it has continuity with their previously released EPs, Silence Teaches You How to Sing and Silencing the Singing. The soundtrack has been described as “ambiguous moods and lurking-in-the-shadows electronic ambiances, setting the alternately suspenseful and melancholy mood of the soundtrack.”
Svidd neger is an original soundtrack album by Norwegian experimental collective Ulver. The soundtrack was commissioned by Filmfalken AS. from Ambassaden, Oslo, and Norsk Film, Bærum, Norway, recorded between September 2002 and April 2003. The album was issued by Jester Records on September 15, 2003. The music is more elaborate than the abstract minimalism of Lyckantropen Themes. Stated on the sleeve: “Music for and Inspired by Svidd neger as perceived by Ulver. What you hear is not strictly what you see. All for the director in you.”
Shadows of the Sun is the seventh studio album by the Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Produced by Ulver, the album was issued in October 2007 via Jester Records and The End Records. Officially announced on 13 July 2007, Shadows of the Sun received critical acclaim on release, and was described as "dark and tragic", with "soothing electronics and natural percussion". The album features contributions from Pamelia Kurstin on theremin, Mathias Eick on trumpet, and Austrian white noise musician Christian Fennesz adding electronics and helping Ulver to correspond with their vision on the final product.
Childhood's End is a compilation album of cover songs by Norwegian experimental collective Ulver. Produced by Ulver, the album was recorded live in Crystal Canyon Studios, Oslo, over two sessions, in autumn 2008 and summer 2011, and issued in May, 2012 on Jester Records under exclusive license to Kscope.
Messe I.X–VI.X is the ninth studio album by the Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver, created in collaboration with the Tromsø Chamber Orchestra with additional aid from composer Martin Romberg. Written and produced by Ulver, released on October 8, 2013, via Jester Records and Kscope.
Terrestrials is a collaborative studio album by American drone metal band Sunn O))) and Norwegian experimental music group Ulver. Produced by Stephen O'Malley and Kristoffer Rygg, it was released on February 3, 2014, via Southern Lord Records. It has been described as "three live improvisation pieces".
M is the debut studio album by black metal project Myrkur, by Danish musician and singer-songwriter Amalie Bruun. Produced by Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg of Ulver, it was released on 21 August 2015 through Relapse Records.
ATGCLVLSSCAP is the tenth studio album by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Written, performed and produced by Ulver, the album was released on 22 January 2016 via newly formed, London-based label House of Mythology.
Flowers of Evil is the twelfth studio album by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Written and produced by Ulver, the album was released on August 28, 2020 via House of Mythology. The album was recorded in Oslo from summer 2019 to winter 2020 and mixed by Martin Glover and Michael Rendall in February 2020. The album was officially announced in February 2020 with music video of the song "Russian Doll" being released on Valentine's Day. The second single "Little Boy" was made available on April 4, 2020.
Scary Muzak is the thirteenth studio album by the Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver, released in 2021 on October 31 (Halloween). The album is heavily inspired by soundtracks from 1970s and 1980s horror movies, with five out of the twelve songs on the album incorporating music from the soundtrack to John Carpenter's 1978 film Halloween.