DIGITAL DOWNLOAD REVIEW - LIFE IN ONE DAY


Life in One Day
Music by Johan Hoogewijs
MovieScore Media MMD0007
28 Tracks 64:51 mins

Available for digital download only comes this score from another new name to me, Flemish composer Johan Hoogewijs, for the new Dutch fantasy film, based on A.F. Th. van der Heijden's novel Life in One Day.
Scored for orchestra and electronics, the album gets under way with the ethereal "Benny's Birth," which is followed by the celebratory "Sunrise," with its warm, cello-lead opening, and electric guitars-driven melody. The influence of Thomas Newman can be found in the propulsive "Benny at School, which gives way to the much darker "Heaven and Hell," with its electronic rumblings and mournful strings. The electric guitars return for "Flight," which soars suitably on strings. The tender romance of "Meet Gini" opens gently on keyboards, before being taken up by piano and orchestra; the romantic mood continuing in "B & G Dancing," where piano and cello take the lead. "Beach" features tender solo piano, which continues into "First Love," where cello and string orchestra offer counterpoint. A brief, flowing piano solo features in "Acceptance," which is followed by "Meet Scant," with its disturbing, dissonant opening. Wordless female voice offers a passionate requiem in "Murder," which leads to more electronic dissonance in "Execution" and subsequent mournful strings of "Benny in the New World." Strings continue more optimistically in "At the Museum."
Piano returns for "Benny's Search for Gini," joined once more by cello and strings. Meanwhile, "Gini Meets Vincent" is another ethereal affair; with female voice returning briefly for "Bridge."
It's back to the dissonance for "Scant in the New World," though a flowing melody for female voice and guitar soon takes over. "Rosalie's Flair is another nicely flowing track for piano and strings, and is followed by the ethereal "Meditation." "Boyspictures" is a warm keyboard melody, with solo piano returning for "Shower" and continuing tentatively into "Gini with Man in Car," where strings join to add to the feeling of loss. The piano then takes on a menacing tone for "Buttefly," joined by electric guitars. Initially, tentative and low-key, "Ballroom" then takes a surprisingly jazzy turn.
The penultimate cue, "The Fight" starts with spare solo piano, before strings take over to take the cue to quite a spiritual conclusion, leading to "Finally Meet Again," where female voice returns to introduce an initially ethereal, then more emotional and uplifting conclusion to the score.
It's an interesting and largely melodic introduction to the music of Johan Hoogewijs, and I shall certainly be hoping to hear more from the composer in the future.
Go to www.moviescoremedia.com/lifeinoneday.html for more information, samples and for ordering details.