Studio Kosmische is the solo project of Dom Keen assisted by Jonathan Parkes of Arboria, Korb and The Hologram People. Taking their name from the experimental genre in which they play they truly epitomise what it means to be experimental and without boundaries. Keens impressive CV includes Death in Vegas, Holy Magick and Jack Medley’s Secure Men as well as the aforementioned The Hologram People. To date they have released four ultra immersive albums and one joint release with Ximes. All of which I have slowly been accumulating and absorbing over the last few months.
Now they return with an intriguing release. A complete reworking of the soundtrack to Kenneth Angers avant-garde short film Lucifer Rising which finally saw a release in 1981. The story behind that film and its original soundtrack is worthy of a movie of its own. Characters like Mick Jagger and his brother Chris, Marianne Faithful, Jimmy Page and a member of Charles Mansons notorious family all play their parts. So, what led Keen and Parkes to create a score all of their own? Keen had this to say.
“Countless musicians have created their own scores for the dialogue-free Lucifer Rising since Beausoleil, Jagger, and Page. Some (including myself) will see this new rescore as an act of sacrilege; all I can say is that it was created in awe of, and with great respect to, everyone involved in the original work(s). My hope with this record is that it goes some way – however small – to help spread the futuristic visions that Anger dreamed when he first filmed Lucifer Rising over 50 years ago.”
Having watched the original film, I then sat down and listened to this version of the soundtrack on repeat.
The mood created by the Studio Kosmische team is thoroughly in keeping with the imagery of the film. It’s truly music of the gods. The ambient drones augmented rhythmically by cymbals and heavily reverbed tribal drums in places. They eschew the screeching brass of the original for something more beguiling and entrancing. Very much like Lucifer himself, tempting and seducing us to join their way.
The evolution of the soundtrack is gradual and dramatic at the same time. One minute it sounds like stars falling from heaven then the next the guttural howl of the pit consumes us. It very much feels like being led by the hand through the wilderness discovering this strange land of divinity and demons, of magick and mortals.
In these twenty-eight minutes you will lose yourself over and over again as you do with all Studio Kosmische releases. I have described their albums as being self-contained worlds and Lucifer Rising is no exception. Drop the needle, lie back and let yourself be transported in your mind. Who knows where you’ll end u
Lucifer Rising is out now via the amazing Feral Child Recordings on vinyl. You can grab a copy by heading over to Feral Childs Instagram or Facebook to find out more.
You can follow Studio Kosmische on social media here……
Discover more from Static Sounds Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Static Sounds Club 