If you’re a film score fan, you are sure to have your favorite composers as well as a collection of soundtracks that mean a lot to you. Over time, if you listen to any musician’s output you’ll notice grooves and rhythms that some refer to as a calling card. Whether it is the repeat use of an instrument, a style of music they play or the “Horner snarl”, a Goldsmith score is a Goldsmith score, a Williams score is a Williams score, and so on.
Now what perks up our ears is when the music we hear is not easily discernible. Is that Doyle or Jackman, is that Shapiro or Jablonsky? And that confusion is when the magic really happens. It behooves any creative to stay nimble and evolve their sound, and that’s to be expected. So hats off to anyone who can reinvent themselves. But in the case of our next guest, we have no clue how she does what she does because, despite heavy classical and traditional leanings, we have no idea what we’re hearing. Was that an accordion? What is that buzzing? Is that note being warped??
So enter Laura Karpman, and when it comes to her sound, the answer to the above questions are yes, yes, and yes! Karpman creates powerful, imaginative scores that push the boundaries with bold and incandescent work. And the joy in her process and output is that you will probably never expect what she’ll drop on your eardrums. A stunning, passionate, and charming creative, the Oscar and Grammy-nominated, and five-time Emmy award-winning composer excels at her maximalist approach to storytelling.
We first noticed Laura’s work on American Fiction and were instantly hooked by the sound palette. She’s been carrying that mad scientist approach to her work and it really comes alive in Down Cemetery Road where the music choices are wholly unique and unexpected. It worked for the dynamic pairing of characters in this new Apple TV and she was the right choice because unique and unexpected is Karpman any day of the week.
A chameleon in every sense of the word – one that has far more style, flair and fashion sense than the famously referenced reptile – she is an exceptional composer, and we were thrilled to spend time before she was off to London. Her next adventure is a personal music project: a one-act opera about Billie Jean King called “Balls.” On today’s show we talk about obscure instruments, positive attitudes, competitive fencing, unruly dogs, and much more. Please enjoy this episode of The GoSeeTalk Podcast Experience!
An explosion, a conspiracy, and an unlikely duo on a mission to expose the truth. From the team behind the Emmy-winning series Slow Horses comes a brand new mystery to solve. Down Cemetery Road, starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, is now streaming on Apple TV.
