On October 30th, Snowstar Records will release a very special album by Remy van Kesteren. The renowned harpist composed and produced an alternative soundtrack to The Red Turtle – the 2016 movie from Studio Ghibli – made by Dutch animator, director and illustrator Michael Dudok de Wit. This album is the first solo harp album by Remy van Kesteren as well, and De Wit even made the artwork for the album and wrote liner notes specific to this release.
Earlier this month, we spoke to Remy to get info and insight on his passion project. The album is a serene and hypnotic showcase of his talents which transport the listener to the far away island created for the film. But this new score works so well, and, even better, autonomous from the Oscar-nominated film.
Each track paints its own acoustic picture as Remy works magic dancing between strong and soft string work, as well as some carefully placed electronic elements which blend perfectly with his fast and slow rhythms. These dozen compositions – meant to underscore the story of the film’s marooned protagonist – offer hope amidst the uncertainty that abound on the deserted island. There’s plenty to love and this album has high replay value.
In our talk with Remy, we got the back story on his efforts to produce this luscious album as well as both the vinyl design/pressing and the packaging. You can pre-order it at the Snowstar Records Bandcamp page here. They’ve put up the single ‘April‘ as well as video for the lead-off track ‘Amber‘ to let you know just how mystical and engaging this album will be.
Enjoy our session with Remy van Kesteren!
You can check out more of Remy’s work at his official site, and order the CD or vinyl at Snowstar Records‘ website or through their Bandcamp page.
