It may be November, but we are still focusing on epics, something slightly different today as we look at a film soundtrack and focus on the final song. Stay tuned for exciting news about The Run Out Grooves later in this newsletter…
Koyaanisqatsi is an experimental film directed by Godfrey Reggio and released in 1982. The title is a word from the Hopi meaning "life out of balance." Koyaanisqatsi is the first part of the Qatsi trilogy, followed by Powaqqatsi (1988) and Naqoyqatsi (2002). The trilogy is renowned for its absence of narrative and characters, instead relying on powerful imagery and music to convey its themes.
The film is a striking collage of images that contrasts the beauty of nature with the commotion and chaos of human society, illustrating how the latter affects the former. Its scenes are composed of slow-motion and time-lapse footage, which capture both the grandeur of the natural world and the frenetic pace of human activity. Admittedly, I’ve not seen it for almost twenty years (the things you do at university instead of going out). Still, it’s no surprise to me more and more that the themes of alienation from technology, modernity and the human condition have only grown in salience over the last two decades and the two before.
Since then, plenty of art has touched on these themes, from Banksy to Burtynsky, as well as Wall-E and the Blade Runner films. Two albums famously touch on this area as well: Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of The Moon and Radiohead’s OK Computer. You also can’t contemplate what Tricky called Pre-Millennium Tension in 1996 without mentioning the cinema of 19991. The likes of The Matrix, Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, American Beauty and Office Space each offer a unique perspective on how humanity grapples with the challenges posed by a rapidly changing world.
Koyaanisqatsi eschews traditional narrative structures and instead relies on its visuals and music to provoke thought and convey meaning. The absence of dialogue and text, apart from the opening and closing titles and the final credits, encourages viewers to engage with the film more intuitively and emotionally. The viewer is left to interpret the juxtaposition of images—from the serene to the chaotic—on their terms. Notably, the film was an early work highlighting human impact on the planet, presenting sustainability concerns to the audience. The time-lapses and slow-motion movie’s closing scene sequences were technically innovative and influential.
One of the most distinctive aspects of Koyaanisqatsi, and why I’m writing about it, is its soundtrack, composed by Philip Glass, which is as central to the film as the visual component. Given the lack of narrative or dialogue, Glass's minimalist compositions enhance the visual experience, adding layers of meaning and emotion. The repetitive and hypnotic nature of the music complements the film's depiction of the repetitive and often mindless nature of modern life.
The final track, ‘Prophecies’, on the OST, is combined with ‘Pruit Igoe’ for the movie’s closing scenes. Like the rest of the soundtrack and Glass’ work, it is a haunting and repetitive ambient piece that evolves and builds on the layered mesh of traditional orchestral pieces and the more modern, ethereal synthesisers. It mirrors the duality in the film between the natural and human civilisation.
The sound of ‘Prophecies’ is marked by a pulsing base that provides a kind of sonic heartbeat, overlaid with interlocking, beautiful, melodic patterns that shift and evolve. Arpeggiated sequences and scales give the music a sense of constant motion, a fitting accompaniment to the time-lapse and slow-motion cinematography that dominates much of the film. The music's relentless forward movement reflects the unceasing march of progress and technology that the film critiques.
As ‘Prophecies’ accompanies the film's closing scenes, it takes on a more sombre and reflective quality, suggesting a form of meditation on the images and themes presented throughout the movie. The film concludes with a translation of three Hopi prophecies, which speak of humanity's potential for self-destruction if it continues on a path out of balance with nature.
The culmination of the film and the music invites introspection. The repetitive motifs that have been a hallmark of Glass's score throughout the movie culminate in a way that feels both like an ending and a continuation, hinting at the cyclical nature of the issues addressed. The piece fades away, leaving the viewers contemplative, reflecting on the profound disconnect between human society and the planet that sustains it.
Exciting news: next Sunday, I will be playing closing tracks, many from this list, at Blue Collar Club in Reading at their Record Fair. Come down, check out some records at the fair and hear Alan Grahame talk about his 90 years in showbusiness.
Alan Grahame, a musician from Henley On Thames, recently celebrated 90 years in show business by playing live music at his local pub on his 96th birthday. Over his extensive career, Grahame has played hundreds of instruments, including the vibraphone, bells, glockenspiel, and xylophone, and has toured with world-famous stars like Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, and Engelbert Humperdinck.
The Facebook event is here; Blue Collar Club is at 15 Hosier St, Reading RG1 7QL.
Don't miss this unique blend of music, history, and culture at Blue Collar Club – I look forward to seeing you there! Sunday 19th November from 11 am
I lived in Reading, many years ago, when I was a lecturer at the college. Good luck with the DJ set, wish I could be there!
90 years in showbiz???