La Tete Froide (2024)

In terms of recording and mixing, Adrien Casalis's music for the dramatic thriller La Tête Froide has a very muddled sound, yet rich in sound design. Part of the reason for this was the composer's exploration of various ideas, which included the use of atmospheric analog synthesizers and tape/cassette recordings of the strings. It provides the music a personality and a strong sense of epoch. The coldness it exhibits is also very necessary to appeal to the snowy surroundings of France and Italy. Additionally, there is a reccurring theme that helps the dramatic events that the protagonist Marie goes through, each time it is a bit different, used in essential moments of the film. She is initially smuggling cigarettes across the borders, but then she 'indulges' in human smuggling after meeting a refugee. Her transitional struggle is made even more captivating by the main theme's startling warmth and its ability to evoke strong emotions, such as anguish she experiences.

This is an excellent score with rewarding analogue synthesizers, piano, strings, a recurring theme and a generally atmospheric sound design that add to the progressive nature of the score in the film. It was written for a film dealing with numerous of fairly flat-flooted topics, but the score remains effective, even inspiring.

Adrien Casalis has composed music for a variety of media, including film. He also contributed the music to deleted scenes of the documentary L’Enfer d’Henri-Georges Clouzot which can only be seen on the special edition of the DVD. La Tête Froide comes highly recommended.



Tracklist
1. A Road Through the Mountains 3:11
2. Mobil-Home 0:55
3. Passeuse 2:48
4. Premier passage 2:21
5. La frontière 2:14
6. Try Not to Screw Up Anymore 3:20
7. Dernier passage 2:41
8. Le départ 1:32
9. Tempête 4:33
10. Une nouvelle vie 3:06
11. L’éternel recommencement 4:41

Total duration: 31:22


(written 24-01-2024)