PopHorror Let's Get Scared
If you read my review for Jack James’ directorial debut, Malady, you will remember how much I love this creative feature. For me, the artistic look and feel is a reminiscence of Darren Aronofsky’s (Mother! 2017) work. So, when I discovered a release of the Malady Motion Picture Soundtrack, which was composed by Bradley Oliver-White, was dropping soon, I jumped at the chance to listen to it and see if it would mirror the film as much as Clint Mansell’s musical compositions do for Aronofky’s features. To say the least, I was not disappointed.
Opening with a very eerie yet somber tune that gradually builds at almost an unnoticeable degree, the haunting and alluring track matches the film’s opening sequences perfectly. Everything changes to noticeably longer and more drawn out pitches, reflecting a sense of sudden loss, sorrow and sadness as if a world you once knew suddenly slipped away, most likely mirroring the emotions of Holly (Roxy Bugler), the film’s primary character who just felt the passing of her mother. The soundtrack then eases into Holl’s initial stages of grief. Entitled “Lullaby,” track number three is exactly that: a lullaby of sadness. It is a slow, comforting yet grief-stricken song with stringed instruments gently raising and lowering pitch with slight crescendos and decrescendos.
Continuing to follow Holly’s emotional grief, the music changes slightly as it moves into the fourth track, “Temporary Release.” With a gradual crescendo and a sharper tone that suddenly softens, one might envision the appearance of the sun with rays of light shining down. However, this doesn’t last long as the soundtrack moves into a very soft eerie tune that invokes mystery, hope and uncertainty. If I had to guess, this might reflect the moment when Holly meets Matthew (Kemal Yildirim) and immediately begins a relationship to fill an empty void.
Moving into a much brighter sound, the music opens up, reflecting the feeling of being suspended in a dream-like state that is too good to be true. But this feeling cannot lasts forever. Easing back into a sorrowful song, the soundtrack comes back to Holly’s reality where her grief is not over. However, this transitions into a sharper tune invoking a sense of lingering suspense that becomes a mixture of heavy feelings and tension.
Coming to an abrupt quiet, the music begins again with a dark tone mixed with higher pitches. This track gradually crescendos into a deafening mixture of sound, which might mirror a temporary lapse of sanity. The base and percussion line comes to a sudden stop, leaving only a shrilling, high-pitched sound. Following this climax, the sorrowful music returns and the album comes full circle, concluding with a very quiet decrescendo that fades into the slow, gentle sound of a low-pitched blowing wind.
While I am no expert in composing music, I have very little criticism to offer for this motion picture soundtrack. The only thing that may have made the Malady Motion Picture Soundtrack better might be the overall volume of the soundtrack. Though it serves its purpose well, the music is sometimes almost too quiet and subtle. Other than this minor complaint, it is obvious to me that this score was incredibly well thought out. Much like the film, the Malady Motion Picture Soundtrack is beautifully composed, with every second serving a purpose. Full of loss, sadness, fear, hope and suspense, Olivier-White’s composition invoked every emotion successfully. This piece is a must own for anyone who appreciates original instrumental soundtracks of artistic films.
