Why has Johannsson, a sort of modern classical composer who uses choirs and string orchestras, had this album released by an electronic label? Well, the melodic Minimalism that he specializes in has had a big influence on a lot of Type artists with its slowly building arches of sound spread across long time spans, the repetition of motivic cells, and the sense of all-encompassing sound that nonetheless has silence and space at its core. Throw in a bit of electronic processing to enhance ambiance – and occasionally more, such as the synthesizer on “Rainwater” – and it turns out to be a perfect fit. This soundtrack for Marc Craste’s animated film Varmints is absolutely beautiful, of course, yet with an austere elegance and the occasional dissonant edge to keep it from sounding like new age muzak. This may be the future of classical music, and it’s certainly the type that indie fans can relate to best.
