Libanon [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

Originally released in 2006 as a 10" EP under his alias Rayon, Markus Acher's Libanon consists of pieces composed for Michael Shamberg's film Maître, lihseb Please. These miniatures are brief and fragile, and are constructed from harmonium, cello, samples of Lebanese records, and some electronic manipulation, as well as a brief vocal cameo from the Concretes' Victoria Bergsman. Clicking, popping beats complement some of the selections, giving them an intriguing old-meets-new feel and enhancing their dreamlike qualities. The soundtrack begins and ends with variations on the same sorrowful cello theme, and seems to outline a dramatic, imaginative film during its 14-minute duration. ~ Paul Simpson