2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 15th June

2018

Mojo Magazine

Article by: Soundtrack of the Month **** (out of *****) Tangerine Dream, yesterday and today IF ANYONE knows how to pastiche an ´80s Tangerine Dream soundtrack it´s Thorsten Quaeschning of Picture Palace music, who in 2005 became a full-time member of Tangerine Dream. For this score to Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke´s Antipodean zombie apocalypse drama, he gets everything right: the pulsing and fizzing electronics, the incidental melancholy drones, the subterranean clangs and, with the help of a cello/viola/violin string trio, moments of bleak, gliding Michael Nyman- esque beauty. If you need to check the veracity, listen next tot he smashing reissue of Tangerine Dream´s gorgeous, elegiac 1989 score to Steve DeJarnatt´s end-of-the-world rom-com Miracle Mile (Fire Records), where Edgar Froese and Paul Haslinger simultaneously nod to John Carpenter´s synth minimalism, Popo Vuh´s electronic choirs, Moroder´s digital Euro-pop and their own kosmische past. 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 23rd August

2018

Eclipsed

Article by: Released via Invisible Hands8,5 (out of 10) Auch wenn Thorsten Quaeschning, der nunmehr das Tangerine Dream-Schiff weiterschaukelt, hier Bezug auf sein eigenes Elektronikprojekt Picture Palace music nimmt, so steht dieser Soundtrack zum amerikanischen Thriller „Cargo“ doch eindeutig in der Tradition von TD-Soundtracks der späten 70er/80er. Die Dynamik erinnert deshalb auch an „Sorcerer“ und „thief“ zwei der wichtigesten Filmscore-Arbeiten der Berliner Elektroniker. Den Plot des klaustrophobischen  Ein-Mann-Films (ein Mensch gefangen in einem Container) kennt man so ähnlich von „Buried – lebend begraben“. „Chain Initiation“ ist zunächst ganz düsterer Drone, geht dann über Pianokaskaden in Sequenzerschleifen über – eine effektvolle Dramaturgie. „Spotlight Effect“ fährt auf einem rollenden Rhythmus. Vieles glänzt durch geschmackvoll dark-wavige Atmosphären. „Aggravated Circumstances“ fängt kongenial die beengt-beängstigende Filmstimmung ein. In einigen ruhigen Tracks unterstützen echte Streicher. „Wanderbaustelle“ ist gar ein Longtrack mit Schulze-artigen Mellotronchören und hypnotischen Rhythmen. Top Track: Chain Initiation 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 26th January

2019

Ramzine

Article by: Paul H Birch Released via Invisible Hands Music, Thorsten Quaeschning has produced the soundtrack to this thriller movie alone, but it sounds very much like the film music pioneered by Tangerine Dream – the band he now fronts – when they began developing so productively into that area back in the 80s. Written and directed by James Dylan and starring Ron Thompson in the lead role, Cargo debuted on the silver screen in 2018 and is the story of a man awakening, trapped inside a cargo container with only a cell phone and given 24 hours to raise 10 million dollars in ransom or die. A variation on a Peter James detective novel, but we digress. Tracks are, for the most part, individual rather than flowing into each other until later section but they are totally synthesised with a modern edge.  Mood pieces mainly, and often acting in dichotomy to the feelings one might consider from their given titles (ones derived to coincide with events on film). Metallic pipeline drones are infiltrated by a piano effect with synthesisers drawing over a regular bass pulse before things become stranger adding colour but with a percussive dominance, and a somewhat Mediterranean texture rather than the expected hard line Germanic logic as opening number ‘Chain initiation’ speeds brightly towards conclusion. ‘Light Reading Lamp’ proves a dramatic shift musically, as if romance awaited before the abrasive techno-synth funk journey that is ‘Spotlight Effect’ supersedes, followed by the more fluid jogging melody ‘Liquid Funds Transfer’. Momentum builds with the fuzzy driving pulse of ‘Isolation Fault’ and dangerous menace one feels on hearing ‘Outside A Musical Box’.  If the term Gothic-Afro needed to exist it would be here with ‘Wanderbaustelle’ as pulsing trills build, messily taking musical detours, retreating back and heading out again as if searching for something. If it Is ‘Mass Market’ it sounds quite pretty, but you feel it’s a trap. ‘Aggravated Circumstances’ seems to deny that feeling, as if secrets were about to be unveiled and ‘New Insight’ warmly implies the protagonist is now ad safe as church mice If that’s true ‘The End Is Not Far Off’ and ‘Cargo Main Theme’ call your bluff heralding the foggy, fuzz that is ‘Trade Mark Activation’ as an atypical Tangerine Dream pulse pinging speedily along with menace. Tracks begin to merge, ‘Tom’s Theme’ slowing the momentum , as if an epiphany were to be reached, but ‘Modulated Pulse Commands’ may begin slowly, pausing for breath even, but what sounds like speeding train rushes towards the listener. Has the man held captive escaped or those who held him shot away with their ill-gotten gains? You’ll have to watch the movie to know that. For those purchasing the CD version of the Cargo soundtrack there is the additional bonus track of ‘Beating The Container Drums’ ; it’s a doomier number, tired, as if seeking peace and an end, and there is indeed a big synthesised bang to fill that remit. Somehow, you feel that even if the kidnapped hero escaped with his life he lost something besides more than millions. Evocatively emotive in a slick modern manner, it breaks few barriers, but works effectively as thriller soundtrack. 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 6th August

2018

Player Web

Article by: Philipp J. Neumann Music: 9 Sound: 9 Total: 9 / 10 Die 80er Jahre sind nicht nur in der Modewelt wieder en vogue. Auch aktuelle Kinofilme und Serien wenden sich thematisch und stilistisch verstärkt diesem Jahrzehnt zu. Die Filmmusik, seismographischer Begleiter der bildgebenden Medien, befördert den Trend mit elektropoppigen Ambient- und New-Age-Scores („Stranger Things“, „Dark“) und die Rückkehr stilprägender Künstlergrößen und Ensembles der 80er wie Tangerine Dream. Für den Horrorthriller CARGO engagierte Regisseur James Dylan mit Thorsten Quaeschning den derzeitigen Frontmann der Berliner Kultband. Bereits der erste Track auf der CD weckt mit seinem charakteristischen Mix aus mäandernden Sounds, rhythmisierenden Elektroimpulsen und Synthie- Pattern Erinnerungen an TD-Klassiker wie NEAR DARK – DIE NACHT HAT IHREN PREIS oder DER FEUERTEUFEL. Dabei recycelt Quaeschning weder das Bandœuvre, noch referenziert er es unablässig. Vielmehr gelingt ihm eine zeitgemäße und abwechslungsreiche Verbindung des ursprünglichen Bandklangs mit heutigen Elektroeinflüssen. Ein inspirierter, spannender und hörenswerter Soundtrack.  2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 6th August

2018

Reflections of darkness

Article by: Stephen Kennedy Music: 9 Sound: 9 Total: 9 / 10 We’ve all gone and watched a movie and come away from our immersive experience hugely enthusing about plot and tone and visuals and acting and atmosphere… and music. Ah yes! Music! And what better way to prolong that glorious immersion by trotting off and purchasing the official movie soundtrack. And how dull, and pointless, and disappointing is that experience on the whole, as the wonder and joy of the movie’s escapism saps away as you sit, stuck in traffic on the way back from Lidl, or propped up on a packed train, listening to generic classical ramblings devoid of the visuals that originally gave them some life. Well not here. Oh no! This is a rare beast indeed, a movie soundtrack that not only stands alone as a fine piece of modern electronica, but continues to expand the already diverse and accomplished musical world of its composer, Thorsten Quaeschning. Recording here under his band name of ‘Picture Palace Music’, he is perhaps best known for his ongoing outstanding work with TANGERINE DREAM, although he’s also been beavering away on side-projects, and collaborating with the likes of JEAN MICHEL JARRE, ULRICH SCHNAUSS and BRIAN MAY. The album drifts masterfully through perfectly paced pieces of atmosphere and tension, a tautness and drama infecting even the lighter shades. ‘Chain reaction’ feels like running in fog, chased by some unknown, ‘Light Reading Lamp’ creating pockets of intrigue in the spaces it doesn’t fill, hovering and haunting and dream-like. And there’s more sense of urgent motion on ‘Spotlight Effect’ and ‘Waderbaustelle’, a sinister feeling of claustrophobia – apt since the movie details one man’s ordeal trapped in a container with 24 hours to find ransom money or die – running darkly throughout. ‘Aggravated Circumstances’ uses drum and guitar to supplement the electronica, and it builds itself up frantically and crashes about like a demented SIGUR ROS composition, screeching to a halt through a barrage of feedback before starting again, relentless, terrifying. ‘New Insight’, that follows, and ‘The End Is Not Far Off’ feels like sweet relief, classical strings and a soothing, almost carefree dignity informing both pieces. And ‘Cargo Main Theme’ is a theatrical masterpiece – it’s like watching majestic clouds cascade into one another, forming new shapes and shades. Finally there’s a sense of true calm on closing tracks ‘Modulated Pulse Commands’ and ‘Beating The Container Drum’, but with a darkness and uncertainty still flowing menacingly throughout. ‘Cargo’ then is something truly special. It is beautiful weighted, dramatically inspired, and thoroughly moving in its exploration of tension, time, confinement, hope and terror. Stunning. 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 20th June

2018

Broke Horror Fan

Article by: Alex DiVincenzo Not to be confused with Netflix’s recent zombie drama of the same name, Cargo is a contained thriller that takes place in one location - a cargo container - and features only one actor - Ron Thompson (American Pop) - along with several voices. Written and directed by first-time filmmaker James Dylan, the independent film will be released on VOD on August 14 via Wild Eye Releasing, with a DVD to follow later in the year. As if the film’s concept weren’t intriguing enough, Dylan has adopted an ambitious marketing approach. He’s building anticipation for Cargo by releasing its original motion picture soundtrack, in addition to a novelization written by J.C. Macek III, in advanced of the film. Dylan enlisted Thorsten Quaeschning, frontman of German electronic legends Tangerine Dream, to compose the score.Tangerine Dream previously scored such films as Sorcerer, Risky Business, Firestarter, and Legend. Although Quaeschning wasn’t a part of the group during those recordings (he joined in 2005), founder Edgar Froese handpicked him as his replacement upon his death in 2015. Quaeschning carries the legacy well, with the prolific group continuing to release quality material at an impressive rate. Because Cargo is restricted to a single location and actor, its score is particularly important. I’ve not seen the movie yet, rendering it impossible to judge how successfully the music fits the tone of the film, but if the score is any indication, viewers are in for a treat. The soundtrack successfully piqued my interest in seeing the visuals that inspired Quaeschning to compose such enchanting music. The Cargo soundtrack follows in the footsteps of Tangerine Dream, as Quaeschning harnesses his trusty synthesizer to immerse the listener in an atmospheric soundscape. The multi-talented musician also plays the piano, glockenspiel, drums, guitars, and electronics on the album, with help from Julia Hecht on cello, Anne Uerlichs on Viola, and Hoshiko Yamane (also of Tangerine Dream) on violin.No stranger to telling stories with his music, Quaeschning’s score evokes the unsettling feeling of claustrophobia and isolation echoed in the film’s plot. Like many of Tangerine Dream’s soundtracks, Cargo plays like a cohesive album rather than a mere collection of cues. The music builds an enigmatic tension between its dissonant and pulsating electronics, while the tracks often blend into one another, furthering the mesmerizing listening experience. The Cargo soundtrack is available on vinyl, CD, and digital. I always champion vinyl, particularly when it comes to soundtracks; Cargo’s original motion picture soundtrack sounds bold and textured on black vinyl. However, the tracklisting was pared down to twelve cuts in order to fit on an LP, with the CD release offering four additional tracks and the digital version containing all twenty pieces of music composed for the film. Regardless of the format you choose, Quaeschning’s compositions are captivating. 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 8th June 2018

Progradar

Article by: Jez Denton Reviewing a soundtrack album without having seen it in the context of the film it supports is an unusual process. How can you judge whether it is successful or not in achieving what the music sets out to do? It could be an amazing work, but not fit the film; or the opposite could be true, it could be awful music but fit the film fantastically. And indeed, taking the view of a filmmaker commissioning a soundtrack, how do you know whether a musician or composer will be able to support your work? How do you choose who will do that job for you the best? Over the years there have been many artists, composers and musicians who’ve been able to work with filmmakers to create wondrous soundtracks that add to, compliment and help tell the stories in the films they accompany. At the time of the Oscar’s I wrote a blog on my own website: about ten great movie soundtracks from the likes of Eric Coates, John Williams, Ryhuchi Sakamoto and Hans Zimmer who, over the years, have created some of the most iconic movie soundtracks of all time. To that list I should also have added German Electronic Techno-prog masters Tangerine Dream who, since their inception in 1970, have, along with their own original work, created soundtracks for films as diverse as The Sorcerer and Risky Business. Since original leader Edgar Froese’s death in 2015 the band has been led by Froese’s anointed successor Thorsten Quaeschning who was commissioned to write and perform the score for the new film Cargo. Cargo, as described by writer and director James Dylan, is a taut thriller that tells a bleak but compelling story of a man trapped in a shipping container with just a mobile phone and 24 hours in which to raise ten million dollars to save his life. And though I haven’t yet seen the film, Quaeschning’s soundtrack does develop and soundtrack the emotions I’d expect the main character, played by Ron Thompson, to go through. Loneliness, despair, franticness, dashed hope and determination are all feelings that are explored by the minimalistic music created. There is a sense of time slipping away slowly, a claustrophobic quality of being suffocated by the environment, around the main protagonist. This is a soundtrack that builds and builds, that reaches crescendo’s of hope only for those feelings to slip away in soft tumbles of quiet introspection. With knowing the premise of the story listening to this soundtrack allows the listener to imagine the story being told; like when I read a book I imagine which actor I’d choose to play the characters I’m reading about this album helped me build a picture of the visuals I’ll see when I do eventually watch the film. As a fan of Tangerine Dream, as those of you who saw my review of their recent ‘Quantum Gate / Quantum Key’ album, the continuation of Edgar Froese’s vision by Quaeschning is work I really rate and this album is a fantastic continuation of that great legacy. But is that enough when judging it as a soundtrack album? For me the only question is, “Does listening to this album make me want to watch the film?” To which the answer is a resounding yes; I just hope the film can live up to the high expectations this fabulous work has given me. 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 28th May 2018

Ain´t it cool - Film review

Article by: Freddy Beans The soundtrack here is awesome by Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning!  It really reminded me of John Carpenter's THE THING at times.  The soundtrack is available now.  You may know Tangerine Dream's Thorsten Quaeschning better as the guy who did this. 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 23rd May 2018

MN Music News

Article by: Andy Snipper **** (out of *****) This album meets two of the tests I hold for movie soundtracks: 1. It should make me feel as though I have seen the movie, 2. It should be good enough, musically, to stand alone. It is easy to recognize the hand of Thorsten Quaeschning in this – his role in Tangerine Dream makes it inevitable that this will have the signature of ‘Dream’ all over it – but if I didn’t know it was a soundtrack then I would probably assume it was a new – and very good – Tangerine Dream album. The pacing, the soundscapes and the deep emotions are all there but because it is describing scenes from a thriller movie there is greater restraint in the length of numbers and all to the better. The movie itself is a thriller where the central character finds himself locked in a cargo container with 24 hours to achieve his release and the music brilliantly capture different elements of the plot and the characters – it is designed to be a crucial part of the movie experience and I can only look forward to seeing the visuals that go with it. The best electronic music is cinematic in its essence and this works better than most. A stunning piece. 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 18th May 2018

Gigsoup Tomorrow´s Music

Today / Vinyl Corner

Article by: Martin Leitch Vinyl Corner is a feature where we take a look at vinyl pressings of various albums and weigh them up to see just how good they sound, how well they’re pressed and what sort of packaging to expect – as well as giving a brief overview of the music itself. For today’s instalment we’re checking out a new soundtrack release from Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning . The Music: The soundtrack of director James Dylan’s recent indie thriller, Thorsten Quaeschning’s ‘Cargo’ is a set of well paced, carefully constructed electronic pieces running the gauntlet from taut electro to sweeping, panoramic ambient. It’s a selection of compositions that form a salient, powerful atmosphere all of their own. Fans of Quaechning’s work, both in and out of electronic-innovators Tangerine Dream, should look into this post-haste. The Pressing: This pressing is released by something of an unknown quantity for us, Invisible Hand Music. Online we could only find mention of a handful of releases from them over the past few years, and this is the first release from them that we’ve heard. Despite their lack of reputation, this is a solid product with impressive credentials. The deadwax tells us that the album was mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road, which should be enough to tell the eagle eyed that this is going to sound good. The album’s sonics are really crisp here; at points, ambient rumbles befitting of Quaeschning‘s Tangerine Dream roots shift and murmur in the background whilst at others the album rumbles along in a blast of techo-influenced assault. It’s a winning combination and, from a sonic perspective, this pressing lives up to that nicely with good clarity and strong fidelity. [contentblock id=141 img=adsense.png] The album clocks in at not that far shy of an hour but despite this, it’s only spread over one single LP. Especially in the modern age when it’s not all that unusual to see forty minute long albums spread over two LPs, it’s rather surprising to see that Invisible Hand have opted to press the whole album on just one disc. Although the resulting pressing is still solid, there are definitely some downsides to the decision. Both volume and dynamic range suffer considerably from the length of each side, which is a largely inevitable side-effect of the sheer amount of music contained on each side (both of which last the best part of half an hour). The grooves are so tightly packed in, that volume is definitely subdued here and to achieve the kind of loudness many prefer to listen to their music at, the amp has to be cranked to such a point that normally unnoticeable surface noise does become more apparent. Dynamic range is also not ideal on this pressing, with what should have been hugely dynamic, nuanced pieces at times sounding a tad flat, despite the fact that the mastering itself – at least as far as the clarity and fidelity are concerned – remains well executed. It’s far from a poor pressing and the results are actually fairly impressive given the excessively lengthy sides but neither is it ideal and, although we often find ourselves wondering just how many modern double LPs are little more than  cash-grabs, in this case a double LP would have been more than justified. On the plus side, the retail price for this release remains highly reasonable from what we could find – and one definite advantage comes with the fact that such lengthy sides allow the persuasive, singular atmosphere of the album to really establish itself, without the interruption of changing sides every 12 – 15 minutes. Still, although this remains a worthwhile pickup for fans of Quaeschning, we would have rather had the album spread over two LPs at a little extra cost, because it doubtless would have sounded better. The Packaging: Packaging and presentation is largely in-line with what you would reasonably expect from a fairly low- priced single LP. The sleeve is non-gatefold and printed on moderately light card but it’s still sturdy enough, and print quality is fine throughout. It would have been nice had the barcode been put on a sticker as the large one printed on the back cover doesn’t look great but that’s small potatoes really. The inner sleeve is an unusual one; it harkens back to the days of company-specific inner sleeves with a mid-weight paper die cut inner featuring the Invisible Hand logo. It’s not all that great an inner sleeve and it’s likely to lead to surface scuffing if used repeatedly (as always, we’d suggest storing the album in a polylined inner of your choice) but it’s certainly a quirky, interesting touch. Final Thoughts: All in all, then, the vinyl pressing of Thorsten Quaeschning’s soundtrack for Cargo is something of a mixed bag, but the overall impression is generally fairly positive. While it would certainly be a push to refer to this as anything close to an audiophile pressing, neither is it a poor one. Considering the length of the sides, it’s impressive that the sound quality remains as good as it is and, although the stirring music’s impact is dulled somewhat by the record’s muted dynamics, it is still easily enjoyable. While we perhaps wouldn’t point to this as an exceptional modern pressing, those interested in the film or in Quaeschning’s work in general could still do far worse than picking this one up. 2019-03-24

“CARGO” Review 17th May 2018

Film Music Magazine

Article by: Daniel Schweiger May Soundtrack Picks THE TOP PICKS 1) (CARGO) What Is it?: From being stuck in a grave or a car trunk, thrillers with confined spaces often yield interesting scores that mix claustrophobia with a far bigger, suspenseful world outside of the character’s entombment. In the driving hands of Tangerine Dream musician Thorsten Quaeschning and his band Picture Palace, “(Cargo)” has a pulsating, sumptuous groove that opens up the sinister forces outside of its metal container, while playing the increasingly crazed escape efforts of a perhaps not- so-innocent business magnate. Intense character actor Ron Thompson (“American Pop,” “Baretta”) makes a major tour de force comeback in director James Dylan’s impressive debut film (available to watch HERE August 14th) as his air, and patience run thin. Why Should You Buy It?: Making a far easier breakthrough in “(Cargo)” is Quaeschning, whose time spent with Dream-maker Edgar Froese shows off considerably with a score that brings to mind such classic TD soundtracks as “Thief,” “Near Dark” and “Miracle Mile.” Like his prog-rock mentor, Quaeschning shows a powerful, propulsive ability to run with ever-building melodic ideas. Quaeschning palpably conveys the developing panic, then fury of its antihero, his music atmospherically reflective for one stretch, the furiously spinning from one potential avenue of release to the other. Avoiding any chance of “(Cargo)” being a long haul, Quaeschning’s enveloping score visualizes the one- man show’s torment, enraged heirs and insane chases that are cleverly conveyed via cell phone with sharp dialogue and sound effects. It’s a well- modulated approach that segues from psychological refection to desperate action with the film’s gliding camera moves, with cues that are long (with one even coming in at sixteen minutes), but continuously mesmerizing. Extra Special: “(Cargo)” might be a literally slightly bigger than small film, but packed with an enveloping energy in all respects. Quaeschning and Picture Palace makes it a fun ride by opening up a far bigger sonic world multitrack rhythms jam to the haunting simplicity of piano, voices and an orchestral presence with composer’s electrifying feature debut that not only pays tribute at the stylistic altar of Tangerine Dream, but more importantly charts cool new paths for alt. scoring’s post-Froese future. 2019-03-23

“CARGO” Review 21st May 2018

Celluloid Tunes

Article by: Jon Aanensen **** (out of *****) What is it? Cargo (2018) – not to be confused with the 2017 Netflix movie starring Martin Freeman – is a taut one-man thriller written and directed by newcomer James Dylan, starring veteran actor Ron Thompson in the lead role. Cargo tells the bleak, yet compelling story of the events that unfold when a man wakes up trapped inside a cargo container with only a cell phone. He is given 24 hours by his kidnappers to raise 10 million dollars in ransom or die. German musician and composer Thorsten Quaeschning joined legendary electronic group Tangerine Dream in 2005. After founding member Edgar Froese’s death in 2015, Quaeschning is now the leader of the band with fellow bandmates Ulrich Schnauss and Hoshiko Yamane. Quaeschning also has the side project Picture Palace Music, and it is under this moniker that he scored Cargo. How is it? The soundtrack album for Cargo runs a generous 66 minutes, which is impressive since the film only runs for 80. I haven’t seen the film, but I doubt all 66 minutes are featured in it. I presume the composer has chosen to expand on his ideas for the soundtrack release. The highlight of the album is the 16-minute track «Wanderbaustelle», which is a glorious, sequencer-driven piece reminiscent of both Rich Vreeland’s It Follows and the music of Jean Michel Jarre. Quaeschning really fires on all cylinders here, and I would be interested in finding out how this track works in the film. The score is not all-electronic, though. In four of the tracks, a string trio is featured, giving the score a sense of “Hollywood”, especially in «Cargo Main Theme», which for some reason appears as track 12 (of 16). The composer himself is a multi- instrumentalist, playing piano, glockenspiel, drums and electric guitars in addition to the synths and electronics. This “band feel” is on display in the rock- infused, wall-of-sound-like track «Spotlight Effect» and in «Aggravated Circumstances» with its distorted guitars. These tracks are closer to the post-rock genre and highlights Picture Palace Music more as progressive rock than electronic music. Other tracks are more 70s/80s electronica, like «Chain Initiation», «Isolation Fault» and «Trade Mark Activation», while the beautiful «Tom’s Theme» reminded me slightly of the music from Stranger Things. Cargo is a varied and exciting score which will ubdoubtedly feature on this reviewer’s list of the most interesting scores of 2018. Hopefully the film (with a tentative US release date of August 14, 2018) will provide Thorsten Quaeschning more opportunities in the film music world. He has now joined the long list of (former) Tangerine Dream members who have dipped their feet into American cinema. 2019-03-23

“CARGO” Review 14th May 2018

Ain´t it cool - Movie News

Article by: Precious Roy Hey, folks... remember that teaser for [CARGO] that we covered a couple of weeks ago? A snippet of music from it has been released... and it's spellbindingly good. If it conjures up Stein and Dixon's work on STRANGER THINGS for you, that's no surprise-- Tangerine Dream's Thorsten Quaeschning composed the soundtrack. Seeing the trailer, I was expecting something atonal and basic like Jason Segal's FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL character might have performed under the direction 'dark and ominous'... but this is something out of my TRON dreams. Not sure how much the soundtrack can improve the film, but I suppose I am a little more interested in seeing the film they pair with this music, now.

2019-03-23

“CARGO” Review 13th May 2018

Sea of Tranquility

Article by: Steven Reid **** Cargo is a taut thriller written and directed by James Dylan that stars actor Ron Thompson in the lead role. Cargo tells the bleak yet compelling story of the events that unfold when a man wakes trapped inside a cargo container with only a cell phone and is given 24 hours by his kidnappers to raise ten million dollars in ransom or die. The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to the film Cargo by Thorsten Quaeschning plays an integral role in the unfolding story and the atmospherics of the piece… And how correct that press release is. For while I have yet to see Cargo and the claustrophobic, desperate tale it tells, the OST created by Tangerine Dream man, Quaeschning is everything you’d expect from someone so long connected with enigmatic electronic music. That the pulsating, unsettling sounds he creates barely need the accompanying visuals to tell the story of this threatening film should come as no surprise, the synth man renowned for creating storytelling music without pictures. Tension is round every corner, as Julia Hecht adds occasional cello, Anne Uerlichs the contrast of viola and Hoshiko Yamane some soothing violin. It all comes together in a lengthy collection of set plays that slowly unravel and blend into a fine depiction of the desperation, despair and confusion that you can only imagine the film’s central character must be experiencing. Through headphones the atmosphere verges on overwhelming, but in truth, no matter the circumstances, the taught storytelling laid out across the sixteen tracks this journey contains possesses enough enigmatic belief to dominate its surrounds and completely capture the imagination. With track titles such as “Isolation Fault”, “Mass Market Claustrophobia” and “The End Is Not Far Off”, don’t expect to experience much hope or release from the peril the music displays, but with a similar vibe to the ever enquiring Stranger Things OST, that’s not to say that at any point does any of this ever become overwhelming, or crushing in its bleakness. Instead you are given the opportunity to fill in the blanks and take the mood and tone wherever your mind desires. Soundtrack works can often be disconnected and distant when experienced without its obvious purpose. However with Cargo Thorsten Quaeschning and his Picture Palace Music have achieved exactly the opposite, the sounds that has been lovingly crafted for Cargo hugely effective on its own terms and I’m sure also hugely integral in creating the mood of the movie itself.