Alexandre Desplat "Frankenstein" 2xLP

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Limited edition white and red splatter retail first pressing of 6,000 units Since its publication in 1818, Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking novel Frankenstein has borne a seemingly in finite number of cinematic versions, and from that, some exceptional film music. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is the latest, and Alexandre Desplat’s score is the perfect accompaniment. In their third collaboration, following 2017’s The Shape of Water and 2022’s Pinocchio, the pair have conjured an electrifying mix of beautiful lyricism and deep emotions, conveying the wonder and tragedy of Shelley’s classic tale. Desplat’s score instantly evokes del Toro and Shelley’s world in the opening, which introduces the hauntingly beautiful seven-note motif for the real antagonist, Victor Frankenstein. This is accompanied by ghostly female choral voices and a low electronic pulsing, resulting in a representation of the inherent Gothic nature of the story and the themes of life and death, with the pulsing serving as a shorthand for the power that Victor will use to bring his creature into existence. Eldbjørg Hemsing, on solo violin, gives us a range of gorgeous tones that modulate from the beauty of nature to the beauty of melancholy. At the same time, Desplat writes music for Victor’s creation that is surprisingly enchanting as well as forceful, with an almost euphoric waltz scoring the building of Victor’s gruesome experiment, with flesh and sinew abound. The birth of the creature is treated as a subversion of previous adaptations, with a lyrical and searching tone that is tender and delicate, like the birth of a child. A four-note motif that repeats with variations represents the creature itself, played tenderly on plucked strings with solo piano as counterpoint. However, that initially bright and questioning tone shifts as the creature experiences its life as Victor demands, and the tragedy of the creature and the story come into focus. Desplat’s score transitions into a deeply melancholy mood as both creator and creation descend into their own personal hell, albeit with less fury and more reflection and introspection, with a true emotional resonance. Frankenstein ends with a glorious reprisal of its themes, a showcase of Alexandre Desplat’s talent and the inspiration of Guillermo Del Toro and Mary Shelley. It’s a work that stands proudly alongside previous musical iterations and is another evolution in the ongoing collaboration between Del Toro and Desplat. Gorgeous and thoughtful, Frankenstein is much more than just the sum of its parts. - Charlie Brigden Track List: Full Length Vinyl 1Side A 01 Frankenstein02 Explosion03 Victor's Tale04 Burning Angel05 Mother Dies06 William and Father07 Lecture08 Meet HarlanderSide B01 Elizabeth02 The Castle03 Symmetry04 Body Building05 The Tower Full Length Vinyl 2 Side A 01 Awakening02 Everything Is New03 Elizabeth Meets The Creature04 Floating Leaf05 Fire06 Creature's Tale07 Hunters08 Family LifeSide B01 A Friend02 Recollection03 A Good Man04 A Merciless Life05 Confrontation06 Laying To Rest07 Forgiveness08 Eternity street date 2/6/2026 Show more