As a seasoned anime fan who has traversed the eerie labyrinth of horror-themed manga and anime, I can confidently say that Junji Ito is undoubtedly the maestro of spine-tingling tales. So when I heard about the upcoming adaptation of Uzumaki, I was as eager as a cat on a hot tin roof, ready to pounce at every new development.
Horror is no stranger to the anime world though it is quite lacking in comparison to the way that the genre has overtaken Hollywood. When one thinks of horror related to the medium, there is one name that anime fans will routinely drift to when they think of the best examples of spooky manga series, Junji Ito. Thanks to the popularity of the mangaka’s works, Ito has received past anime adaptations of his work but Adult Swim, Production I.G., and Studio Drive are looking to change the game. Recently, we here at egmr.ru had the opportunity to talk with Uzumaki’s soundtrack creator Colin Stetson about what it took to create music for the cursed mountain town.
Initially, Stetson expressed gratitude to anime enthusiasts for their understanding during the project’s repeated delays, “I realize everyone has been waiting quite a while, but I’m happy they persevered to make it what they envisioned and needed it to be, as it’s stunning.” Stetson is familiar with the horror genre, having worked on movies like Hereditary, Color Out Of Space, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the past.
The Creation of The Uzumaki Soundtrack
During the discussion of the project’s initial stages, Colin mentioned that the COVID-19 lockdowns provided him with the ideal opportunity to create the powerful soundtrack. He explained that his process involved several factors: discussions with director Hiroshi Nagahama, reading the entire manga, immersing himself in its visuals and themes, having the script from day one, observing how it was being adapted, and understanding what was being cut. All these elements influenced the structure of the soundtrack in his mind. Aesthetically, he aimed to define the universe, set his own rules, and understand the elements at play. What made this project unique for him was that he had discussed joining the team just before COVID hit, which allowed him to delve deeply into “mad sciencing” the soundtrack for months without any distractions, giving him ample time to play, explore, and determine what this series required.
After that, the musician explained how the eerie motifs of Uzumaki inspired his unique approach for the soundtrack, “During my chat with Nagahama, we zeroed in on the key aspects of the series. Themes like obsession, mutation, and transformation were crucial. The spiral’s shape, as well as other elements, had a significant impact. Moreover, the show’s rhythm was to mirror the flow and pace of a spiral. All these factors influenced me, leading me to devise a musical representation for ‘spiral’. I believe this is why I was chosen for this project because my compositions have a recurring, cyclical quality.
The Birth of Uzumaki
Stetson was incredibly grateful to hear his compositions played again as the series of Uzumaki started airing its episodes, “I had a feeling this would be something extraordinary, and I was just as eager as everyone else. The music, interestingly enough, was composed years ago, so revisiting these songs is thrilling in itself. I poured countless hours into every detail of this project and truly loved being a part of it. I can’t help but say that, among everything I’ve done, this is my absolute favorite. It isn’t necessarily ‘fun,’ but more like a ‘gardening joy.’ I care about it deeply in every aspect, yet I also admire it greatly.
After bringing up Colin’s work in the horror genre earlier, we inquired about his experiences. Colin shared that he often gets approached by filmmakers involved in horror, thriller, and darker genres because there seems to be a unique fit between his music and these areas. He explained that the power of his compositions lies in their ability to elicit genuine human reactions. To achieve this, he avoids sticking too closely to conventional methods, aiming instead to use distinct sonic techniques to bypass listeners’ expectations and tap into their vulnerabilities. In simpler terms, Colin tries to compose music that doesn’t just entertain but also makes people feel something deeply.
Colin Stetson x Junji Ito’s Future
To get ready for the “Uzumaki” adaptation, Stetson delved into Ito’s extensive collection of books. Before wrapping up our chat, we posed a question to the musician about whether he had considered working on another horror story by Ito, “I hadn’t really thought about it before, that’s an intriguing query. Now, I’ll give this some serious consideration! I’m quite fond of comics and graphic novels, and they capture my interest greatly. Which Ito story would I like to compose a soundtrack for? Whenever I approach a story, I ask myself, ‘What can I contribute to this tale?’ So although I hadn’t thought about another one before, I am now going to ponder it constantly.
Fancy listening to Colin Stetson’s Uzumaki soundtrack at this moment? You can make it happen by clicking this link. The premiere of Uzumaki is scheduled for Saturday, September 28th on Adult Swim. It will be available to stream on MAX the next day, with English Dubbed versions airing every following Thursday.
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2024-09-27 22:40