Words by Justin Turford
If you’re a fan of funky, swinging, hip, weird and wonderful film soundtracks then this classy new compilation from the renowned Belgian label Sdban Records is definitely for you. A more than fine selection of soundtrack music that was either composed for Belgian films (or had another Belgian connection), lovingly highlights the obscure and the world famous. From Jean-Luc Godard collaborator Martial Solal or obscure soundtrack specialist Roger Morès to stateside legends such as Quincy Jones and Clark Terry, the standard for inclusion is very high indeed. Curatorial duo Robin Broos and Tom ‘Pélé’ Peeters have delivered to us an unexpected delight.
As might be expected, behind this compilation, a lot of work and time was involved. A LOT.
“Former film journalist Jan Temmerman reached out to us one day, offering a treasure trove of vintage soundtrack albums discovered in his attic," recounts Robin Broos. "With 650 long players, mostly unheard of titles, we embarked on an extraordinary quest—to listen to every single one of them, totaling a staggering 29,250 minutes. It was like watching the original Star Wars trilogy 78 times!"
Running from 1961 to the late 70s, the music exemplifies the changing times. Romantic jazz interludes, fearful synth atmospheres, orchestral bluster and car chase funkiness all have their place here.
Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine stars on the title track of the Catherine Deneuve and Jean Rochefort vehicle ‘Courage, Fuyons’ from 1979. The sentimental Brazilian jazz influenced number by French composer Vladimir Cosma is a musical throwback to the early 60s in many ways and is in stark contrast to the haunting synthy futurism of the final song on the compilation which is also from 1979, Alain Pierre’s ‘Nacht Shift’.
Roger Morès has two dramatically different inclusions on the album, the organ grooviness of ‘Dancing’ from 1967’s ‘Cash? Cash!’ is a killer slice of (what film directors seemed to think anyway) the swinging hippie party scene. With driving drums, tough horns, a wordless female ‘hey! chant and that funky, swirling organ, this is a superior example of 60s beat music and the OST original goes for silly money these days. ‘Ballade’ from the 1969 ‘erotic’ feature ‘L’Étreinte’ is a different beast altogether. Dripping in sadness, this guitar and cello led number very much resembles an early Paul McCartney-penned Beatles song without the lyrics, and it is quite lovely.
Philip Catherine also appears again amongst a heavyweight line-up of musicians on 1967’s ‘Les Trucs Du Miroir’. A Belgian film directed by a Polish director, ‘Le Départ’ won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and although it didn’t receive an award, the soundtrack by fellow Pole Krzysztof Komeda was given its well-deserved dues. Featuring the early talents of Gato Barbieri, Don Cherry, René Urtreger and of course, Philip Catherine, ‘Les Trucs Du Miroir’ is a flute-heavy splash of expressive jazz with tumbling glissandos and groaning strings. Cherry’s trumpet has a particularly transcendent moment before the song swings away to the end.
The short but desperately funky ‘Theme 19 (Générique + Générique Variation I)’ by Pieter Verlinden swaggers along with a monster bassline, stabbing strings and a drum groove that bumps hard. Proto-boogie with a sleazy nature, somebody needs do an extended edit of this!
Henri Seroka’s ‘Theme Axel’ is another one deserving of an extended rework. Once its ‘Shaft’ like opening segues into its early disco body, this 1975 number positively kicks along with vibraphones and amazing staccato violins leading the charge. Seroka later wrote the music for the Smurfs cartoons!
You just can’t have a soundtrack compilation from the 70s without some hi-hat propelled thriller edge and Salix Alba’s ‘Vol De La Voiture’ fits that bill nicely. A dirty guitar, discordant flutes and gorgeous vibraphones compliment the Belgian film ‘Les Tueurs Fous (Lonely Killers)’. Directed by Boris Szulzinger the film was - “a detective movie dealing with adult themes like juvenile delinquency, serial killers and homosexuality.” Sounds great!
Even the great Quincy Jones appears on this collection. A romantic (even icky) orchestral ballad from the Steve McQueen, Ali MacGraw 1972 film ‘The Getaway’, has regular Jones collaborator and Belgian musician Toots Thielemans adding his instantly recognisable harmonica lyricism to the sentimental mush of ‘Love Theme From ‘The Getaway’ (Faraway Forever)’.
The legendary Italian composer, Morricone collaborator and Sergio Leone whistler Alessandro Alessandroni offers the fantastic psychedelic title track from the 1971 Italian-Belgian horror film ‘La Terrificante Notte Del Demonio (Devil’s Nightmare)’. With a harpsichord riff that pre-empts The Exorcist by two years, fuzz guitars and spooky vocals from singer Giulia De Mutiis, this could easily be a long lost Tropicália song.
The Belgian cult classic, 1971’s erotic-vampire film ‘Les Lèvres Rouges (Daughters Of Darkness)’ is a digger’s delight with hip hop artists such as Lil Wayne and Ice-T just a couple who have gone through French composer François de Roubaix’s brilliant soundtrack - its sparse, dynamic arrangements a paradise for lifting moody, evocative samples. The beat-heavy groove of ‘Poursuite Sur Les Dunes d'Ostende’ already sounds like a Wu-Tang tune without trying too hard, the Axelrod-esque drums, astonishing horns and general loop-friendly atmosphere a perfectly structured scene-setter.
There a plenty more revelatory music on this brilliant compilation that demands your time. Many of the names involved were previously unknown to me so it has been an eye-opening journey through the filmic Belgian landscape, one that I recommend to anyone. 9/10.