Thursday Evening Jukebox...

Early Memories - Patricia Wolf

(from the album Hrafnamynd - Balmat Records)

"Early Memories" is the first track on Patricia Wolf's soundtrack to the documentary film, Hrafnamynd by experimental filmmaker Edward Pack Davee, who, like Wolf, is based out of Portland, OR.

Davee's film centers on memories of his childhood in Iceland, with the narrative framed with archival family photos and slides featuring a young Davee, his parents and his brother, as well as scenes capturing the almost otherworldly landscapes of the island, the family VW Beetle, a whale slaughter, and wild birds…especially ravens.  Hrafnamynd translates as "raven film."

This is Wolf's first soundtrack recording, and 5th full length overall. The film and the score seem a perfect match of aesthetics. Wolf has spent her career as a sound designer and composer collecting and synthesizing field recordings of the natural sound environments of the PNW, especially focused on birdsongs (check out her 2024 release, The Secret Lives of Birds as well).  So she seems to be the perfect person to score a film which frames ravens as a focal point.  In preparation for her work on the film, Wolf took her recording equipment to Iceland, so that she could capture the authentic natural sounds specific to the island, whether that be the winds, the voices, the church bells, the terrain itself, and of course, the birds. 

The score was composed mostly on a UDO Super 6 synthesizer, a piece of equipment that was a recent acquisition for Wolf.  As she experimented with the nuances and intricacies of the new machine, a natural playfulness emerged in her compositions.  As she told the Portland Mercury recently,  “It brought a caring, sensitive, childlike feeling to certain parts [of the score], capturing that wonder and curiosity—emotions you feel when encountering unfamiliar things.” Quite apropos for a documentary centered on childhood memories. 

When her field recordings are synthesized, the resulting waves of sound uncover layers of intricacies which unfold subtly, drawing the listener in, deeper and deeper on each track.  It provides for a truly soothing and engaging listening experience.  The latest in an expanding catalog of adventurous and smart recordings from Patricia Wolf.  This one comes highly recommended. (MDH)