Originally composed to pitch for the AMC series Rectify whilst in pre-production back in 2012, I gave this track a long overdue day at the spa. A simple acoustic guitar riff, layered with wandering mandolin and guitar flurries + a felt piano. The cellos and violas from the original track have been replaced by more granular textures using Spitfire Audio LABS instruments.

Methuselah

CHC Vaults/Chorus Synth challenge. 
"Griffin's Dream"

Vaults Chorus Synth:

Synth bass
Synth main melody
Synth pads L + R slightly different settings
Synth arpeggios


Other synths:

Vaults Celest-A-Tone top layer on alternate melodies
Arturia Synthi V + Jupiter 8 on alternate melodies


Drums: 

XLN Addictive Drums 2 - Reel Drums pack
Linn Drum kick/snare/hats + DMX toms

Patrick Krou - Griffin's Dream

All sounds in this version of the track originate from the free Vaults instruments by The Crow Hill Company. All of the 6 instruments in this gem of a collection have been used. Some of them have been heavily processed with the likes of NI Guitar Rig and Arturia's MS-20 filter plugin, giving them a new and interesting sonic identity, getting somewhat closer to the vibe I was after.

This piece was inspired by early 70s British tv theme tunes, most notably those by the late, great, John Barry. His opening themes for The Persuaders, The Adventurer and Great Mysteries still give me a most delightful chill that runs up and down my spine upon hearing them. 

I'm quite fond of many films scores from the likes of Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota, Lalo Schifrin, Henry Mancini and others, but those aforementioned tv openers magically take me back to a different era; the chord changes, mysterious timbres, haunting melodies and thick-like-molasses synth bass lines against those drum grooves, uf.... it's sheer sonic voodoo.

Any such cimbalom/dulcimer line or eerie trill brings me glimpses of my toddler self in Montreal, sitting with my dad watching these shows on the black and white Zenith tele we had back then. My father loved James Bond films and its music, spy and detective thrillers with the likes of Belmondo, Lino Ventura, Eddie Constantine, Alain Delon and Michael Caine, and anything with Clint Eastwood was fair game. 

Today, all that music somehow shapes my perception of him and of that era, in the best of ways. It was so cool that we couldn't see it, much less understand it until many years later.


There will be an alternate version of this track released next week.
New instrumentation, arrangement and mix; a more 'complete' version, I suppose. Oh, and the lead lines will of course be played by a cimbalom. Pfff.....

PatrickKrou_The Dying Art of Living

Mok Sleeper remix of "Mercy" by TV On the Radio.

TV On The Radio "Mercy" - Mok Sleeper/PK RMX

A remix I did of their beautiful track "The Rest of Us" 
2015

Colin Stetson/Sarah Neufeld Duo - "The Rest Of Us" - PK remix

Awake

Bond

Bellz

Alameda

The Sway Machinery "Azamer" PK REMIX

Andy Rourke (The Smiths) "Long Nite Out" PK REMIX

76 Seasons

Driven To Walk - opening theme 2

Uncertain Smile

Del Funk

Pink Noise "Moving In" - PK Remix

Patrick Krou is a music and sound enthusiast originally from Montreal, now residing in Madrid. Whilst living in Brooklyn NY from 2000 to 2013, he wrote the score to many tv adverts, a few short indie films and also co-composed  an animated tv series on the FOX network. Recently, the focus has shifted on composing for indie films along with a few personal projects, experimenting with ambient and textural soundscapes, blurring the lines between sound design and music.

Patrick Krou

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