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Sleepbomb – The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Kool Arrow) – No doubt as a “casual ensemble project”, Sleepbomb’s immediately gained recognition in San Francisco for performing improvised industrial experimental scores to German Expressionist films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Metropolis is well deserved. I imagine this sounds immense when they play it live in front of the film in a gallery or theatre, does it work just as an album though? 

The self-described casual ensemble have been around in one form or another since 2004 and fully back together since 2015, “Originally stylistically close to a chaotic version of Throbbing Gristle vs Black Sabbath, Sleepbomb have been exploring experimental sounds and forms, guided by the band’s love of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Coil, Neurosis, Sunn 0))), Ulver and Swans, among others. Settling on a drone influenced style of doom metal as the overarching theme while exploring other genres as appropriate for each film’s particular style, Sleepbomb have performed full scores for the German expressionist classics Metropolis and Nosferatu as well as their signature score for Conan the Barbarian at the independent theatres, film festivals and art galleries of the SF Bay Area as well as national festivals like Litha Cascadia”.

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This new album, out on Faith No More man Billy Gould’s label Kool Arrow (now there’s a label we haven’t heard from for some time, didn’t we cover releases from that imprint rather a lot back in the day?), this new album, as a stand-alone studio recording, without the water-wings that would be the film projected behind it, takes a little getting into, you’ve got to let it slowly unfold, you need to let it slowly come to the boil. Slow moving doom flavoured Godspeedish post rock is just about where we are dealing with here, never as obvious as that though, they have colours of their own. It is very very repetitive, I guess you’d say positively so, they don’t have the classical adventure of Godspeed You! Black Emperor (but then who does?), instead Sleepbomb mostly opt to stay in the same place, hover around that one golden spot and slowly let you move around it with them. It does feel like a film soundtrack, for some reason it keeps bringing up flavours of 28 Days.  it does grow, it does pull you in, it does depend on your mood and the price of fish or the lay of the land and yes it is either an “enthralling musical landscape” or dare we say, just a tiny bit boring after a while? It is one of those things that does eventually hold you and on the right day when the price of fish might indeed agreeable, then  you might inclined to say yes, this is great, but then on other days, maybe a whole album of (positively) repetitive doom-flavoured instrumental not-quite-post-rock doesn’t quite do it?

I’d love to see them live in some white cube of an art gallery, film up on the wall, hell, I;d have loved to have seen them when they were a chaotic version of Throbbing Gristle meets Black Sabbath, I’d love to see them over the road here in Hackney in the old Death Factory building, it is still there and in use as artists studios. I do like this album, I think I like it rather a lot,I think I do, but then again…. (sw)

Bandcamp

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Here’s what the press release has to offer in terms of background…

“Renowned for their enthralling musical landscapes and captivating live shows, Sleepbomb is proud to announce the release of their latest score album, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari coming out this November 3rd via Koolarrow Records/Consouling Sounds.  This mesmerizing creation delves into the world of silent cinema’s iconic masterpiece, reimagining its eerie charm and enigmatic narrative through the band’s lens. Featuring an evocative fusion of almost ghostly vocals, haunting synths, and intricate instrumentation, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari score captures the film’s dark allure while adding a new dimension to its chilling tale.

Led by the collaborative efforts this score album showcases their unparalleled expertise in crafting music that intertwines seamlessly with visual storytelling. “When you’re working in such a genre, there’s always an aspect where your music, no matter how rough it might have been, is shaped by the dramatism of the picture,” Claire Hamard explains. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ is a movie I discovered as a teenager, and I was completely captivated by its gothic, chaotic, and highly expressive aesthetic. For this film in particular, I wanted to convey the strange beauty that emerges from it, over and above its sometimes disturbing or even terrifying aspect.”

The filmic experience puts Sleepbomb’s music in a whole different context from “normal” shows. “We receive frequent feedback from audience members who have attended films that they had no idea who Sleepbomb was upon coming in.” – explains Tim Gotch, one of the core-members of the band: “And these people are amazed by the experience of seeing their favorite film in a new light with the recontextualized score. This is key to the Sleepbomb experience and key to growing a diverse fanbase outside of the metal scene.”

Produced by Greg Wilkinson and Sleepbomb, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari became the result of what the members consider “meticulous collaboration” bringing the highest spirits from all of the consistent parts of Sleepbomb. “Our writing process involves iteration and back and forth, especially with how the music is working for the scene in question in regards to pacing and timing.” – underlines Tim. “Tempo is also huge, since each section needs to line up with the film correctly.” According to Tim: “Sleepbomb is scoring the picture, rather than just using the visuals to support the music. We’re always trying to have the music follow the flow of the scene, responding to action and eventual denouement. The record was complete in about 9 days, and Greg Wilkinson’s role in the studio was pivotal in achieving our goals with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.”     

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Live recording of Sleepbomb performing their original soundtrack to a collection of science fiction visuals at the Zeitgeist in San Francisco, April 13, 2016. Includes footage from 2001, Chronopolis, Junkhead, Stan Brakhage and Dave McKean. All imagery remains copyright of the original artists and is used via fair use as a transformative work.