SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MIRKO KRSTIČEVIĆ – ALL AND NOTHING AT ALL (FILM AND THEATRE MUSIC 1978 – 1988)

MIRKO KRSTIČEVIĆ
ALL AND NOTHING AT ALL (FILM AND THEATRE MUSIC 1978 – 1988)
FOX & HIS FRIENDS RECORDS

Mirko Krstičević is a Croatian-born composer and musician. He has been making various kinds of music since the 1970s. He has done everything from pop music to classical to avant-garde. This collection, All And Nothing At All (Film and Theatre Music 1978 – 1988) (Sve i ništa (Filmska i scenska glazba 1978 – 1988 in Croatian) focuses on his work for the underground and avant-garde cinema for 10 years spanning 1978 to 1988. Keep in mind that this is a small amount of soundtracks he has actually composed. As it is, this is an incredible album of electronic, atmospheric short pieces that is impossible to turn off. Like Tangerine Dream’s synth-based soundtracks, or Vangelis, or even Brian Eno, Krstičević creates music designed for film, but in truth, plays just fine without the visuals.

Full disclosure, I am not familiar with the films for which this music was made, but one has to assume that they are as avant-garde and original as this music. All and Nothing At All (Film and Theatre Music 1978 – 1988) is a brilliant album that combines sparseness with coldness. The opening and closing tracks are the longest on the album. All and Nothing At All (Film and Theatre Music 1978 – 1988) opens with “The Second Dreams (Theme from House on the Sand)”. It is eerie, creepy, and perfectly performed. Krstičević’s very sporadic use of the synth and drums produces a very anxious piece of music. The same can be said for the closing song, “Chernobyl (Theme From Fear And Hope Of The German Federal Republic)” is less sparse, but the use of layering produces a dark and ominous sound and feeling.

That can be said for the entire album, Krstičević is a very talented artist, and he is capable of very melodic songs, but on this particular collection of his music, because it was intended to accompany visuals, the music is more erratic and less focused on structure. Listen to “Second Choir – Marching Step (Theme From Biedermann Und Die Brandstifter)” which sounds like a 42 sec snippet of “We Will Rock You” but for a horror film. Elsewhere, “She Runs Away (Theme From Fool For Love – Savage Love)” is more melancholic but still packs an emotional punch. It is incredible when the album is over that one has listened to instrumental music and been moved in many emotional directions.

Krstičević has released a great deal of music and received a great many awards and a great deal of recognition for his work. This album, and others in the series, may introduce him to a whole new audience and appreciation. As it is, All and Nothing At All (Film And Theatre Music 1978 – 1988) serves as a wonderful introduction to this original and incredible music. It may sound dated, but even so, the music stands up today and one has to marvel at the sounds this artist (and at times his fellow musicians) created.  Two more albums in this series are planned for this year and next and that is exciting news.

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