Search - Bruno Coulais :: Microcosmos

Beautiful and bizarre-- otherwordly

Cole North | 10/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a favorite soundtrack of mine (out of some 500+ soundtracks I enjoy) which I listen to whenever I feel like relaxing utterly or escaping into a cheerful and lovely fantasy realm. Even before this CD became available, I had taped the soundtrack from the film (which is also, imo, extremely impressive in its own right).



French composer Bruno Coulais (composer, also, of the exquisite Winged Migration and Himalaya soundtracks) is, without a doubt, a musical genius. And this soundtrack remains, I believe, the best example of his work-- expressing remarkable rhythmic diversity and producing varying emotions. The two brief Italian opera pieces are simply perfect (although when one considers the initial snail-lovemaking scene from the film in which the first of these songs is used, the dramatic effect is somewhat lessened . . . )



The first track-- repeated with certain alterations as the thirteenth track-- represents to me a fascinating cross between a typical English or Welsh choir song (alike to the one from the Empire of the Sun soundtrack) and something quite different and fantastic, perhaps along the lines of the surreal musical tunes created by Danny Elfan for Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride.



All together, this soundtrack is excellent as a background to meditating, dining, relaxing, reading, or otherwise feeling delightfully audibly-stimulated while engaging in other sensory pleasures!



For anyone interested, the lyrics of the original "Microcosmos" song and the slightly altered version (as obtained from watching the film with closed captions) follow, below.



*****(Original version, track 1)



look at your feet

this funny world

full of insane small creatures



and listen to

this buzzing chord

who keenly spreads such strange murmurs



the sound's buzzing, swarming

sliding beetles, snails, and ladybirds



on swarming grubs

on sliding ants

open your eyes before you die



sit on the grass

observe and paint

the toad, the wasp, the dragonfly



the sound's buzzing, swarming

sliding beetles, snails, and ladybirds



*****(Alternate version, track 13)



look at your feet

discern a world

full of insane small creatures



and listen to

this buzzing chord

who keenly spreads such strange murmurs



the sound's buzzing swarming

sliding beetles, snails, and ladybirds



on swarming grubs

on slighting ants

open your eyes before you die



sit on the grass

observe and paint

the toad he wants the dragonfly



the sound's buzzing, swarming

sliding beetles, snails, and ladybirds

"

Beautiful and bizarre-- Buy it!

Cole North | 08/30/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first watched the film several years ago and the music has haunted me ever since. I even went so far as to tape it off the video but have always wanted the CD (and Amazon is one of the few places you will find it).
The first track is incredibly beautiful and bizarre-- you can get the lyrics by watching the film with closed captions. Also, there are two Italian opera peices that are gorgeous-- especially after watching the scenes with which they are used in the movie.
Buy this soundtrack (as well as the video) and you won't regret it. It's truly wonderful; Bruno Coulais is a genius-- 5+!"

Love it!

Cole North | 08/30/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Beautiful! Perfect to listen to when you feel mellow and contemplative. Reminds me a bit of a cross between 'Nightmare Before X-mas' and 'Empire of the Sun' soundtracks-- but so original that any comparison is almost impossible."