'Island of The Hungry Ghosts' Soundtrack announced on PAN's ENTOPIA series

Music

PAN have announced that the original motion picture soundtrack for hybrid documentary ‘Island of the Hungry Ghosts’ will be released on their ENTOPIA series.

The original score was composed by Aaron Cupples and is characterised by the bespoke instruments and recording techniques used during the process. To complement the themes and location of the documentary, the soundtrack features vivid field recordings of insect choruses, strange bird calls and Buddhist prayers captured on Christmas Island by sound recordist Leo Dolgan.

An exploration of the natural, human and spiritual worlds, the documentary follows a trauma therapist who lives on the Australian territory of Christmas Island. Everyday, in this seemingly idyllic paradise, she talks with asylum seekers who are being housed indefinitely in a detention centre, attempting to support them through this unknown situation.

Speaking about the process behind the film, Aaron explains that “Drawing on discussions with director Gabrielle Brady, I began to perceive the island itself as the protagonist, with its own ancient rhythms and cycles set against the transitory human stories it endures. It was my intention to give voice to the island through the score.

He continues, “as the film’s narrative unfolds, harmonic movement and finally melody emerge, bringing a theme to the human stories. Their life rhythms and cycles interwoven with those of the island.”

The soundtrack will be released on 29 January 2021.

Tracklist
01. Night
02. The Understorey
03. Blowholes
04. The Long Walk
05. Trapped Air
06. The Hungry Ghost
07. Fire & Jungle
08. The Protester
09. Ocean & Prayers
10. Sand Return

Stream ‘Sand Return’ below.