Update: A Carpenter-directed video for the track “Distant Dream” has been made available below.
John Carpenter‘s filmography would be far, far emptier without his musical contributions, several of which have marked the horror / thriller / supernatural picture no less than any of his lines, characters, scenarios, and images. It is ever so unfortunate that the man may never give us another set of lines, characters, scenarios, and images, so I find consolation in the continued musical endeavors — none of which have disappointed.
Last year, Carpenter — collaborating with his son, Cody Carpenter, and godson, Daniel Davies — released the atmospheric, synth-driven instrumental collection Lost Themes, which one might take as his soundtrack for non-existent cinema. They’ve since followed up with the fittingly titled Lost Themes II, another collection of tracks — eleven, to be specific — that will have fans dreaming of dark hallways, transforming bodies, glinting knives, and, really, whatever other scenarios you think define his films. (No shades of Elvis, however, at least as far as I can tell.) One can now hear that album through NPR (via Consequence of Sound), and, if you’re especially curious to explore these musical projects, have a look at a new endeavor by House By the Video Store, who have mixed tunes from the original album with scenes from The Thing.
Listen and view below: