Icelandic musician Hekla Magnúsdóttir explores the theremin's modern capabilities in her latest album, 'Turnar.' This work taps into the instrument's historical spooky sound, while showcasing contemporary themes. Recorded in a rural French castle, the album mixes ancient organ sounds with the theremin's haunting tones, evoking feelings of dread and unease. Tracks such as 'Kyrrð' and 'Ólga' highlight a unique blend of the medieval with 21st-century influences, demonstrating Hekla's ability to create immersive soundscapes reminiscent of classic horror and sci-fi scores, but with fresh emotional depth and complexity.
Hekla plumbs the theremin's weird, otherworldly depths, channeling a particularly contemporary bleakness that tethers it firmly to the 21st century.
Album standout 'Kyrrð' foregrounds organ pipes that might have been teleported straight from the Middle Ages, played expertly by fellow Icelander Kristján Hrannar.
Theremin has long been used to soundtrack the uncanny—from Hungarian composer Miklós Rózsa's score for Hitchcock's Spellbound to sci-fi films like The Day the Earth Stood Still.
It's doomed and droning, a song to gird your loins or shatter your nerve.
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