What we talk about when we talk about music
Mats Andersen
Wednesday 29.10
21:00
Tom Skjeklesæther, music journalist, and one of HIMF’a Founders, reviewed the film and reports the following;
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There is a quote that is alternately attributed to Laurie Anderson and Elvis Costello; "Writing about music, is like dancing about architecture".
A witty opinion that emphasizes how difficult it is to describe what music is, what music does to us, and why music is so important to many, perhaps everyone except Egil "Drillo" Olsen.
The Universal Appeal of Music
But out of what can be perceived as the clear nothingness, director Mats Andersen sets out to illuminate and explain precisely the strong and universal appeal of music. Get upbeat and qualified musicians and researchers to talk about this seemingly magical thing.
He does so in a well-thought-out and visually striking film language that is actually an audiovisual pleasure in itself.
He also succeeds in getting a group of Norwegian artists to express themselves openly and pointedly, at times movingly, about what music is all about for them and what potential music has as an unparalleled combination of purpose and meaning.
Possibly one of the most important music films ever
As “What we talk about when we talk about music” has had time to sink in, I am becoming more and more convinced that this could be one of the most important music films ever.
A film that everyone who has ever been touched by the power of music must see.
This is what the producers of this unique, visually beautiful and sonically superior documentary themselves say about the background to the project:
“What gives music its unique power over humans? And why is it that some people just have to make music?”
These are some of the questions that director Mats Andersen revolves around in this fascinating documentary.
Musicians, Research, Philosophers and Popular Science
Here we meet musicians Aurora Aksnes, Kjartan Kristiansen (DumDum Boys), Jonas Benyoub, Kjetil Møster, Anna Berg and Honningbarna who give us insight into their processes. Side by side with researchers, philosophers and popular science authors who give us their thoughts on why music affects us so strongly.
“What We Talk About When We Talk About Music” takes a closer look at the scientific reasons why music hits us right in the soul in a way that other artistic expressions do not. Among other things, we gain insight into music's unique relationship to memory and the way rhythm allows us to predict the future. And can the artists give us an insight into how their musical intuition works?
This is a curious and visually exploratory documentary that takes us from Norwegian music studios and far back in human evolution when the physiological, mental and psychological prerequisites for our love affair with music were laid.”