Richard Norris’ latest album is a collection of 12 tracks composed as scores for various home movies. Films that Norris sourced from folks via social media. Wonky, wobbly, out of focus, reels holding blurry but beloved memories, that give the set its title, “8mm“. 

In keeping with the concept, the production’s vibe aims for “Lo-Fi”. Keys and synths buzz with reverb and distortion, and everything possess a kind of broken beauty. Built from simple refrains, with complexity created by notes being doubled, tripled in delay. Dropped into elegant, echoed cascades. There are chimes, sort of spherical sounds, like bubbles floating, captured in slow motion and hushed, sigh-like harmonies. Tones are twisted, squeezed and stretched. “All Of Us Strangers” is kosmische. Kratwerk-ian, but also takes cues from Cluster. “Zero Gravity” winks with starlight. Despite the Super 8s all coming from others, the compositions all play like personal pieces.

Themes are romantic, with a suitably cinematic, 80s European art house feel. For example, something about “The Process” makes me think of Gabriel Yared’s seminal “Betty Blue” soundtrack, while “Thief Of Time” has grander Satie-esque piano, stately paced synthetic chamber orchestration and brief glimpses of serene pedal steel. “Dreamtime” features something like David Lynch / Chris Isaak tremolo guitar. “Nocturne No.6” is suggestive of Joe Hisaishi’s work with Takeshi “Beat” Kitano. The music from the Japanese auteur’s existential questioning hidden with gangster movies, such as “Sonatine”.  

Richard Norris’ 8mm is out now on State Of Mind.