„The film music by John Gürtler, Jan Miserre and Lars Voges is striking in its complexity and dramatic potency. The musical element develops the emotional strength that arises from the narrative and creates discrete dramatic structures that don’t just support the narrative but produce their own narration. In its own way, the work plays on American musical traditions and breathes new life into them. It is versatile, innovative and modern and impressively produced without being ostentatious .“
– 2015 German Documentary Music Awards 2015
„Unheard of sounds are also what make this extraordinary film, which does not belong to any genre, a very special experience that must be experienced on the largest possible screens and only in conjunction with good sound systems. Those who don’t have a decent home theater system at hand at the moment will perhaps drop out (too) quickly – and let the hearts of the composer collective Paradox Paradise bleed. After all, John Gürtler, Lars Voges and Jan Miserre have once again broken a big-little documentary taboo for their renewed collaboration with Nicolas Steiner: 50 minutes of original music, some of which was composed before the shoot or excerpts of which were again specially taken along for the shoot.
The undoubtedly renowned, but – well – old guard around, for example, Marcel Ophüls or Frederick Wiseman would certainly have drummed the three just as passionately on the musician’s fingers for this: No Verité, Cinéma Musiqualité is the name of this new documentary approach initiated by Steiner and his comrades-in-arms. Those who can get involved will (be able to) feel the highest ecstasy: Almost an hour long, with only shorter interruptions. With their collage-experimental, very free-spirited score, which was awarded the prize for the best film music in a documentary at the 30th DOK.fest Munich last year, this dedicated artist troupe enters new musical territory: shimmering, burning, intoxicating. It makes sure that you can listen to Above and Below in principle, even if the exalted visual language sometimes literally slays you.
This unusual OST for Steiner’s film is now even available in stores, which is also not exactly common in the documentary film industry worldwide, which sometimes still thinks a little too puristically. This original score cleverly bundles the strongest visual moments dramaturgically – such as homeless Rick and Cindy’s rollercoaster ride together after the flood washes away all their belongings from the tunnel – while also ensuring that Steiner’s film really takes off at times.“
-Kinozeit Review by Simon Hauck
180g black vinyl in full-colour sleeve, manufactured by handle with care.
All tracks, written, recorded & mixed by Paradox Paradise