Pelski is, in fact, more of a film-guru than a music-buff. So when I came across this remix of Bernard Herrmann’s Psycho score, you can imagine the excitement…and the relief that this remix is not like the majority of movie-themed tracks. It’s hugely original and even incorporates Janet Leigh’s piercing shower-scream from that classic scene. It’s hard to forget that penetrating shriek as Norman Bates slashes her smooth body to pieces, but who’d have thought to use that shriek as an actual instrument in the track? Crooks ‘N’ Gunn, that’s who.
Crooks ‘N’ Gun are Zia Hirji and Sam Kintu, and hail from Vancouver. I am friends with Zia on
facebook, though I have never met him (I lead a sad life), and he pioneered a massively popular facebook group called Down With Ed Banger, in which people discuss and share electronic music. I have picked up many-a-tip from this forum, and advise you to do the same.
Anyway, the classic theme-tune is infused with some slow drum patterns and pulses of bass, and of course, Janet Leigh’s screams. A crunky b-more beat is injected. Then it’s all glitched and chopped up, relying heavily on the subsequent stuttery effect. It all works marvelously.
Bernard Herrmann – Theme from Psycho (Crooks ‘n’ Gunn Psych! Remix)
Hermann would probably approve of this electronic reworking. After all, he was one of the first composers to utilise electronic intruments in movie scores – ranging from electric organs to electric strings, in order to create treble and bass theramins.
There seems to be so much monotomy floating between the blogs these days, so I look forward to hearing more from this massively imaginative Canadian duo.
