Photo: WENN
Mogwai are no strangers to extracurricular musical activity, in fact you could say that they make it their business. In 2013 they took their cinematic approach to music to the next level, scoring everything from movies about football icon Zinadine Zidane to Emmy Award-winning drama about the dead returning to rural France.
The soundtrack to Les Revenents (that's The Returned to you English speaking viewers out there) was one of the best bodies of work and finest albums released in 2013. Somehow, they've also found the time to write record their astounding eighth album, Rave Tapes - due for release next week. While they prepare to take their legendary live show on the road and bring Rave Tapes to the masses, Mogwai told Gigwise that they are already eyeing up their next project, the soundtrack to the second series of Les Revenants.
"We were really pleased with it because we'd only been shown one episode because they hadn't finished filming," says Mogwai multi-instrumentalist Barry Burns. "They'd given us a few scripts so we only got as far as the third episode before we started on the sound. It gave us a really good idea of what it was about and how it was going to turn out so it just really interesting.
"I'm really happy we did it and we're going to do the next series as well so we're going to record some more music later in the year. I don't think they've started filming, and we've not even been sent a script yet. I think John (Cummings, Mogwai guitarist) has been speaking to them about it but I don't know any details about it."
Listen to 'Hungry Face' by Mogwai below
Naturally, a soundtrack brings its own challenges. Whereas Mogwai can move from one album to the next with the freedom to explore and change everything (as they did with the upbeat motorik sounds on Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will into the dark but expansive Rave Tapes), scoring a series means sticking with the mood and following on from very similarly from where you left off.
"You're definitely aware that you're secondary to the whole picture," admits Barry, "and when you make a Mogwai record you don't really have that external dialogue with a director telling you what to do, which obviously wouldn't be good in a normal Mogwai scenario but it's really nice having this other person telling you.
"It's nice to get that instant appraisal on what you're doing, it means you can change things, whereas with a normal record you've got to wait until it comes out until the shit hits the fan."
Expanding on his own personal soundtracking ambitions, Barry continues: "It would be quite interesting to re-do a film. There's a movie that we based some of the artwork on for the album, called Phase 4 by Soul Bass. I'd like to have a go at one of those claustrophobic 1970s B-movie type things."
Watch the video for 'The Lord Is Out Of Control' by Mogwai below
Known for experimenting and taking risks, Barry believes that the future of Mogwai will see them take plent of strolls outside of their comfort zone - wrapping their inimitable sound around a wide range of adventurous ideas. Don't expect to see them in theatres though - oh no, they'll leave that to a certain Britpop-botherer.
"I remember the days when we used to say no to everything, but now we tend to say yes a lot more. I don't know why, but we'll try anything," says Barry ."I think the soundtrack stuff opened up a few things. We've worked on a few art projects and we've got another one this year with a guy called Anthony Crook. He wants us to do the sound for a project where a guy is going to build a boat and sail down the Hudson River to Manhattan. I've no idea of how that's going to pan out but it should be good.
"Maybe we won't go as far as opera and ballet - we'll leave that to Damon Albarn."
- Check back at Gigwise soon for our full Mogwai interview
Mogwai release Rave Tapes on Monday 20 January, 2014. Their UK tour dates are as follows:
JANUARY
22 Newcastle upon Tyne - Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre
24 London - Royal Festival Hall
25 London - Royal Festival Hall
27 Manchester - Bridgewater Hall
28 Glasgow - Royal Concert Hall
For more information visit Gigwise gig tickets.
Below: Mogwai, James Vincent McMorrow and the albums of 2014 that we're already in love with
