A legendary 1921 Swedish silent movie by film pioneer Victor Sjöström, The Phantom Carriage has influenced hundreds of artists over the years. Now, over a century since the film’s initial release, the uniquely mesmeric Icelandic synth-punk trio Kælan Mikla have joined forces with compatriot Bardi Johannsson to create a haunting original score for the movie.
The film was screened at the Transylvania International Film Festival 2023, accompanied by a live performance of the score specially written for the location, to a sold-out church. In light of the success of this first performance, together Kælan Mikla and Bardi Johannsson have now released The Phantom Carriage original score on vinyl and will be performing it live on further occasions.
Together, Bardi Johannsson and Kælan Mikla have created a unique voice, inhabiting a world of folklore and fairytales, of magic and mysticism. Cinematic layers of synth, ethereal vocals and programmed drums – these are the elements at the heart of the collaboration’s sound, pulling the listener ever-deeper into their musical space. Crossing between classical thriller scoring and darkwave gloomy synths, this is a spellbinding new work.
Kælan Mikla were founded in 2013 as an entry in a poetry competition. After winning the event, the group were encouraged to continue making music, and soon established themselves as a solid part of the Reykjavik grassroots scene. In 2015, Kælan Mikla released their song ‘Kalt’, attracting a host of attention nationally and abroad.
