A selection of Anna Calvi’s favourite soundtracks
It seems like a bit of a cop-out to describe someone’s sound as cinematic as it’s a description used so often these days; however, an exception can certainly be made for Anna Calvi. Though there is a lot about her music to enjoy, her expressive voice, which can go from a low rumble to a high squeal in the beat of an eardrum, separates her massively from other artists.
It’s not just her ability as a singer that stands out, though, but how she can space out an album so that her ability is never overlooked. Some artists might throw all they have into a few songs and then use the rest of a record as filler, but Calvi understands that an album should be one elongated piece of music, not a few hits and then 40 minutes wasted.
This all contributes to her cinematic nature as a performer. Because of the range of emotion in her voice and how she can space out that emotion throughout an album, it makes for a listen that is as engaging as Hollywood films. Albums such as her self-titled debut, Hunter and Hunted, all make for compelling listens.
It’s clear that other people agree, too, as Calvi has contributed to some excellent series scores, most notably that of Peaky Blinders, where she was able to put together a whole score for a TV show that is often associated with how it uses music.
When Calvi was asked to pick some of the albums that changed her life, she included some film scores. Looking at her career, this shouldn’t be a big surprise, as it is evident that they have always been a massive part of her life.
One of the first soundtracks that she referenced was Ennio Morricone’s The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. This is not only because of the iconic Western whistle the soundtrack provided but also because it isn’t afraid to experiment with various sounds. “I heard the soundtrack before I saw the movie,” she said, “And then when I saw the film, it made even more sense. But the great thing is that the music can stand on its own. You can absorb it as just music, which is probably the best thing about it.”
She also referred to the soundtrack of Taxi Driver because the sound can flip at the drop of a hat. She praised “The way that it changes from being something that’s so threatening and dark to being very melodic and lovely.” She also commented on how accurately these sounds reflect the movie while still holding up as standalone music, “The idea of ugliness and beauty – and how it can shift very quickly, going back and forth – is another thing that I wanted to explore… I found this one to be very inspiring.”
It’s always interesting to hear what people reference as inspiration when they are responsible for work that looks at the bigger picture. Unlike those who have an inspiration for a specific song, rather than look at certain sounds or playing styles, they look at overall tone and textures. Calvi embodies this mindset well when she talks about The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and the Taxi Driver soundtracks, as it’s less about the specific sound and more about how those extended pieces of music make her feel.
