Gazelle Twin - Mudtown (Ar y Ffin) [Original Soundtrack]

A Closer Listen

Gazelle Twin has become a prolific scorer in the past few years; her latest project is written for the Welsh procedural drama Mudtown (Ar y Ffin).  Viewing the trailer, one can tell that there’s a great deal of tension in the show; suffice it to say that the producers hired the right person for the job.

The title track, which we assume is played over the opening credits, is awash in bell-toned percussion, innocent at first, then savaged by a deep electronic drone.  One can already sense the ways in which the plot may turn.  Many of the pieces here are similarly short, but contain some segment of inner transition, refusing to be incidental music.

“Take the Hit” is the first piece to launch right into the listener.  The drums are hard and harsh, the implication that something mean is about to go down.  But “On the Run” is the first extended track, and the one with the most internal development.  At first, there is only the quiet of a slow, electronic wave, approaching and receding.  Then a sound akin to a metal plate or wine glass, the low tones gathering momentum.  Bells chime, implying a possible escape.  Finally, in the third minute, the drums.  At this point the tension leaps, no longer curling, but attacking.  And still, Gazelle Twin is not done; in the fourth minute, extra percussion enters, leading to a final, foreboding note.

In related fashion, “Teachings” builds and peaks, but never breaks, the drone sufficient unto itself.  The claustrophobic “Back in Court” extends this feeling, toppling into a surprisingly jaunty synth pattern late in the piece.  “Suburu Escape” reverts back to smoky suspense, uncurling in its second half, the sparse notes of Gazelle Twin’s voice leading to a percussive joust.  “Bloodlines” references classic 80s synth, low blasts joined by high patterns, as if to demonstrate the divide between good and evil.  In the end, it becomes a dance track; we’d love to see this scene!

The appeal of the score is found in the shifts within tracks, which we assume reflect plot twists.  Few pieces end where they begin; and isn’t that the way of a good mystery?  (Richard Allen)

Sun Sep 28 00:01:55 GMT 2025