
While I haven’t seen director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 2024 film, Evil Does Not Exist, I have a thing or two to say about the soundtrack.
Namely, its lush lovely and unsettling in a silent way (reference intentional).
Mixed & mastered by Jim O’Rourke, Evil Does Not Exist has strings that sway, electronics speaking their machine language, while acoustic elements—guitar, drums, brass, piano—appear as characters in this slow moving story.
From an interview with Hamaguchi:
“Eiko’s music certainly had a big influence on the film. I think her music has elements that are quite unsettling; she doesn’t allow you to feel safe while you’re listening to her music. Her work also seems to continuously develop without ever becoming conclusive.”
and Eiko:
Personally, I don’t really know what kind of music I make. When I make music, I’m often struggling to do it. I’m always questioning myself and asking, “Is this the right kind of music to be making? Why make music at all when there’s already so much out there?”
Part of the answer to that question is because this music can touch people deeply, in and of itself, something that is sorely needed in today’s world, a reminder of humanness, fragility, and beauty.