Earlier this summer, Zen Mother released their experimental psych opus I Was Made To Be Like Her. Across 48-minutes, the record traverses vast sonic territory. It's a challenging work built upon intention, distorting the listener's perception with each track and creating a vivid and immersive world that's easy to get lost in. When it was announced that the duo would be live scoring Alejandro Jodorowsky's seminal film The Holy Mountain for Northwest Film Forum's Puget Soundtrack series on Friday, August 25th, it just made sense. Jodorowsky's 1973 film is a celebrated classic, pushing the boundaries of film and embracing disorienting, haunting, and beautiful imagery in every frame. In many ways, Zen Mother and Jodorowsky feel like kindred spirits in that regard.
“When the 4th wall is broken, we will help it fall," the band said in a statement about their score. "When the imagery begs confusion, we will provide chaos. When comfort and solace are provoked, we will soothe you."
More than just the aesthetics of their music, it's that spirit of rebellion and celebration of human emotion that makes Zen Mother such a perfect pairing for this film. The Holy Mountain has continued to inspire artists across different mediums since its initial release and will no doubt continue to for years to come, but this is a rare opportunity to see artists actually build on top of Jodorowsky's masterpiece. Not just that, but it's a chance to see it happen in real-time. Whatever the band dreams up for this evening will no doubt carry the ethos of Jodorowsky as well as Zen Mother's own unique, wholly original ambitions. When you hear about "once in a lifetime" events, this certainly meets the criteria.
Revisit the band's in-studio below, along with the trailer for The Holy Mountain.
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