The legendary composer's new record arrives on Friday June 11.
One of the most beloved film and television composers of the modern era, Danny Elfman is set to release his first studio album in almost four decades this year.
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Big Mess, which arrives via Anti/Epitaph on Friday June 11, is a jam-packed double album featuring 18 tracks that see industrial guitars and dystopian, sinister orchestral elements collide with political undertones and uncomfortable song topics in an attempt to ‘exorcise the demons brought about by four years of creeping fascism and civil rot’.
Recorded during a spontaneous bout of creativity amid America’s COVID-19 lockdown, the album was initially considered as a sonic experiment by Elfman, who initially set out to combine visceral rock elements with the intricate string arrangements he’s become known for over his career in film.
The album features instrumental contributions from an eclectic range of session artists, including drummer Josh Freese, bassist Stu Brooks, and guitarists Robin Finck and Nili Brosh.
“Once I began writing, it was like opening a Pandora’s box and I found I couldn’t stop,” Elfman said of the record in a statement shared today.
“None of it was planned. I had no idea how many songs I would write but from the start it quickly became a 2-sided project with heavily contrasting and even conflicting tones.”
To accompany today’s news, Elfman has also shared a new single from Big Mess entitled ‘True’, which is paired with a grotesque video that depicts the heralded composer as a contorted, animated figure.
After becoming known for his work with new wave act Oingo Boingo in the late ’70s, Danny Elfman made the pivot into scoring for television and film in the mid ’80s, winning considerable acclaim for his bombastic orchestral flourishes and stylistic diversity.
While perhaps best known for creating the iconic theme for The Simpsons, Elfman’s other major works include the scores for the Men In Black series, Edward Scissorhands, Good Will Hunting, Batman and The Night Before Christmas.
Big Mess, the new album from Danny Elfman, is out via Anti/Epitaph on Friday June 11.
