Jamin Winans - Ink - The Complete Soundtrack (2009)

Jamin Winans has to be one of the most talented new film makers in the business. His name recently buzzed across many movie websites as a result of the rave reviews received by his sci-fi fantasy film Ink – a film he wrote, co-produced (with his wife Kiowa), edited and directed.

You can also add music composer to that list.

I can’t think of a single movie that has done well without the support of a great supportive score and Ink is no different. Actually, Ink may be a little different because I’ve read reports of early screenings where the film had no score and, despite this, received excellent reviews. I wonder how these reviewers would respond now that the film has its brilliant score?

And a brilliant score it is.

When I obtained my copy of the Ink soundtrack I admit that my expectations were low. Though I have no hesitation in slapping the word ’superb’ against the film, as a soundtrack collector I am well aware that whilst some scores work well in film they aren’t always enjoyable as stand alone music. Not so with Ink.

The score to Ink is laced with an emotional quality that shines for the duration of the listening experience. From the moment I first pressed play I found myself addicted to the ‘feeling’ that the score evokes. As soon as I had finished playing the score for the first time I was compelled to play it again. As I worked behind my PC throughout the day (with headphones on) I left the soundtrack looping before, many hours later, I realized I had actually heard it dozens of times without once having grown tired of it.

Though Jamin Winans can play the piano he’ll humbly tell you that he’s not a real musician. Yet the score to Ink is unquestionably a work of emotional art and, to my mind, a musician is defined by the ability to produce such art. He’ll also tell you that music is one of the things he loves most about filmmaking and perhaps that is why his music is so touching – it quite obviously comes from the soul which, of course, is another hallmark of a ‘real’ musician.

Some reviewers have paralleled his style to John Murphy and Danny Elfman though I feel drawing parallels is only of value when those parallels are clear cut and obvious. If I had to reach I’d lean more towards Tangerine Dream but only if I had to reach – when it comes to Jamin Winan’s music there is, to my mind, no need for comparative reference at all.

I am more of a fan of scores that are orchestral in nature rather than electronic. Yet despite being entirely electronic (composed in Reason I believe) the music to Ink, like the film, is brimming with emotion and so the listening experience offers a similar journey to the viewing experience. It is this quality that makes the music not only a part of the parcel for why Ink is one of the top films of 2009 (indie or otherwise) but also an album that is a must-have in the music collection.