It’s blustery and snowing outside – perfect weather for a cup of hot cocoa and the latest offering from Portland post-punkers Shadowhouse: “Walking In The Air” (via Sacred Hands Records). You might recognise the tune from the 1982 classic The Snowman, originally scored by Howard Blake.
The Snowman, originally a picture book by Raymond Briggs, is the beautiful, bittersweet story of a young boy taken on a magical overnight adventure with a snow friend, who left an enormous impression on his heart. Howard Blake’s melancholy score is a tearjerker, but the story of The Snowman teaches an important lesson: live in the moment and find joy where you can. (Later, when the special aired in the US, a platinum blonde Let’s Dance-era David Bowie filmed a charming intro, hinting that he himself was the little boy in the story.)
Shadowhouse’s version of “Walking In The Air” is a more gothic take on the song, bringing in drums and haunting synths, grunging it up a notch but retaining that gut-punching beauty. The monochromatic video that accompanies this cover is a new kind of nightly astral journey, visiting weeping statues, snowy landscapes, drifting over and through quiet rooftops and abandoned interiors.
Go take a ride with The Snowman:
Pre-order the “Walking In The Air” limited edition 7″ lathe cut picture disc here while supplies last – there will only be thirty copies available.
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