The main title theme for La Noche de Los Brujos is a wonderfully
groovy and exotica-dosed instrumental number with electric guitars
and various percussion instruments colliding with some Les Baxterish
arrangement ideas. Like if Les Baxter had ever collaborated with
Santana maybe.
The electric guitar takes the lead for "Montando El Campamento",
an interestingly spiky and spacious piece that exploits
the potentials of percussion and organ as well as electric
guitar and electric bass guitar.
After this comes a cue of nothing but hand percussion for
"Danza Ritual — Bumbasa 1910".
"Encuentro Con Munga" has a similar feel to "Montando El
Campamento" and it was around here that I realized
that this was reminding me of some African music I had
heard a long time ago.
But then the score takes a sharp turn toward the lounge
with "Deseo En La Selva". The violin is the main voice here
and transmits a lot of feeling. The rhythm is not, it seems to
me, bossa nova or samba but I believe it to be in that family.
Another hand percussion track comes next, "El Sacrificio De Agnes —
Bumbasa 1910", similar to the previous all-percussion cue.
"Fotografiando Amores Salvajes" is very close to being a vocal version
of "Deseo En La Selva", with a different arrangement, different
rhythm and a woman singing wordlessly.
There hasn't been a lot of music so far that suggests "horror movie"
but with "El Cavero De Los Brujos/El Sacrificio De Carol", the organ
and percussion go into a freaky and intense zone that starts suggesting
some gruesome activities.
But then we're in funk jazz vaguely African music land with
the saxophone-driven "Liz Recuerda A Carol". I could imagine Fela
covering this.
"Las Mujeres Leopardo" then delivers, via string section, the
creepiest and most tension-laden cue so far. This is definitely
horror-movie territory and while I don't know what's happening in
this scene, I'm very confident that it's not good.
Finally the score for this film wraps up with "Los Celos
De Tunika/Suenan Los Tambores", which begins with electric guitar
and bass in a relaxed and jazzy mood before the percussionists burst
in with some frenzied rhythms.
For El Monte de Las Brujas Morcillo has a larger ensemble
to work with, as immediately evidence by the trumpet, strings and
rhythm section that create the lyrical and groovy "Prólogo (Carla Busca
A Circe)".
Next is "Qué Canticos Son Esos", a choral number that suggests Satanic
activity and uses tape delay or some other kind of echo effect for
extra weirdness.
Even though there's some unsettling dissonance in the
strings, the jazzy trumpet and brushes on snare of "Camino
De La Montaña (#1) are a nice respite from the aggression of
the previous track. It has an off-kilter
feel to it and reminds me of some of the music for Alphaville
"El Misterio Del Coche" starts out with long string
tones and some rumbling from the bass and then shifts
into pizzicato madness.
Then we get a title song, sung in accented English
by a female singer. It's a vocal version of
"Camino De La Montaña".
Then it's all strings (with some reverb)
for "Los Efectos De La Tisana", a cue with almost a folksy
Americana feel.
Then we get two vocal numbers featuring the same singer as before.
First is the slow and luscious
"Ven", with sumptuous string padding. Then there's the a cappella
"El Reino De Los Muertos" in which our singer is backed up
by some other voices for a song that has a similar
shape as "Los Efectos De La Tisana".
"Akelarre" brings back our Satanic choir but this time
they brought the band and the orchestra with them for a propulsive
groove, swirling strings, pounding timpani and electric guitar and bass guitar!
"Camino De La Montaña (#2) is very much like the first one but
without the trumpet.
More pizzicato comes next for "La Mujer Gasto" and then the score
wraps up with the slow and somewhat regal-sounding "El Monte
De Las Brujas", which is a showcase for the strings.