DAVID LYNCH & ALAN R. SPLET

ERASERHEAD ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

(I.R.S. RECORDS, 1982)

'End scene - leaf loft: incision'

"It's used as atmosphere, almost a character, and is a memorable part of the film," said Lynch of the sound design he and Alan R. Splet created for his first feature. The duo plundered several different sound libraries for industrial noises - hissing steam, creaky pipes, grinding metal and the like - and fed themthrough reverb, a graphic equalizer and a Little Dipper filter set to achieve the desired disquieting effect. "It took several months to do it," Lynch reckoned, "And six months to a year to edit it." The CD/LP soundtrack regrettably focusses only on the "proper songs"; you really need to see the film to grasp Lynch and Splet's achievement.