THE JUNIPER TREE Album by Midori Hirano to Arrive via Viernulvier, Thrill Jockey
The score reworks Nietzchka Keene's 1990 film, which marked Björk's first on-screen role.
Kyoto-born, Berlin-based composer and producer MIDORI HIRANO is set to release THE JUNIPER TREE, an album that recasts the score of Nietzchka Keene's 1990 film of the same name, via Viernulvier Records and Thrill Jockey on October 2. The film, a black-and-white adaptation of The Brothers Grimm tale, follows two sisters who flee after their mother is executed for witchcraft, and is notable as Björk's first on-screen role.
Set against the stark landscapes of Iceland, the story explores themes of misogyny, loss, resilience, and the fragile boundary between the natural and supernatural.
Hirano's score is a deeply atmospheric, intimate companion to the film, balancing delicate piano compositions with shifting electronic textures and ambient synths. Drawing on her own memories of Iceland alongside the film's sense of folklore and wonder, she creates a sonic world that mirrors its emotional tension, opening new dimensions in this overlooked arthouse gem that remains just as relevant decades after its release.
MIDORI HIRANO
THE JUNIPER TREE
OCTOBER 2 [VIERNULVIER/THRILL JOCKEY]
The score was originally commissioned by Belgian cultural center Viernulvier for its Videodroom series and debuted live in Ghent. Hirano is set to bring the concert-film to Germany for the first time, performing at Silent Green in Berlin as part of the Heroines in Sound Festival.
