Panels & Playlists: Andi Ewington

Panels & Playlists: Andi Ewington

Adrian King
Panels & Playlists
Panels & Playlists is a feature in which the world of comic books and music collide! I have a brief chat with comic creators, who in turn share what music is on their playlists and give a little insight into their favorite songs.
Andi Ewington is a British comic book writer known for the critically-acclaimed OGN entitled "Forty-Five" and its follow-up "BlueSpear." Recently, Andi released the creator-owned miniseries "Overrun" and has worked on several titles for 451 Media such as "Six," "Sunflower," and "Exmortis."

Andi Ewington: I don’t really have any witty anecdotes, as such, about my choice of music. When I write, I choose tracks that are evocative of the scene I’m trying to craft. I have an unerring ability to keep the same song on repeat for hours on end. This repetitive nature creates a backdrop that allows me to dip in and out of a song, drawing from it when I need to, or tuning out when it all becomes too much. I used to find lyrics distracting and would choose only ambient or instrumental music, but over time, I’ve found that I’ve become more adapt at keeping these intrusive sentences away from my train of thought. 

 

1. Sunshine Soundtrack - "Kanada’s Death, Pt. 2 (Adagio in D Minor)/Capa Meets the Sun (to Heal)"

Andi: I love Danny Boyle’s, Sunshine, I think it’s a hugely underrated film. The music score has some great moments, including ‘Capa Meets the Sun (to Heal)’ which would probably be up there as a great funeral dirge. It's both uplifting and sad at the same time, and encapsulates the ending of the film perfectly. If I want a reflective piece of music to capture a similar comic scene, I’d certainly be picking that as my standout track. "Kanada’s Death" foils a great moment in the film, it builds slowly around a selfless act that grows into this epic roar, it never fails to inspire.


2. Jamin Winans - "The City Surf"

Andi: Keeping things mellow, "The City Surf" is the main haunting track synonymous with the ending of The Grey. A fantastic film that’s up there in my top five films of all time. Piano heavy with a simple riff, combined with the gradual layering of orchestral instruments. If I want a piece that sees the antagonist faced with impossible odds, with a live or die moment, then this is the track that I’m going to be channeling.


3. James Yorkstron - "Woozy With Cider (Jon Hopkins Remix)"

Andi: I love ‘Woozy with Cider’, it has some great lyrics that flow through it as we’re taken on a journey of a struggling musician as he reflects on how hard the music business is, and how much alcohol he drank at a wedding the night before. It’s a enormously visual song that feels like it’s breaking the fourth wall as the artist commentates on his life for our benefit.

I love the reflective nature of this song, it has a humbling depth that makes me smile inwardly, leaving me with a feeling that everything is going to be alright, regardless of the circumstances. On a side note, I had the pleasure of meeting James Yorkston after watching one of his gigs, the guy is a phenomenal musician and a top guy to boot!


4. The Prodigy - "The Day Is My Enemy/Rok-Weiler/Beyond the Deathray"

Andi: Sometimes I need a burst of energy from a song to drive me through some action-packed scenes. Frantic is key, and there are few acts that have the intensity of The Prodigy. Tracks like ‘The Day is My Enemy’, ‘Rok-Weiler’ and ‘Beyond the Deathray’ are a must if I want a my scenes to accelerate towards an explosive and climatic crescendo.

Panels & Playlists: Paul Gori

Panels & Playlists: Paul Gori
Panels & Playlists: Ben Cohen

Panels & Playlists: Ben Cohen