KIDMAN, ANDREW - Litmus

By 1996, surfing was on the upswing in popularity as professional surfers became marketable athletes. The three-fin, high performance, ÒthrusterÓ shortboard was the tool of choice, lending to a fast-paced slashing style and ultimately a more aggressive Òsurf and destroyÓ movement in board culture.

Litmus, Andrew KidmanÕs first avant-garde surf film, served as a soulful reaction to the pop-punk progression that dominated the mainstream. Prior to filming, KidmanÕs band, The Val Dusty Experiment, recorded a total of thirty-five songs in one day. The outcome of the Òone-and-doneÓ sessions was a lo-fi, rustic, experimental rock ÔnÕ roll sound, adding a rough-around-the-edges ambiance to the surf scenes that span Ireland, Australia, California, and South Africa. Additional contributions from Galaxie 500, Yothu Yindi and The Screaming Orphans diversify the score. Litmus was a defining moment in surf filmmaking -- it sparked an open-minded retro-progressive movement as surfers formed a higher consciousness about the types of boards they were riding and why. The Anthology Surf Archive reissues series proudly presents the soundtrack of Litmus, released in tandem with the soundtrack from KidmanÕs 2006 follow up, Glass Love, in new form.
-Anthology Recordings