Sven Libaek - Misty Canyon

What is it about library music that’s so fascinating? Its obscurity, the fact that so much of it was written to evoke specific emotions  - in this case, ‘Horny Danger’ - ? The endless parade of unsung and forgotten heroes it has left behind? I dunno, but deep thoughts like this are worth considering while edging up the volume on this little piece of aural pantyhose from Sven Libaek. Let me fix you an old fashioned, and let’s discuss. You good?

“Misty Canyon” appeared on the 1970’s “My Thing”, on Peer International, who were a pretty interesting label historically. Founded by Ralph Peer, Peer International trafficked in oddities at first, and in addition to selling your grandparents the soundtracks to many of their highballs-and-pall-malls soirees, they also had a hefty catalogue of library music; music sold generally in bulk as background fill, for use in television and radio as moodsetters or to fill space beneath a spoken track. You’re right, poindexter - library music is a pretty fascinating relic from the heady days of ‘music as physical property’, which we’ve written about a few times here.

There’s a lot to like about Misty Canyon, not to be confused with Foggy Gulch, a venereal disease peculiar to those inhabiting New Zealand’s highlands. The snare! The sweet, sweet divebombing horn arrangement. That snare again! That bassline basically left me walking funny and I think I’m pregnant. This song starts off smooth and harmless, but before you know what happened, you’re covered in goat’s blood in a remote warehouse, if you know what I mean.

Sven Libaek saw renewed interest in his body of work beginning in 2006 as Australia’s Votary Records re-released several 45s and retrospectives, but for every Sven Libaek there are literally thousands of musicians who plied their trade providing backdrops to everything from radio ads to The Price Is Right whose names and memories are lost, like… tears in rain.