My Bigfoot Life
(Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
By
Various Artists
I have decided to change direction with this review and look
at something a little different. I have never had the chance to review a
soundtrack yet and so this is going to a big departure from my normal work.
Now to fully understand how this soundtrack came to my
attention, I have to give you a little background. So, sit back and make
yourself comfortable.
Back in 2024, and quite out of the blue, I got a message
asking if I would like to give a talk at a Cryptozoology conference being held
in Bridgewater, Somerset UK, not far from where I live. The request came from a
Daniel Lee Barnett and when I jumped on a live video chat with him, I was
surprised to be talking to Daniel and his Nan, Jill. Daniel a young autistic
guy in his mid-teens from Bridgewater in Somerset and has made a name for
himself in the Cryptozoology world with some amazing research he has conducted
here in the UK. Now Daniel was given my name by my good friend Jon Downes, who
runs the Centre for Fortean Zoology and Gonzo Weekly; and as you know, Gonzo
has also been running my reviews for some time too, see the link forming here…
Now, as I have had an interest in the paranormal and Fortean
subjects such as Cryptozoology for over forty years, I decided this was a good
opportunity, even though I had not done any public speaking in over eight
years. In the run up to the conference I did some research on Daniel an
discovered he had his own Podcast (which I have had the pleasure of being interviewed on too) and a book published about his journey titled My Bigfoot Life
(Which is an interesting read too - CFZ Publishing), this was also being made into a documentary
movie of the same name.
Now I am not going to go into the details of Daniel’s
research here but, I’m fast forwarding to this year and Daniel’s third Cryptid
Conference UK. This time I had been asked to be the official photographer for
the event, where I got to meet some amazing researchers, people and Daniel’s
family who are an amazing bunch who support him at every turn. I was lucky
enough to get to see an advanced screening of the movie, and of course here the
emotive music that forms the backdrop to that movie.
My Bigfoot life is not a movie that is just about one young
man’s research or interest in the Cryptozoology world, it is far more than
that. This film takes you on a deeply moving journey through Daniel’s life and
the struggles of Neurodiversity and how that affects both him and his family.
It shows how sitting and watching a Bigfoot related TV show with is grandfather
piqued his interest and brought him out of his shell. The shows how he found a
new family within the Bigfoot community and how there are some good and bad
people within any community but, how the strength of will, support of good
people and family, can overcome any obstacle. The depth of the emotion in the
delivery of this documentary is truly touching and something I was able to
appreciate as both a father and a researcher, especially as I have my own
neurodivergent challenges as do my children.
After all this, it made sense to me to listen to and review
the soundtrack and give you my thoughts and feelings, as that is what music is
about.
Much of the soundtrack is written by a local artist Stephanie
Jayne, alongside one track with her group St.Fian. There are also contributions
by composer Simon Paul Newton and a track by Bigfoot researcher Brian King
Sharp and John Harwell, and the soundtrack comprises of both sung and
instrumental tracks.
So, please join me on a review journey that is very
different from what has come before…
We begin our journey with Sailing (Family), a track
which features in several different versions across the album, but this first
version has a very emotive tone that focuses more on Stephanie’s etheric vocals,
backed by deep strings that has this touching energy that allows you to connect
to many aspects of the family life. You can really relate here to the how a
family copes with life with an autistic child and how they adapt to that and
how love and developing the family unit becomes central to life. There is also
the aspect of how the extended family grows and deepens, coming together to
support someone in their darkest moments. It even touches you when you consider
your own place in the family unit and how that affects those around you as you
all navigate through life. As you feel all of this, you consider the lyrics
which seem to parallel those thoughts, speaking of navigating the often
troubled waters of life around you as you grow and walk forward in life. Next,
we have the title track of the album, My Bigfoot Life, this is a mainly
instrumental track that mixes etheric vocals elements with drums and strings to
create another deeply moving sound. The drums create this sound which puts me
in mind of listening to native American drumming but, mixing that with the
vocal elements allows you to close your eyes and drift into a meditative state
that can take you anywhere. You can transport yourself to the forests of North
America or perhaps the Quantock Hills of Somerset, where Daniel often goes with
his Nan, family, or close friends, the likes of Ryan RPG Golembeske, Gwendolyn
Purcell, Chris Allsford, DJ Brewster, Brian King Sharp, Craig and Emma Dowsett.
These forest settings are places where you can lose yourself, come away from
digital age of modern life and get back to true nature and experience things
that were meant to be experienced, like the beauty, peace, and the sounds of
the natural life around you, Bigfoot just happens to fit into that….
Mythical Legend once again mixes deep emotive
soundscapes with Stephanie’s etheric vocal elements. The drumming takes on a
different edge and is complimented once more by string sounds. As this one
glides through your awareness it can take you anywhere but, what is important
to note here is that as Daniel’s journey into Bigfoot brought him more out of
himself, it allowed him to find his voice, he had selective mutism in hid
younger years, and he created the Mythical Legends Podcast, where he
interviewed some big names in the Cryptid world alongside his Nan, Jill, Chris
Allsford, and other guest presenters. He even interviewed this guy called Steve
about being a paranormal researcher. But this track really fits with how that
all came together and the emotive nature of how one young man was able to find
a voice on a subject which he has so much passion about. This is followed up by
the first track from composer Simon Paul Newton, Daniel’s Theme. Now
listening to this you might think that it is difficult to put fifteen years of
someone’s life into around seven minutes of music but, Simon does just that. As
the piano elements build, you can feel the emotions that come from birth,
through the challenges of early life and on towards adulthood. When you
consider the challenges that Daniel has faced to this point, the motional
nature of this track not only becomes apparent but, it touches your heart,
deeply. But, there is also light vibe to this track that lets you feel the
challenging nature of life while also understanding that there is a brighter
side, and that brighter side what can be achieved when you find that spark
inside of yourself, it pushes you forward while touching and encompassing those
around you and all those you meet along the way.
Sailing (Troubled Emotions) is the second version of
this track on the album and this one is almost accapella, which has this
haunting quality to it. This song does look at the turbulent nature of life for
all of us and how we seek to find the safety from the anxieties and pressures
of life. Here that works so well as a focus for a particularly touching part of
the documentary. Daniel was the subject of some unsavoury actions from someone
considered to be a friend. Those actions and even some treats that were
levelled at him, deeply affected him for a planned trip to the USA, and the
emotionally haunting nature of this track perfectly reflects those moments. But
we all know that those who perpetrate such actions can never hold back the
strength of positive energy and the love of those who stand strong beside you
and Daniel was able to overcome those times and then help to create something
new, the Legend Seekers. Here the sound is one that is reminiscent of
Clannad as Stephanie sings of searching for secrets which hidden,
misunderstood, or even yet to be discovered, and this is what the venture
Daniel is creating is all about. Working alongside Ryan RPG Golembeske (Finding
Bigfoot, Expedition Bigfoot, Outkast Paranormal), Chris Allsford, Craig Barnett
(Daniels Dad), Craig Dowsett (Winnie the Pooh Blood and Honey), Gwendolyn
Purcell (Strange Knocks Magazine, Got Knockers, Cryptid Collective), DJ
Brewster (Alaskan Killer Bigfoot), and others to form Legend Seekers, a new TV
show that will see the team investigating high strangeness from the UK to the
US and back again. This track perfectly mirrors what the show is all about and
what the team will look to achieve. Keep watch for this series, coming to
screen near you in the not-too-distant future.
Sailing (Away) the next version of this track brings
the sounds of the ocean to bear, mixing with the emotive musical sound. This
gives you the sense of Daniel overcoming his struggles and finally being able
to cross those troubled waters and make the next stage of his journey over to
the US to continue his journey alongside those closest to him, for new
adventures and new friendships. This track might have a deep edge to the sound,
one that some might find dark but, you have to see the dark to see and feel the
light and that is kind of how this one feels. It’s like travelling the tunnel
to reach out and grab that light at the end, bringing it to you because you
know you going to get there. Searching finds us musically transported to
the pacific northwest to take a trip alongside Daniel, his family and friends,
into the deep forests to look for evidence of the one thing that has fascinated
Daniel for years. The deep nature of the sound from the drum elements to the
string elements give you an aural taste of what it would be like to walk the
pitch black forests, with all your senses on high alert for every sound or
faintest of movement in the moonlight. This is one of those you just have to
sit back and feel and drink in that folk soundtrack sound.
Life Going By is track from Bigfoot researcher Brian
King Sharp, which is composed by John Harwell. The sound of this one is just Acoustic
guitar that carries you through the track but, that sound has just as much
impact as Brian’s words. The message behind Brian’s words here, if I’m right,
is to live your live to the fullest and not to just let things pass you by.
There are moments in all our lives we wish we had have grabbed with both hands
and made the most of them and this is what is at the core of this song, see
those moments for what they are and grab them, making the most of each and every
one of those moments, because of you let them pass you by, you’ll always regret
it. Next, we have the original version of Sailing by St.Fian. Here you
can feel that folk sound from the guitar and drum. As you listen to Stephanie’s
angelic vocals you really get the sense that what this song is saying is that
wherever you go to in search of what life has to offer, you will always have a
home, a place to feel welcome and safe, and that is something that seems to be
an unconscious message in the documentary, Daniel may go off in search of the
unknown but, there is always a place for him and those around him to feel safe
and nurtured, and that is something we all need, no matter where we go to.
The penultimate track of the album is Transcending
from Simon Paul Newton. There is something about piano music that has a deeply
emotive aspect to it, and here Simon does another stunning job of bringing a
sound that is perfectly uplifting in an emotional way. This track, if you allow
it to do so, will take you to a place where you feel the power in transcending
the challenges and hurdles that life puts in your way. Finding your passion can
help you do that, you might have many interests and hobbies along the way but,
you will find something that will speak to you and take your heart to all the
right places, and that is your passion. My Bigfoot Life shows how Daniel was
able to overcome some of the biggest hurdles in life by finding his passion,
you can do that too. The soundtrack finishes with Sailing (Instrumental).
This is the instrumental of the original version by St.Fian. As you listen to
this it’s like you are given a moment of reflection; just to reflect on what
you have heard or seen. The nature of water means that it can reflect light and
has an almost mirror like effect at times, no matter how turbulent it might be.
We also have so much to be thankful for with water; we drink it to stay
healthy, we can swim in it, and travel across it. So, it is no wonder why we
see so many ways that life is like water, as it makes its way from source to
the sea. Water is soft and yet it can be such a powerful force, it can also be
so peaceful as it meanders it way across the land. Water is also like out
emotions, so the next time you see how water behaves in different moments,
think of how your own emotions behave too. When you finally get to see this
documentary, remember that and see how you feel…
With a soundtrack, it is often hard to sum it up as a whole
because it is there to reflect a multitude of emotional states from start to
finish. The soundtrack to My Bigfoot Life is no different however, it
conveys those emotions across to you without using extremes of musical
expression that knock you from one extreme to the next, here it is all done in
very subtle ways that allow you to feel everything on a very deep level. So, as
a soundtrack of music it has this mixture of classic soundtrack style music
with both instrumental and vocal tracks but, it also works well as a mix of
folk and relaxing music that you can simply sit and chill to, some even have
that meditative nature to them. What will really bring home the nature of this
soundtrack, is when you get to hear it alongside the actual documentary movie,
then the full impact of it can be truly realised.
I get that not everyone will like this style of music and
that is perfectly ok, but even if sitting and listening to the soundtrack is
not your thing, once you experience it with the documentary, it might just
change your mind.
For me, having experienced the documentary and now listening
to the soundtrack, it has touched me in many ways. I could sit and listen to
this while contemplating my own mental health struggles or thinking of the
memories I have of loved ones who have passed or are still here with me. It
really does have the strength of musical content to take you to a great many
places, regardless of your musical tastes. I have said it a number of times, I
love instrumental music as it can take me to so many places, and the My Bigfoot
Life soundtrack definitely has those moments; moments that can bring smiles and
tears, that’s the true power of music, especially when matched with the right
visuals.
The My Bigfoot Life Official Movie Soundtrack is available
now to stream of download.
My Bigfoot Life Documentary is coming soon from M & M
Film Productions.
I give my Thanks to everyone I have mentioned in this
review, all of whom I have met personally and am grateful to call friends, and
I wish them all the very best, hope to see you all again soon.
My huge thanks to Daniel, if you had not asked to do that
talk, this would not be happening. All strength to you buddy and keep up the
incredible work.
Have a good one all and I’ll see you again soon.
Steve
LINKS
Get a copy of the Soundtrack Here:
Apple Music
https://music.apple.com/gb/album/my-bigfoot-life-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1818738998
Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/music/player/albums/
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist
https://www.instagram.com/mythicallegendspodcast/
M and M Film Productions:
https://www.mandmfilmproductions.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/mandmfilmpro/
https://www.facebook.com/mandmfilmproductions
Cryptid Conference UK:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555469340942
Summit View Studios:
This is not something I mention in the review but, it is a new venture Daniel is a part of and worth keeping a watch on regarding the Legend Seekers and much more.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555469340942
Booking:
For more information on booking Daniel, please contact C.E.D Talent Agency.
Email: cdproductionscompany@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/c.e.d_talent/
Stephanie Jayne and St.Fian:
https://www.instagram.com/st.fian/
https://www.instagram.com/stephaniejaynemusic/
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