Silver Haze is the debut studio album by Sqürl, a duo consisting of filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and film producer Carter Logan. The album was released on May 5, 2023, by Sacred Bones Records. It was produced by the duo and Randall Dunn and features collaborations with Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anika, and Marc Ribot. Two singles were released from the album, both with music videos directed by Jem Cohen. It was received positively by critics.
Contents
Background
Sqürl, originally known as Bad Rabbit, was formed by Jarmusch, Logan, and sound engineer Shane Stoneback to score the former's 2009 film The Limits of Control. They subsequently released multiple EPs and scores for other Jarmusch films including Only Lovers Left Alive and Paterson. The name "Sqürl" is a reference to the Cate Blanchett segment of Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes.
Release
The lead single, "Berlin '87", was released March 8, 2023, along with a music video directed by Jem Cohen. The video consists of black-and-white shots of Berlin streets, with the track having been inspired by Jarmusch's time living in the city. The second single, "John Ashbery Takes a Walk" featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg, released on April 4 with another video by Cohen. The album was released on May 5.
Style
The album has been called drone rock and stoner rock.
Reception
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Silver Haze received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 4 critic scores. Aquarium Drunkard included the album in their unranked 2023 Year in Review, with a blurb that called it "Sqürl's most expansive outing to date, a long form listen that evokes the patient, meditative drifts of Jarmusch's best films."
Personnel
Musicians
Jim Jarmusch – guitar (1–4), vocals (2, 4)
Carter Logan – drums (1, 2, 4), Moog synthesizer (2, 4), percussion (3)
Arjan Miranda – bass (1–4)
Brent Arnold – cello (1)
Marc Ribot – guitar (3, 5)
Anika – vocals (4)
Charlotte Gainsbourg – vocals (6)
Technical
Jim Jarmusch – producer
Carter Logan – producer
Randall Dunn – producer, mixing engineer
Heba Kadry – mastering engineer
Garret De Block – recording engineer
Arjan Miranda – recording engineer