Litmus, Andrew Kidman’s first avant-garde surf film, served as a soulful reaction to the pop-punk progression that dominated the “alternative” mainstream. With the film's visceral and cerebral moodiness, folksy soundtrack, and meditative spirit, critics swooned over surf misfits like Wayne Lynch, Derek Hynd, Tom Curren, and Joel Fitzgerald. Despite the acclaim, the film was not much of a commercial success at the time. The aura of Litmus’ soundtrack, however, has found its cultish corner in the surf world.
Prior to filming Litmus, Kidman’s band, The Val Dusty Experiment, recorded a total of thirty-five songs in one day. 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.
Kidman released his second film, Glass Love, ten years later. As with Litmus, the music came first; Kidman felt his songwriting was ready to take on a new life. Thanks in part to Litmus, experimentation in board design progressed as surfers became more contemplative, questioning, ‘is surfing art or sport?’ Glass Love and its soundtrack highlights this mindset and time period, creating an extra dimension to surfing that is still prevalent today.
TRACK LISTING
DISC: 1
1: Rain - The Val Dusty Experiment
2: Wayne Lynch Quote - Wayne Lynch
3: Gapu - Yothu Yindi
4: Listen The Snow Is Falling - Galaxie 500
5: Derek Hynd Quote - Andrew Kidman
6: Mo Walker - The Val Dusty Experiment
7: Cow - The Val Dusty Experiment
8: Time - The Val Dusty Experiment
9: Black Is The Colour - The Screaming Orphans
10: Joel Fitzgerald Quote - Joel Fitzgerald
11: Green Hornet - The Val Dusty Experiment
12: Fire Jam - Tom Curren
13: Elizabeth - Rosie Sutherland
14: Dump Swimming - Jon Frank
15: Hawaiian Surf Forecast - The Val Dusty Experiment
16: Riding The Wind - Kevin Baker And The Val Dusty Experiment
DISC: 2
1: If They Only Knew - Andrew Kidman
2: Mama, You Been On My Mind - Andrew Kidman
3: Light Inside Of You - Andrew Kidman
4: Moonshiner - Andrew Kidman
5: Flowers In The Wind - Andrew Kidman
6: Narrabeen - Andrew Kidman
7: The Dice Already Thrown - Andrew Kidman
8: Opus - Andrew Kidman
9: Blood On Your Shadow - Andrew Kidman
