FM4 Soundpark is a web platform, community, and radio show for and with Austrian musicians. In an ongoing collaboration, FM4’s team recommends particular artists of the moment to amplify. Today, the honor goes to: HVOB – “To Close Your Eyes And See Fire“.
Electro-duo HVOB (Anna Müller and Paul Wallner) composed the soundtrack for To Close Your Eyes And See Fire, a documentary by Nicola von Leffern and Jakob Carl Sauer. The film portrays Beirut in the aftermath of the devastating 2020 port explosion, focusing on how people cope with trauma while continuing to find moments of resilience and beauty. Rather than relying on their signature club sound, HVOB shaped a more atmospheric score—textures and moods designed to carry the emotional weight of the images without overshadowing them.
The project has already drawn international attention: the film won Best Documentary at the Max Ophüls Prize, while HVOB received the award for Best Soundtrack. Released through their own label Tragen Records, the soundtrack will be available on September 5, 2025. Both film and music highlight HVOB’s versatility and their ability to translate electronic music into deeply cinematic storytelling.
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Translated and summarized from the German original by Arianna Alfreds.