KUMO (2021)
Directed by Minami Goto · Music by Dan Cosley · TOEI Studios, Kyoto, Japan
In 2021, I composed and produced my first major studio score for Kumo, a jidaigeki (period drama) created at Japan’s legendary TOEI Studios as part of the Kyoto Filmmakers Lab.
The score was written for an unusual ensemble — piccolo, flute, cello, double bass, two harps, large and small bass drums, snare and side drums, suspended cymbals, and bowed crotales. The music shifts between reflective stillness and thunderous energy, evoking the spirit of traditional Japanese forms (Noh and koto music in particular) without relying on direct quotation.
Kumo premiered in Kyoto in 2021 and was later featured at Tokyo’s 2022 Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA).
TYPHOON GIRL (2021)
Directed by Ryoma Masumoto
While working on Kumo, I met director Ryoma Masumoto, who later invited me to contribute music to six scenes of his supernatural television drama Typhoon Girl.
For this eclectic score, I performed on guitar, bass, drums, percussion, and piano, and also arranged horns. The result is a vivid mix of textures tailored to the show’s otherworldly atmosphere.
Typhoon Girl aired on multiple Japanese television networks in 2021.
dancosley.com 