Minco Eggersman
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
One cannot disavow Minco Eggersman's ambition. Next to running the VOLKOREN label on a daily basis as well as the Tongval beer-label every now and then, the singer/drummer of the dutch melancholics 'at the close of every day' is a very productive producer and more importantly soundtrack composer. Born in 1977, Minco is based in the Netherlands and whenever he is not working in his own studio he travels to different studios to record music.
Apart from his activities in various bands, Minco's first solo album saw the light of day under the meaningful alias of ME at the start of this millennium, after which many would follow. His first soundtrack album 'OOIT' (which, as all his soundtracks, was released under his full name Minco Eggersman), are akin to the work of 'at the close of every day' (winner of first 3voor12 award in the Netherlands), but sound even more intimate and less polished, raising the question whether pop music can be stripped down any further.
Over the last 15 years soundtracks for films and documentaries have been his main focus. On these soundtracks Minco has worked together with artists such as Wovenhand, Blaudzun and Svante Henryson. The most fertile collaboration has grown with director Jaap van Heusden as after 'OOIT', Minco also created the soundtracks to Van Heusdens's films 'WIN/WIN', 'DRONE', 'DE NIEUWE WERELD', 'DE VERLOREN ZOON', 'IN BLUE' and recently 'HET LAATSTE VERHOOR'. 'IN BLUE' won 3 golden calves on the Netherlands Film Festival and all of these films have played worldwide and have won several international prizes. On top of this, 'DE NIEUWE WERELD', even won an Emmy Award in the US in 2016.
In 2014 Minco left for what turned out to be a very inspirational trip to the Caucasus (Georgia). Together with the helps of befriended musicians like Svante Henryson, Audun Erlien, Jonas Nyström, Paul van der Feen, Oene van Geel, the Iberi Choir and the Macedonian Radio Symphonic Orchestra, Minco has created his most successful solo album so far. This soundtrack to Georgia ('KAVKASIA') got a 9 out of 10 in reviews in several countries and even a 10 out of 10 in the U.K up its release in 2017. When he received a message from from the late Ryuichi Sakamoto saying he loves 'KAVKASIA' Eggersman could not be more thrilled. Minco's sound is very recognizable as his music is melancholic, layered and very organic. His stripped-down guitar sounds that rest on a heavy bed of minimal, abrasive and layered drones always speak. Many times he has instruments custom-built (like the 'Baskalimba') that perfectly add to and enrich the musical jargon he has developed. Nothing is sacred and the beaten paths are easily left - as long as it serves the 'story', be it in a film or in a song.
In general Minco's work has been released worldwide, from several albums through different record labels all over Europe, Japan and the USA till the use of several tracks in documentaries, films and tv-shows. Sometimes his music finds its way into a commercial, like Nespresso. Over the years he has produced over 50 albums of various artists from different countries. His works (publishing) have been or are presented by One Little Indian Publishing, Scott Cresto (Radiohead/Daniel Lanois), Amp, De Volkoren Uitgever, Icewater Music, EO Crossmex music, Blackwire music and New Jerusalem Music. Minco also joined Depeche Mode, Deep Purple, Bon Iver and many others, to write for the biography of one of Minco's favorite bands 'Talk Talk', entitled 'The Spirit of Talk Talk'. Besides this he also wrote the preface to 'The Early Years', the biography of Prefab Sprout by John Birch.
The beginning of 2018 saw the releases of the Bosnian film 'Regained Memory' and the Dutch film 'Visite' by director Stijn Bouma as well as the documentaries 'Een Vreemde Wereld' and 'Een Nieuwe Limburger' all including soundtracks by Minco Eggersman. Halfway 2018 the first single of UNIFONY project finally was released. This is a new project by Minco Eggersman and Theodoor Borger featuring Mathias Eick. The album was mixed by the legendary Phill Brown at the Miloco Studios in London and mastered by another legend, Bob Ludwig. UNIFONY's debut album was released in the fall of 2018 and the second album, featuring Óskar Gudjónsson and Aaron Parks (ECM, Blue Note Records) saw the light of day in 2020.
Early 2019 Minco and his work were selected for a special 'spotlights on' program at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam. Shorty after Minco finished the soundtrack to the Belarus' short film 'HIDDEN WORD', the Swedish film 'TAPWATER ENGINE' was released. In the summer of 2019 Minco first worked on a debut film by director Luca Meisters called 'ELF' after which he spend most of the summer and fall working on the soundtrack for ONCE UPON A TIME IN CALCUTTA, a beautiful Indian/Norwegian/French (part of Cannes' le Cinéfondation) co-production directed by Aditya Vikram Sengupta which Minco finished in 2020. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and will premiere at Netflix in 2024. In the winter of 2019/2020 the award winning American/Dutch/Irish documentary 'BEHIND THE BLOOD' featuring Minco's melancholic soundtrack premiered at IDFA after which Minco finished the soundtrack for both the Romanian film 'I AM DORIN' (winner of best film award at the Gaia Premillor Cineastilor in Moldova) by director Valeriu Andriuta and the American film A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING by director Abigail Prada. Later in 2020 Minco finished the soundtracks to new short films by Niels Bourgonje, Daniel T. Halsall and Luca Meisters. Barrier by Niels Bourgonje played over 50 films festivals and won several awards. In the winter of 2020/2021 Minco started on Drawing Lots (IFFR 2023 and winner of Golden Prometheus award at the Tbilisi International Film Festival), ), the final film of Georgian director Zaza Khalvashi who sadly passed away early 2020. During 2021 and 2022 Minco finished the soundtracks for 'A GUIDE TO MAKING LOVE' by Helen Rollins, 'BUS FROM ADANA' (winner of ÉCU - best film - award in 2024) by Jochem de Vries, 'LANDSCAPE DEPRESSIONS' by Janis Rafailidou and last but not least 'THE MAN FROM ROME' (that got Minco the 'Gouden Kalf' - award for best music at the 'Nederlands Film Festival') by Jaap van Heusden. Right after the release of the third album of the UNIFONY project (feat. Moya Brennan and Nils Petter Molvaer) and together with Mariana Cortesão from Portugal Minco created the soundtrack for 'THE BORDER CROSSED US' (IDFA 2023) by Loretta van der Horst. During the winter of 2023 Minco worked on the 'SHEILA VS. DE STAAT' and 'DE JACHT OP MEREL Ö' by director Stijn Bouma for Dutch television and Happines for all by Filip Remunda for Czech television. In 2024 Minco will work on different film-projects from different directors from the East of Europe, the U.K. and the Netherlands.
Apart from his activities in various bands, Minco's first solo album saw the light of day under the meaningful alias of ME at the start of this millennium, after which many would follow. His first soundtrack album 'OOIT' (which, as all his soundtracks, was released under his full name Minco Eggersman), are akin to the work of 'at the close of every day' (winner of first 3voor12 award in the Netherlands), but sound even more intimate and less polished, raising the question whether pop music can be stripped down any further.
Over the last 15 years soundtracks for films and documentaries have been his main focus. On these soundtracks Minco has worked together with artists such as Wovenhand, Blaudzun and Svante Henryson. The most fertile collaboration has grown with director Jaap van Heusden as after 'OOIT', Minco also created the soundtracks to Van Heusdens's films 'WIN/WIN', 'DRONE', 'DE NIEUWE WERELD', 'DE VERLOREN ZOON', 'IN BLUE' and recently 'HET LAATSTE VERHOOR'. 'IN BLUE' won 3 golden calves on the Netherlands Film Festival and all of these films have played worldwide and have won several international prizes. On top of this, 'DE NIEUWE WERELD', even won an Emmy Award in the US in 2016.
In 2014 Minco left for what turned out to be a very inspirational trip to the Caucasus (Georgia). Together with the helps of befriended musicians like Svante Henryson, Audun Erlien, Jonas Nyström, Paul van der Feen, Oene van Geel, the Iberi Choir and the Macedonian Radio Symphonic Orchestra, Minco has created his most successful solo album so far. This soundtrack to Georgia ('KAVKASIA') got a 9 out of 10 in reviews in several countries and even a 10 out of 10 in the U.K up its release in 2017. When he received a message from from the late Ryuichi Sakamoto saying he loves 'KAVKASIA' Eggersman could not be more thrilled. Minco's sound is very recognizable as his music is melancholic, layered and very organic. His stripped-down guitar sounds that rest on a heavy bed of minimal, abrasive and layered drones always speak. Many times he has instruments custom-built (like the 'Baskalimba') that perfectly add to and enrich the musical jargon he has developed. Nothing is sacred and the beaten paths are easily left - as long as it serves the 'story', be it in a film or in a song.
In general Minco's work has been released worldwide, from several albums through different record labels all over Europe, Japan and the USA till the use of several tracks in documentaries, films and tv-shows. Sometimes his music finds its way into a commercial, like Nespresso. Over the years he has produced over 50 albums of various artists from different countries. His works (publishing) have been or are presented by One Little Indian Publishing, Scott Cresto (Radiohead/Daniel Lanois), Amp, De Volkoren Uitgever, Icewater Music, EO Crossmex music, Blackwire music and New Jerusalem Music. Minco also joined Depeche Mode, Deep Purple, Bon Iver and many others, to write for the biography of one of Minco's favorite bands 'Talk Talk', entitled 'The Spirit of Talk Talk'. Besides this he also wrote the preface to 'The Early Years', the biography of Prefab Sprout by John Birch.
The beginning of 2018 saw the releases of the Bosnian film 'Regained Memory' and the Dutch film 'Visite' by director Stijn Bouma as well as the documentaries 'Een Vreemde Wereld' and 'Een Nieuwe Limburger' all including soundtracks by Minco Eggersman. Halfway 2018 the first single of UNIFONY project finally was released. This is a new project by Minco Eggersman and Theodoor Borger featuring Mathias Eick. The album was mixed by the legendary Phill Brown at the Miloco Studios in London and mastered by another legend, Bob Ludwig. UNIFONY's debut album was released in the fall of 2018 and the second album, featuring Óskar Gudjónsson and Aaron Parks (ECM, Blue Note Records) saw the light of day in 2020.
Early 2019 Minco and his work were selected for a special 'spotlights on' program at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam. Shorty after Minco finished the soundtrack to the Belarus' short film 'HIDDEN WORD', the Swedish film 'TAPWATER ENGINE' was released. In the summer of 2019 Minco first worked on a debut film by director Luca Meisters called 'ELF' after which he spend most of the summer and fall working on the soundtrack for ONCE UPON A TIME IN CALCUTTA, a beautiful Indian/Norwegian/French (part of Cannes' le Cinéfondation) co-production directed by Aditya Vikram Sengupta which Minco finished in 2020. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and will premiere at Netflix in 2024. In the winter of 2019/2020 the award winning American/Dutch/Irish documentary 'BEHIND THE BLOOD' featuring Minco's melancholic soundtrack premiered at IDFA after which Minco finished the soundtrack for both the Romanian film 'I AM DORIN' (winner of best film award at the Gaia Premillor Cineastilor in Moldova) by director Valeriu Andriuta and the American film A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING by director Abigail Prada. Later in 2020 Minco finished the soundtracks to new short films by Niels Bourgonje, Daniel T. Halsall and Luca Meisters. Barrier by Niels Bourgonje played over 50 films festivals and won several awards. In the winter of 2020/2021 Minco started on Drawing Lots (IFFR 2023 and winner of Golden Prometheus award at the Tbilisi International Film Festival), ), the final film of Georgian director Zaza Khalvashi who sadly passed away early 2020. During 2021 and 2022 Minco finished the soundtracks for 'A GUIDE TO MAKING LOVE' by Helen Rollins, 'BUS FROM ADANA' (winner of ÉCU - best film - award in 2024) by Jochem de Vries, 'LANDSCAPE DEPRESSIONS' by Janis Rafailidou and last but not least 'THE MAN FROM ROME' (that got Minco the 'Gouden Kalf' - award for best music at the 'Nederlands Film Festival') by Jaap van Heusden. Right after the release of the third album of the UNIFONY project (feat. Moya Brennan and Nils Petter Molvaer) and together with Mariana Cortesão from Portugal Minco created the soundtrack for 'THE BORDER CROSSED US' (IDFA 2023) by Loretta van der Horst. During the winter of 2023 Minco worked on the 'SHEILA VS. DE STAAT' and 'DE JACHT OP MEREL Ö' by director Stijn Bouma for Dutch television and Happines for all by Filip Remunda for Czech television. In 2024 Minco will work on different film-projects from different directors from the East of Europe, the U.K. and the Netherlands.
Photos
