Drive soundtrack: awesome music to complement awesome film

Drive time listening

Mon, 19/09/2011 - 18:10 by Gemma Exley

Aside from Ryan Gosling's beautiful but mental face, the one thing that'll linger in your mind long after leaving the Drive theatre is the soundtrack, impeccably scored by Cliff Martinez (former drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, FYI).

Although Nick Refn and Ryan Gosling are picking up the accolades for their respective directing and acting work on the film, credit due to the soundtrack for a large part of the atmosphere please (and boy is it an atmospheric film) - all dark and pulsing and generally making you want to drive around LA's neon lit corners with a pair of leather gloves and silk bomber jacket.

While the 80s synth sound evokes some of Giorgio Moroder's darkest moments (Scar Face), Martinez turns to some of our current electro hipsters for about 25 per cent of the proceedings (the rest he makes up himself) - Kavinsky's Night Call (featuring CSS' Lovefoxxx) immediately sets the pace and tells you Michael Bay this ain't with it's heavy-breathing and lovelorn female vocals. We've also got Desire's nostalgia inducing Under Your Spell, while the band's Johnny Jewel also contributes with side-project Chromatics and Tick of the Clock (the multi-tasker also mixed the entire soundtrack). Special mention, however, to College (feat. Electric Youth) and A Real Hero. Why haven't we heard of College before? Should be huge, if only anyone could Google their name...

Music to make you feel cool, even if you're in a Vauxhall Astra on the M4.

Here is the full track list - out now on iTunes: