Cliff Martinez - Drive: O.S.T (Double vinyl LP)

The film Drive was one of the big success stories of 2011 but it was the soundtrack that really interested me. I’ve heard it played out a little recently and was super pleased when I heard Geoff Barrow’s Invada label were picking up the vinyl release. Cliff Martinez takes care of the majority of incidental synth music with the addition of full on euro style synthpop from Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx (‘Nightcall’), Desire (‘Under Your Spell’), College ft. Electric Youth (the main theme ‘Real Hero’), Chromatics (‘Tick Of The Clock’) and Riz Ortolani ft. Katyna Ranieri (‘Oh My Love’).

These tracks make up the majority of the side A of the LP and serve as an excellent reminder of how good straight forward synthpop can be. ‘Real Hero’, for all it’s lyrical corniness, is an absolute gem and serves the film excellently in setting the atmosphere and tone. ‘Nightcall’ is also a class act with it’s squelchy bass line, steady pace and blown out robo-vocal and, as I’m sure you can imagine, Chromatics totally T.C.B with a blistering Carpenter-esque mood piece that eases you into the incidental tracks that make up the rest of the album. This is where Martinez takes over with fourteen chilling ambient pieces that serve as the sonic backdrop to the majority of the film’s action.

These icy synth driven drones and minimalist soundscapes are wrought with tension and reflect the undercurrent of quiet violence that permeates ‘Drive’ as well as serving as fantastic tunes in there own right. All these factors combined makes for one of the most balanced and enjoyable soundtracks I’ve heard in some time. Martinez is also a totally fucking cool guy. Not only did he play drums on the first two Red Hot Chilli Peppers LP’s but he’s also the drummer on Beefheart’s super underrated ‘Ice Cream For Crow’ and the Dickies ‘Killer Clowns From Outer Space’ EP as well as scoring a bunch of other mad decent films and playing with the likes of Lydia Lunch and The Weirdos. Total dude basically.