If you haven't yet seen Jonathan Glazer's UNDER THE SKIN then you might want to get on to that. Like right now. It's pretty fucking rad and Scarlett Johansson is incredible as a sexy alien traipsing around the Scottish countryside seducing unsuspecting men. Visually the movie is stunning and it has a beautiful dreamlike feel and the accompanying soundtrack is perfectly fitting and (for me at least) was one of the most standout elements of the film. Milan Records released the soundtrack on vinyl and before the movie was even over I was online bragging myself a copy.
Mica Levi (of Micachu and the Shapes) has composed the score which is just as alien and mesmerising as the movie itself. The record runs through eleven tracks of wavering synth, harsh strings and slow percussion which compliment the imagery of the movie but even on their own create a hypnotic and highly listenable experience. 'Creation' kicks off the album with a rumbling swarm of tremolo which grows to a roar and then recedes as 'Lipstick To Void' enters with a low hollow base punctuated by shrieking strings and a slow, rhythmic almost heartbeat-like percussion.
The strings and percussion are often repeated across the tracks but manipulated by changing the pitch, slowing the tempo or overlaying other sounds. In the context of the film these sounds act as a kind of leitmotif, always associated with Johansson's character and changing as she herself changes, but even without the visual accompaniment they still give the record a sense of change or progression. And finally the alien soundscape culminates in the 7+ minute track 'Alien Loop' with its undulating strings and synth fading out to leave you (if you're anything like me) ready to flip that record and start it all over again.
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