Hats off to Mr. Smigielski, who started off this volume with a bang. Drive is indeed an incredible film, with confidence and style everywhere, with a soundtrack that’s truly a thing of wonder. It’s a perfect complement between tone (‘80s icy coolness) and setting (the vast anonymity outside Hollywood), which sets the stage for a strong, strong start here.
“Nightcall” and much of the score remind me of a film reel unspooling at a frame rate that’s slightly off, like we’re moving in slower motion, deliberate but focused, like your whole life is made up of those money shots in Michael Bay films just before the heroes join the action. So that’s where “Never Known Love” comes in, smoothing out Kavinsky’s quirks but keeping the focus on chiming guitars and little percussive touches that bounce off the beat. While I usually try to abide by John Cusack-in-High Fidelity’s rule of making sure the second track always ups the ante set by the first, I wanted to go with something more like a thoughtful slow jam that strengthened the mood.
m. joosse
Filed under: Mixtape, NEIMT, Vol 08, Thieves Like Us
