Sean Wilson takes a closer look at the latest captivating collaboration between director Nicolas Winding Refn and composer Cliff Martinez…
Filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn doesn’t court controversy and outrage so much as revel in it, and his latest hallucinatory nightmare The Neon Demon is no exception. A surrealistic and increasingly shocking tale of the fashion industry crossed with elements of vampirism and necrophilia, it’s a visually luscious throwback to the exploitation movies of which Refn is so fond. Descending into a neon hell with Refn once again is Drive and Only God Forgives composer Cliff Martinez – and the results are spectacular. Here are several key moments from what is assuredly one of 2016’s most distinctive and striking soundtracks.
Neon Demon
Although not strictly a themes-and-variations score, this dreamy and beguiling opener does introduce what could be described as its principal idea. An undulating, deceptively tranquil and innocent pulsating synth figure mixes with glacial chime noises to reflect the relative innocence and naiveté of Elle Fanning’s central character Jesse. The spirit of Tangerine Dream is alive in this one and such overtones, not to mention the influence of Goblin, Wendy Carlos and Vangelis, course throughout the score.
Demon Dance – Julian Winding
Danish producer and arranger Julian Winding lends his rhythmic touch to this gripping collision of electro sounds, very much a continuation of the musical ambience heard in Refn’s aforementioned Drive and Only God Forgives. Menacing and alluring all at once, it’s mesmerising stuff, a depiction of the dark and animalistic desires lurking within the hearts of the film’s characters.
Gold Paint Shoot
Refn’s unashamedly eccentric and visually opulent style clearly affords Martinez the opportunity to paint on the sort of rich, expansive canvas many composers only dream of. But Martinez is capable of unnerving subtlety as well, conjuring up gliding and ethereal textures in which any essence of humanity is on the verge of evaporating completely, a sense of coldness entirely in-keeping with his director’s vision. Of all the tracks on the album, this is the one that bears closest resemblance to his discreet work on Drive.
Ruby at the Morgue
The film’s most controversial and jaw-dropping sequence is, unsurprisingly, where Martinez darkens his musical palate, the increasingly mechanised and grinding soundscapes calling to mind Brad Fiedel’s work on the first two Terminator movies. The variety of textures Martinez is able to extract from his largely synthetic score is quite remarkable: an eerie tapestry where innocence and barbarity co-exist on a knife’s edge.
Jesse Sneaks Into Her Room
There’s the merest hint of compassion and warmth in this crucial musical juncture, as Fanning’s ingenue Jesse soon begins her descent into the film’s grand Guignol trappings. Martinez has described the story as “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” – and from this point on, it’s the darkness of the latter that becomes the prevailing influence on the score.
Messenger Walks Among Us
Almost certainly the most hypnotic and gripping track on the album, this is where Martinez brilliantly puts his central theme through a host of variations from beguiling to more purposeful and forceful, the very essence of his electronic ensemble palpably shifting and forming. Once again, the composer brilliantly gives a vivid impression of humanity being subsumed by something unsettling and monstrous, a fantastic piece of dramatic construction. A firm rival to the sensational organ/synthetic combo heard in Only God Forgives track ‘Wanna Fight’.
Get Her Out Of Me
Martinez’ loyalty to his central theme means it appears in numerous guises, from deconstructed, fragmentary bursts to barely audible whispers. As the score reaches its conclusion, the theme appears to be now devoid of the innocence with which the score began, completing Jesse’s journey from aspiring model to something truly monstrous. No mere wallow in ambience or musical nostalgia, Martinez’ score is very much its own beast: intelligently written yet aware of its origins, capable of beauty and darkness in equal measure.
Waving Goodbye – Sia
Australian supremo Sia follows in the illustrious footsteps of Drive‘s College and Electric Youth, lending her woozy touch to Refn’s latest movie with an intoxicating number that encapsulates Refn’s love of tangy synthpop rhythms. An ironically upbeat piece with which to conclude the album, the lyrics perfectly sum up the multi-faceted contradictions of Refn’s movie as a whole, particularly the conflict between identity and constructed persona, and the ongoing battle between beauty and artifice.
Sean Wilson is a film reviewer, soundtrack enthusiast and avid tea drinker. If all three can be combined at the same time, all is good with the world.
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Originally published July 20, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
