Like much of the rest of the world, I saw the movie Drive, and yes, I loved the music. While the movie had its flaws, the cinematography was unquestionably beautiful and director Nicolas Winding Refn’s choice of a synth and electro-pop driven soundtrack provided the perfect glossy sheen for the film's 80s-drenched palette. What was most surprising personally for me was the inclusion of two different Johnny Jewel projects—Desire and Chromatics. I've been a huge fan of Jewel for some time, and his Portland-based label Italians Do It Better has long been cranking out classic dance records, so this spotlight is particularly deserved. According to an interview with Box Office Magazine, it turns out Jewel was actually asked to put the entire soundtrack together himself—and he did, recording 3 hours of original music—but due to miscommunications, none of the new material was used. That music won't be going to waste though: Jewel will be releasing it as part of an imaginary film project called Symmetry via Italians Do It Better.
