Gorgeous and potent soundtrack to one of our favorite films of 2016 gets pressed to wax. A mixture of the film’s original score by Nicholas Britell and key soundtrack pieces chosen by filmmaker Barry Jenkins, all presented in the order they appear in the film. Britell’s orchestral pieces are simultaneously uneasy and breathtaking, consisting mostly of coarse strings and solemn piano vamps. Jenkins sees this uneasy beauty as a perfect accompaniment to the film: “the idea of this drug dealer trying to teach a young boy how to swim. That’s a very gorgeous image, and yet there’s a storm coming. I think the music carries that edge.” Jenkins shared his love of chopped & screwed music with Britell and encouraged him to “chop and screw” the film’s score in some parts. Outsourced material is carefully curated and powerfully woven into the film to great effect in unforgettable scenes blanketed by Barbara Lewis’ “Hello Stranger” and Goodie Mob’s “Cell Therapy”. Boris Gardiner’s “Every N****r Is A Star” opens the film, and it makes a powerful statement right out of the gate. Like everyone else, Jenkins first heard it when it was sampled on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. “I kept thinking I wanted to plant a flag at the very beginning of this film”, Jenkins said. 21 tracks on swirled black and blue vinyl. Recommended.

• printed inner sleeve
• black and blue swirl colored vinyl
• limited edition
• music label: Lakeshore 2017

reviewed by peanut dust 02/2017