The anxiety of aging has been a theme inJames Murphys worksince he mulled his inevitable obsolescenceon LCD Soundsystems Losing My Edge.While hes dispatched the reference-laden lyrics, the same neurosis is still apparenton the instrumental, We Used to Dance, which premiered on IndieWireand will appearon the Murphy-helmed soundtrack for While Were Young, the latest film from Noah Baumbach.
We Used to Dance doesnt boast a thumping four-on-the-floor invitation to dance yourself clean, but instead finds Murphy crafting a gorgeous ambient number anchored by intermittent drum kicks that echo into anabyss of synths. The criss-crossing melodies all carry a certain melancholy, but together they swell into something that conveys a quiet acceptance and triumph.
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The mood of We Used to Dance certainly fits the themes of While Were Young, which stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as a forty-something couple who befriend two to quote Murphy in Losing My Edge Brooklynites in little jackets. As the films trailer shows, the younger couple, played by Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried, show Stiller and Watts the joys of not acting their age, introducing them tohip-hop dance classes, fedoras and rollerblading. The film also stars Beastie Boys Adam Ad-Rock Horovitzas a friend, and new father, trying to keep Stiller and Watts in check.
While Were Young marks Murphys second score for Baumbach, following his work on 2010s Greenberg. Along with Murphys contributions, the While Were Young soundtrack boasts an impressive array of artists including A Tribe Called Quest, Paul McCartney, David Bowie and Haim.
The soundtrack will be available on CD and digitally March 24th via Milan Records, while a vinyl edition arrives on May 19th. While Were Young opens in theaters on March 27th.