Destroy something beautiful to play this record
Lend an ear to SPINEMA: a column exploring all movie music, music related to movies, and movies related to music. Be they film scores on vinyl, documentaries on legendary musicians, or albums of original songs by horror directors, all shall be reviewed here. Batten down your headphones, because shit’s about to sound cinematic.
Mondo are proud to present the soundtrack to Fight Club on Vinyl for the first time in over 15 Years.
The Dust Brothers’ only film score to date, Fight Club is arguably one of the most enjoyable soundtrack albums to come out of the 90’s and part of that has to do with the fact that it is one of the best sequenced scores of all time. Weaving all of the films cues from the film into 16 songs, the album winds up feeling like the best instrumental Trip-Hop album you’ve never heard.
Buy it, or you will be incomplete. But be warned, this album is not beautiful, clean or perfect. It is not Mint, or even VG+. It is Fair at best. Just like you.
For most collectors, the term “mint” carries much weight. Many striving to keep limited edition releases in as pristine condition as possible. For their release of The Dust Brothers score for this cult classic, Mondo brought in artist Alan Hynes to craft a release that cleverly nods to the aesthetic of a certain Swedish furnishing store, as well as the chaotic energy of Fight Club, channeled into a design that will perturb those collectors who like their vinyl to remain in top condition.
The Soundtrack
The sole work from The Dust Brothers is a standout, one that channels the pulsating vibe of Fight Club. A grungy, electrical score, invoking drums, synths, and bass, to pump you up for a ride. Ambient music that shifts into something more industrial and discordant. Change-ups and distortions herald or accompany tonal and character shifts in the film, while recurring motifs tie the score together, despite its chaotic feel. Tracks like Homework get the energy flowing, Medulla Oblongata leans harder into electronica, Stealing Fan makes great use of playful drum beats, while the frenetic sounds that permeate Finding the Bomb encapsulate the schizophrenic qualities of David Fincher’s work.
Tracklist
You are not your record collection.
Side A
01. Who Is Tyler Durden? (5:03)
02. Homework (4:38)
03. What Is Fight Club? (4:43)
04. Single Serving Jack (4:15)
Side B
05. Corporate World (2:43)
06. Psycho Boy Jack (2:58)
07. Hessel, Raymond K. (2:49)
08. Medulla Oblongata (6:00)
Side C
09. Jack’s Smirking Revenge (3:59)
10. Stealing Fat (2:22)
11. Chemical Burn (3:35)
12. Marla (4:22)
Side D
13. Commissioner Castration (3:07)
14. Space Monkeys (3:24)
15. Finding The Bomb (6:45)
16. This is Your Life — The Dust Brothers Feat. Tyler Durden
The Package
Those clean lines, that typeface, that familiar contrast of vibrant yellow and white. Fight Club takes aim at many things, and Ikea embodies many of them. Faux individualism, materialism, and the monotony of modern design. Easy assemble furniture also seems something that would stand as an affront to the amped up, toxic males in the film. Alan Hynes channels the Swedish aesthetic and chaotic energies of Fight Club into a brilliantly playful and smartly layered package.
Peeling away the ribbon, there doesn’t seem to be a way to get inside the damn thing. All you have is a little tab offering up the word “sacrifice”.
Without pain, without sacrifice, we would have nothing.
“It’s Only After We’ve Lost Everything That We’re Free To Do Anything.”
Tearing through the outer shell reveals the liner sleeves, designed to resemble to medical waste bags lifted from liposuction clinics to make soap.
The records themselves come on 180 gram vinyl, in a pink colorway, the label itself taking inspiration from the business Tyler Durden himself set up, using the aforementioned stolen biowaste. “selling rich women their own fat asses back to them” as the Paper Street Soap company.
There’s an extra bonus tucked into the release, a faux set of Ikea instructions for how to administer a chemical burn, and then keep the complaints to yourself.
The Fight Club Original Motion Picture Score is available on vinyl now, via Mondo