Only God Forgives (soundtrack)

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Only God Forgives (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Only God Forgives (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).jpg
Soundtrack album by
Cliff Martinez
ReleasedJuly 16, 2013
Recorded2013
Genre Film score
Length57:16 (standard)
78:02 (deluxe)
Label Milan
Producer Cliff Martinez
Cliff Martinez chronology
Spring Breakers
(2013)		Only God Forgives
(2013)		 Mea Culpa
(2014)

Only God Forgives (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2013 film Only God Forgives directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and starred Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas and Vithaya Pansringarm. The soundtrack featured musical score composed by Cliff Martinez and released through Milan Records on July 16, 2013.

Contents

Development

Cliff Martinez composed the film's musical score in his second collaboration with Refn after Drive (2011). [1] Through the film's score, he wanted to travel inside the protagonist's head, through the film's music as audience would be emotionally connected with the character through the music and wanted to become more psychological and less situational. When he received the film's final edit, Refn used numerous temp tracks throughout to guide him on the musical vocabulary; Bernard Herrmann's score for The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) was used as one of the temp tracks in the edit. As the film is predominantly set in Thailand, Martinez thought of using Thai pop music and blending it to curate an hybrid score. Refn wanted Thai characters to sing the country/western songs in the film, but as he had to license those songs, Martinez decided to bring the musical authenticity by searching the specific soundscape from the country. [2] Since karaoke is a part of the nightlife culture in Thailand, Martinez recorded five karaoke songs performed by Gregory Tripi and Mac Quayle, who were assistant composers at his team while Vithaya Pansringarm and Rhatha Phongam also performed one of the songs. [3]

He eventually set up a mobile studio at his hotel room in Thailand using Macbook Pro and wrote the film score in five weeks. He used a three-string pin, predominantly used in the Northeastern part of Thailand, for the score. [4] Initially, he wanted to replicate the Isan music with the use of electric guitar, bass, drums, horns, pin and cans which the bands in those regions use, but found it difficult to implement in the score. [5] During the edit, Martinez was apprehensive of using an orchestral score for the romantic moments but as Refn liked that particular sequence, he eventually agreed for an orchestral music. The love theme had a real orchestra from Bratislava performing it. But due to the limited budget, he decided to record a fake orchestra using samplers, synthesisers and MIDI controls where he manipulated the orchestral sound to make it more authentic and believable. [4] [6]

Release

Milan Records announced the soundtrack to Only God Forgives on May 7, 2013. [7] The album consisted of 17 tracks along with a deluxe edition that contains additional six tracks. [8] Both the editions were released on July 16, three days ahead. [8] It was further issued in vinyl LPs with a limited edition artwork and pressed to 4,000 copies. [8] A 7-inch double LP single that featured the track "Wanna Fight" in both standard (4 minutes and 50 seconds) and deluxe edition (4 minutes and 8 seconds) released in October 22. [8]

Reception

Critic based at The Film Scorer wrote "Martinez manages to combine Eastern and Western musical influences organically and deftly, rather than obviously or tritely, creating a fascinating and unique score." [9] Andy Beta of Spin assigned 8 (out of 10) and wrote "Dreamy yet always on the razor's edge of turning into a nightmare, the composer's sound palette both widens and focuses here." [10] Sean Wilson of MFiles wrote "Only God Forgives is more interesting and engaging than much of the composer's other work – but it's still vital to hear the music in its cinematic context. Only then will the contradictory layers of sound make sense." [11] Dave Calhoun of Time Out described it as "buzzing, lowly pulsating". [12] Critic based at Sputnikmusic wrote "the heft of the compositions on the Only God Forgives soundtrack will each produce an identical effect for listeners." [13]

Track listing

Only God Forgives (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) standard edition track listing
No.TitleFeaturing artist(s)Length
1."Only God Forgives"Gregory Tripi0:46
2."Ask Him Why He Killed My Brother"Tripi2:11
3."Chang and Sword" 2:24
4."Chang Vision"Tripi3:46
5."Do As Thou Will" 2:14
6."Can't Forget"
3:30
7."Crystal Checking In"Tripi1:57
8."More Hands" 2:45
9."Sister Part 1"Tripi3:09
10."Take It Off"Quayle2:41
11."Leave My Son In Peace"
  • Tripi
  • Quayle
4:50
12."Falling In Love"
3:29
13."Crystal and the Bodybuilders" 4:05
14."Ladies Close Your Eyes"Tripi8:01
15."Bride of Chang"Quayle3:04
16."Wanna Fight" 4:50
17."You Are My Dream"Proud3:34
Total length:57:16
Only God Forgives (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) deluxe edition track listing
No.TitleLength
18."Wanna Fight" (Bonus Edition)4:08
19."Bride of Chang" (Mac Quayle Club Mix)7:14
20."Mai Quits Masturbating"4:05
21."Julian and the Body"4:28
22."Time to Meet the Devil"1:40
23."Put It Back On"2:11
Total length:78:02

Chart performance

Chart (2013)Peak
position
UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC) [14] 30
US Top Soundtracks ( Billboard ) [15] 22

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References

  1. ↑ Smith, Nigel M. (May 29, 2013). "'Only God Forgives' Composer Cliff Martinez on Reuniting With Nicolas Winding Refn and Why He Doesn't Consider Himself a Cinephile". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 6, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  2. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Larry (July 25, 2013). "Interview: Nicolas Winding Refn and Cliff Martinez". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 9, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  3. ↑ Ezell, Brice (September 5, 2013). "Getting Good at Getting Dark: An Interview with Cliff Martinez". PopMatters. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Gilchrist, Todd (July 24, 2013). "Composer Cliff Martinez Discusses 'Only God Forgives,' Refn and 'Barbarella'". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  5. ↑ Gallo, Phil (July 29, 2013). "Cliff Martinez, Nicolas Winding Refn Talk 'Only God Forgives' During Record Signing". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  6. ↑ Salisbury, Brian (July 17, 2013). "Thai By Night: Nicolas Winding Refn and Cliff Martinez on 'Only God Forgives'". Film School Rejects. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  7. ↑ Trumbore, Dave (May 7, 2013). "ONLY GOD FORGIVES Soundtrack Revealed". Collider. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Cliff Martinez: Only God Forgives (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Milan Records. July 16, 2013. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  9. ↑ Scorer, The Film (April 24, 2019). "Only God Forgives – Cliff Martinez – Film Score Review by The Film Scorer". The Film Scorer. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  10. ↑ Beta, Andy (July 24, 2013). "Review: Cliff Martinez, 'Only God Forgives: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'". Spin. Archived from the original on January 29, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  11. ↑ Wilson, Sean. "Cliff Martinez – Only God Forgives, original soundtrack review". MFiles. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  12. ↑ Calhoun, Dave (July 30, 2013). "Only God Forgives". Time Out. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Cliff Martinez – Only God Forgives (album review)". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Official Soundtrack Albums Chart Top 50 – 11 to 17 August". Official Charts Company . August 11, 2013. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Soundtracks: Week of August 3, 2013". Billboard . August 3, 2013. Archived from the original on July 15, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
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