Back in March, we posted a review about the Spike Jonze-created short film, “I’m Here“.  The project, which is provided for free of charge on it’s own specially designed website, focuses on the love connection between a pair of robots, inhabiting some alternate version of Los Angeles.  Of course, there are underlying elements in the film which are much deeper than that.  The complexities of love, self-worth, social hierarchies, risk, trust, and even life itself are all explored throughout its half hour running time.

After reviewing the film we got a few comments, all relating to the soundtrack which accompanied the piece.  For those who haven’t read that last article about the project, the following excerpt should bring you a little more up to speed on the subject.

“One more thing that I feel is important to bring attention to is the soundtrack.  Given equal consideration as the actual film, it features music by Sleigh Bells, Girls, Animal Collective, Gui Boratto, and the “fictional” group, “The Lost Trees Band” which includes Aska Matsumiya (Moonrats, ex-Your Enemies Friends,) and Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs).  Also credited with being part of  Lost Trees is “Nick Thelan“, which I’m assuming is a typo for Nick Thelen, who is formerly of Pretty Girls Make Graves and currently works with Matsumiya in Moonrats.  The credits also make note of a “cover” of Of Montreal‘s “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” by the listed members of The Lost Trees Band with Kevin Barnes (Of Montreal) himself.  Additional music/production was also contributed by Jonze‘s brother, Sam “Squeak E. Clean” Spiegel.“

Since this information was already provided by us, it seemed that the real question for everyone was about how they could actually find and obtain the music for themselves.  Being as it was a free short/side project, it wasn’t clear if the music would ever be available in any truly official form [Ironically enough, the short about cybernetic organisms is presented by Absolut Vodka.]  This week, however, I received a press release that answered that very question and, since our readers have been expressing interest about the topic, I’m very pleased to be able to provide the following news that the Chicago-based label Chocolate Industries will be collaborating to make the official soundtrack available to the public.  Further information was also provided, as follows:

“In creating the soundtrack for the film, Jonze enlisted the help of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea, Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, and Aska Matsumiya to compose original music under the moniker The Lost Trees, the remainder of the soundtrack boasting the current cream of the crop of the indie world, including Animal Collective, Sleigh Bells, and Girls, amongst others..“

The press release further states that the official release date is marked for OCTOBER 5th, but it appears that it may have already been pushed forward.  Pre-orders for the digital version, currently available on iTunes ($7.99) and Amazon.com ($8.99), both have the release date listed as August 31st, with Amazon listing an additional CD version ($10.99) as officially dropping on September 14th.

Here is a complete list of what is slated to be featured on the album,
whenever it does finally become available

TRACKLISTING

1 There Are Many Of Us – The Lost Trees
2 Beautiful Life – Gui Boratto
3 AB Machines – Sleigh Bells
4 The Past Is A Grotesque Animal – The Lost Trees
5 Did You See the Words – Animal Collective
6 Hellhole Ratrace – Girls
7 There Are Many Of Us (Electric Dream Version) – Sam Spiegel
8 Lonesome Robot Theme – Sam Spiegel
9 Y.O.U – Aska Matsumiya