Attack the Block OST

Posted on February 13, 2015 by emmakwall

Attack the Block – soundtrack review

As soon as I heard the fantastic (and such clever) music in the fantastic (and pretty clever) film Attack the Block – I knew I had to buy the soundtrack.

attacktheblock

And there it is. I DID buy it. New release, loads of copies on Amazon, not exactly rare, very easy to get. STANDARD.

So the Attack the Block soundtrack is mainly a scored soundtrack, composed by Steven Price (who went on to score Gravity (2013) among other very notable efforts). For this one he had on involvement from Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe who (in case you don’t know and don’t worry I didn’t know either) make up the band Basement Jaxx.

I find the music really clever. Anyone familiar with the film will know it’s a science fiction / aliens movie but with the rather huge twist of it being set on a South London council estate, with a group of questionable teens as the heroes. Well, this soundtrack so perfectly encapsulates that.

This is a very clever soundtrack that – as well as displaying the imagination and brainpower of the scorers – goes perfectly between modern music (I have no idea which exactly but I know it’s the type that chavvy kids from a council block may listen to) and the kind of stuff you could hear in a 1960s science fiction film. It’s just reeeeeeally clever.

I bought it in 2011 but you can still buy it on Amazon for £3.99. That’s less than some magazines!

Listen below to my favourite track (Moses V the Monsters) but please take heed of my disclaimer. Disclaimer: this song may make you feel like a bad arse

About emmakwall

Films, books, soundtracks, good humour
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41 Responses to Attack the Block OST

  1. Pingback: Films I Watched In: May | emmakwall (explains it all)

  2. vinnieh says:
    August 17, 2015 at 11:24

    Nice take Emma, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the movie.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. SusanElizabeth says:
    February 14, 2015 at 03:19

    I have to get this soundtrack.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • emmakwall says:
      February 16, 2015 at 09:24

      YAY!!!!! Honestly it’s so good!!! I think for £3.99 it’s a real bargain. Have you seen the movie?

      Some of the tracks are more ‘dancey’ than this one, I just liked it because it was so dramatic!!

      The film is awesome too 🙂

      I love you Susan!! Love your soundtrack enthusiasm!!!

      Like

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      • SusanElizabeth says:
        February 16, 2015 at 23:03

        Yes I loved the movie! I have a good memory of not feeling well and being off work with a doctor’s note but watching, for the first time, Attack the Block, Troll Hunter and The Innkeepers and having the BEST time possible while sick! Such a rad movie!!
        Soundtracks are such a special little niche in music.

        Liked by 1 person

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        • emmakwall says:
          February 17, 2015 at 10:45

          Yay! Well not ‘yay’ for being sick, but yay for having a good film day!!

          I’ve not seen Troll Hunter but I have seen The Innkeepers and that was fun 🙂

          I love soundtracks so much!! I listen to them more than my ‘regular’ CDs!

          Like

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          • SusanElizabeth says:
            February 18, 2015 at 01:28

            I know what you mean. I think a good soundtrack can be listened to on its own but the feelings that we get watching that movie, excitement/badassery/joy/what have you, automatically come back when we listen and that’s something different than other music because we’ve got the images of the film somewhere in the back of our heads. Love it!

            Liked by 1 person

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            • emmakwall says:
              February 18, 2015 at 11:18

              DEFINITELY!!!!! I so agree 🙂

              That’s why my favourites tend to be quite dramatic sounding! I love feeling the ‘atmosphere’ and listening to them again and again 🙂

              badasssery – I love it!!

              Like

            • SusanElizabeth says:
              February 19, 2015 at 00:21

              Have you seen/heard Planet Terror and the soundtrack? It’s soooo good! It’s just like that, atmospheric.

              Liked by 1 person

            • emmakwall says:
              February 19, 2015 at 09:38

              Yes I have and I have the soundtrack on CD!!! (how great is that?!) That’s so cool you love it too!! I bought it because I loved the main song, the one Rose McGowan danced to at the beginning, I think Robert Rodriguez’s band actually performed it – Chingon if I remember rightly?

              But you’re right, it’s SUCH a good soundtrack and film! It blew Death Proof out the water 🙂

              Like

            • SusanElizabeth says:
              February 19, 2015 at 23:12

              Yes & I remember seeing a clip of Robert Rodriguez in his studio playing around on the keyboards showing how he came to the sound for the soundtrack, he’s got an ear for that!

              Like

  4. By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff says:
    February 14, 2015 at 02:56

    LOVED this movie, but I hadn’t paid much attention to the soundtrack. I like what you linked to. I’m going to see if I can find some more on YouTube 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • emmakwall says:
      February 16, 2015 at 09:24

      Yay!!! And I’m so glad you loved the film, it’s great isn’t it. Funny, clever, sentimental without being schmaltzy.

      I believe most of the tracks are on youtube, even the ones not on the soundtrack!! Woo ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. table9mutant says:
    February 13, 2015 at 20:50

    I love to see another lover of soundtracks! And as for this movie, I watched it several months ago & keep telling myself I’m gonna have to try to review it one of these days as I found it SUCH a pleasant surprise! Wasn’t expecting to like it but it was really good. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    • emmakwall says:
      February 16, 2015 at 09:27

      Yay!!! From one soundtrack lover to another 🙂

      I do think the music really adds to a film. A film can be good without a good soundtrack, but a good film WITH a decent soundtrack too? Amazing!

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this 🙂 I thought I’d probably like it beforehand but I think I was even more impressed than I thought I would be!! Some of the dialogue was so funny and Moses was so sweet (at the end!)

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • table9mutant says:
        February 18, 2015 at 14:19

        I know! The music in a movie is really important to me. I’m a big fan of Thomas Newman & think it’s probably no coincidence that a couple of my very top films were scored by him. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

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        • emmakwall says:
          February 18, 2015 at 17:00

          Do you know, you must think I’m horribly ignorant but I didn’t know Thomas Newman! (though the surname rather jumped out at me haha) I looked him up, he’s worked on some amazing films!!!!!! Quite a diverse list as well 🙂

          Yes definitely not a coincidence! I think it’s great that your favourite movies also feature your favourite composer.

          I went to see Sunshine in the cinema, the Danny Boyle movie. I was pretty much underwhelmed until that score Surface of the Sun started. I wanted to cry! (seriously!) after that I loved the rest of the film and each time I’ve watched it since I’ve just enjoyed it more and more. But I never would have noticed it really, had it not been for THAT music. I could have easily left the cinema thinking ‘meh won’t bother again’ and now it’s in my top 10 films and I’ve even watched the director’s commentary for god’s sake!!!!

          Sometimes I listen to music and want to write a whole film just so I can put that 2 minute song into a scenario 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

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          • table9mutant says:
            February 19, 2015 at 22:26

            Thomas Newman is amazing! I love his work on The Shawshank Redemption especially. 🙂 Emma – you’re beyond awesome – I love love LOVE the music in Sunshine! 🙂 Totally agree with you on that – the music in that movie MAKES the movie. It would be a total “meh” film without it. Seriously – I’m so glad I have another movie blogger to discuss movie music with now! 🙂 It’s such an important element to a film.

            Liked by 1 person

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            • emmakwall says:
              February 20, 2015 at 15:08

              That music is so iconic!! I can hear it now! I’m going to do some more research 🙂

              It’s great, we’ve only been chatting soundtracks a few days and already I’ve learnt loads!

              YAY YAY YAY! YOU are beyond awesome. Anyone who loves that song, I know they’re on my wavelength. The day that CD gets released (if it ever does!) I will buy it no matter how much it costs. I need it! I have the song downloaded but you know. I just neeeeeeed the CD. I think there was some argument between John Murphy and the production company, something happened anyway which prevented them releasing the Sunshine soundtrack.

              Sometimes I listen to it so loud on headphones. It makes me feel euphoric almost!

              Like

  6. Cici says:
    February 13, 2015 at 20:14

    I love it!! am addicted to movie and video game sound tracks. This feels like a song you can put in a dance movie, like the entrance music.
    I haven’t watched this movie yet, but you said aliens and teens so am sold.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. The Telltale Mind says:
    February 13, 2015 at 17:30

    Liked the movie, never really thought about listening to the soundtrack before. Maybe I’ll give it a shot someday.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. theipc says:
    February 13, 2015 at 17:15

    Pen….

    “Chavvy”???

    Love Pen

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. sweetarchive says:
    February 13, 2015 at 17:01

    Wow, sounds intense! I like it!! I’m left wondering what the film’s about.. Hmmm…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. Ms. Coolsville says:
    February 13, 2015 at 16:16

    Sounds amazing! You can’t go wrong with the Basement Jaxx guys. I’ve never heard of the movie (I guess because it never really made it to the States).

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • emmakwall says:
      February 13, 2015 at 16:20

      Thanks so much for your comment! I’m delighted 🙂

      It probably wasn’t big in America no, it’s a low-ish budget English film but it really is so, so good! Well I think so. It’s very clever and original. And funny. And likeable 🙂

      I’m so glad you like the idea of the soundtrack 🙂 maybe you can be a US pioneer for Attack the Block!!!!

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Any thoughts?