James Murphy Chills Out on ‘We Used to Dance’ Instrumental

James Murphy | Photo Courtesy: Sachyn Mital/ CC Wikimedia Commons

The anxiety of aging has been a theme in James Murphy’s work since he mulled his inevitable obsolescence on LCD Soundsystem’s “Losing My Edge.” While he’s dispatched the reference-laden lyrics, the same neurosis is still apparent on the instrumental, “We Used to Dance,” which premiered on IndieWire and will appear on the Murphy-helmed soundtrack for While We’re Young, the latest film from Noah Baumbach.

SIDEBAR
James Murphy James Murphy Is Finally a Free Man »
“We Used to Dance” doesn’t 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 an abyss of synths. The criss-crossing melodies all carry a certain melancholy, but together they swell into something that conveys a quiet acceptance and triumph.

The mood of “We Used to Dance” certainly fits the themes of While We’re 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 film’s 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 to hip-hop dance classes, fedoras and rollerblading. The film also stars Beastie Boys’ Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz as a friend, and new father, trying to keep Stiller and Watts in check.

While We’re Young marks Murphy’s second score for Baumbach, following his work on 2010’s Greenberg. Along with Murphy’s contributions, the While We’re 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 We’re Young opens in theaters on March 27th.