A chance encounter backstage at a late-night talk show has spiraled into one of the most intriguing cinematic and musical collaborations of the year. The combustible energy of Bristol’s post-punk evangelists, IDLES, has found a potent new vessel in “Rabbit Run,” the lead single from their work on Darren Aronofsky’s forthcoming crime caper, Caught Stealing. This is far more than a simple soundtrack contribution; IDLES have not only penned four original songs but have also served as the living, breathing orchestra for the film’s entire score, composed by Rob Simonsen. The result, if “Rabbit Run” is any indication, is a visceral marriage of sound and narrative, a shot of pure, uncut punk sensibility mainlined directly into the heart of Aronofsky’s “roller coaster of fun.”
“Rabbit Run” is a masterpiece of tension and release, a lean, anxious ripper that wastes no time in establishing its claustrophobic atmosphere. It opens with a taut, motorik drumbeat that feels less like a rhythm and more like a heart palpitation. This is the sound of pursuit, the frantic pulse of a man on the run. Layered on top are guitars that whine and snarl, thick with the kind of inventive distortion that has become an IDLES signature. The track mirrors the film’s central theme of confronting fear head-on, with frontman Joe Talbot’s vocals embodying this internal and external conflict. He begins in a near-panicked state, his delivery that of a man being chased, before the track pivots, and he turns to charge directly into the fray.
The collaboration’s genesis, a serendipitous meeting at Fallon, has been described by Talbot as a “lucid dream a lifetime in the making,” a sentiment that underscores his deep respect for Aronofsky’s filmography. For his part, Aronofsky, a self-proclaimed fan of the band, sought to “supercharge the film by main lining a punk sensibility.” He tasked IDLES with embodying the gritty energy of the 1990s New York punk scene, the backdrop for the film’s narrative about a former baseball phenom (Austin Butler) who gets entangled with gangsters after agreeing to watch a neighbor’s cat. This wasn’t just about licensing a few tracks; it was about embedding the very DNA of a band into the celluloid. Composer Rob Simonsen embraced this unique challenge, treating IDLES as his orchestra and building a sonic palette from their distinctive textures of feedback and distortion.
What makes “Rabbit Run” so compelling is its departure from the more introspective and love-infused themes of their recent Grammy-nominated album, TANGK. While that record saw the band exploring new sonic territories, “Rabbit Run” is a ferocious return to the raw, untamed energy that first brought them to prominence. It’s a reminder of their power, a volatile and raucous assertion of their core identity. This is not IDLES evolving away from their roots, but rather, skillfully applying their foundational fury to a new creative context. The track is both a standalone piece of blistering punk and a tantalizing glimpse into the sonic world of Caught Stealing.
This project represents a significant moment, not just for IDLES, but for the integration of bands into the fabric of filmmaking. Aronofsky himself noted, “I don’t think a band has really been tasked with performing a score for a movie” in this manner before. The creative kinship between the director, composer, and band has resulted in a work that feels genuinely collaborative and refreshingly bold. Beyond the original tracks, the soundtrack will also feature a cover of Junior Marvin’s “Police and Thieves,” famously reinterpreted by The Clash, further cementing the film’s punk lineage.
As IDLES prepares for their biggest hometown shows and a tour supporting Deftones and My Chemical Romance, “Rabbit Run” serves as a powerful statement of intent. It’s a track that crackles with the paranoid energy of a classic noir while delivering the cathartic release of a basement punk show. It proves that even as they achieve new heights of success, IDLES have not lost their edge. They have simply found a new, and thrillingly cinematic, playground for their beautiful, chaotic noise. The chase is on, and with “Rabbit Run” as its anthem, we are all compelled to follow.
