British post-punk band IDLES have released a new track titled ‘Rabbit Run’, written for director Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming film Caught Stealing . The single is one of four original songs the band contributed to the film’s official soundtrack and marks their first foray into full film scoring.
In addition to the original tracks, IDLES collaborated with composer Rob Simonsen to produce the film’s full score. The soundtrack will be released on August 29 via Partisan Records, coinciding with the film’s release.
Caught Stealing is Aronofsky’s adaptation of Charlie Huston’s novel of the same name. The film stars Austin Butler as Hank Thompson, a former high school baseball star who is pulled into New York’s criminal underworld after agreeing to take care of his punk neighbour’s cat. The cast also includes Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, and Boyd Holbrook.
‘Rabbit Run’ delivers the heavy, urgent sound that IDLES are known for. Featuring gritty guitar work, aggressive percussion, and frontman Joe Talbot’s intense vocal delivery – the track mirrors the chaotic and violent atmosphere of the film’s storyline.
In a press statement, Aronofsky explained why he chose IDLES for the soundtrack: “I built Caught Stealing to be a roller coaster of fun and wanted to supercharge the film by main lining a punk sensibility. I don’t think a band has really been tasked with performing a score for a movie. Who better to collaborate with than Idles? It has been a dream watching them bend their notes to blast a hole in our movie screen.”
The collaboration reportedly began with a backstage conversation during a joint appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Talbot, in his own statement, said the opportunity was a full-circle moment. “This has been a huge opportunity for us that seemingly came about after a chance meeting backstage at Fallon […] Darren is one of my favourite directors and his films have in some ways made me who I am as an artist. This lucid dream has been a lifetime in the making and one that I will live over and over with a huge sense of humility and joy.”
Composer Rob Simonsen also added his thoughts about the collaboration: “I was really excited by the idea that Darren had for our third project together, which was to write a score for IDLES, using them as our orchestra. They had created original songs for the film, and building a palette that started from their sound – the incredible textures they create through inventive use of feedback, distortion, and pedals – was a really satisfying challenge. Our work with the band was genuinely inspiring. They’re not only extraordinarily talented musicians, but individuals with clear eyes, big hearts, and bold souls.”
Caught Stealing and its full soundtrack, including ‘Rabbit Run’, are both due out August 29. The single is now available on major streaming platforms.
