ALBUM: Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

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Fifty Shades of Grey has been the most highly anticipated film of 2015 so far, based on E. L. James’ bestselling BDSM book trilogy which took the world by storm, one embarrassed commuter at a time. The film adaptation may have been met with mixed reviews and heated debates, but there’s no doubt that the soundtrack has been very cleverly constructed.

Already having spawned a chart-topper with Ellie Goulding’s pop ballad ‘Love Me Like You Do’ – which entered straight at the top spot – the rest of the album reads lyrically like the pages taken straight from billionaire Christian Grey’s kinky diary (if he had put the whip down and kept one). Kicking off with Annie Lennox’s bewitching cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ ‘I Put A Spell On You’, which is a lot sexier and less creepy than the original, each contribution gives a little more of an insight into entering an unconventional relationship with the secretive Mr Grey. Laura Welsh’s ‘Undiscovered’ is one that may seem like it comes from female protagonist Anastasia’s point of view, an upbeat number that croons about getting to know a lover, complimenting Jessie Ware’s slow and sensual ‘Meet Me In The Middle’.

Standout tracks seem to come from R&B smooth-mover The Weeknd, with both ‘Earned It’ and ‘Where You Belong’, the former a seductive string-heavy soul track, while the latter is a haunting, predatory look into the mind of a paddle-wielding sex addict. Beyoncé’s tracks are equally as spookily seductive, with both a stripped-back slinky remix of ‘Crazy In Love’ which fans will have caught snippets of from the trailer, and the racy ‘Haunted’.

A few oldies are included for good measure, including Frank Sinatra’s ‘Witchcraft’ and Awolnation’s simple but charming cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘I’m On Fire’, and other contributions include the heartbreaking ‘I Know You’ from Skylar Grey, a refreshing hipshaker from Vaults entitled ‘One Last Night’ and Sia’s romantic ‘Salted Wound’.

However you feel about the lead character, this hauntingly addictive soundtrack will be sure to have you hooked, even if the film’s dialogue is a little ridiculous.

Fifty Shades Of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is out now via Universal Studios and Republic Records.

Angharad Bishop

@angharadbishop

Angharad Bishop

Angharad Bishop

Shamelessly stalking musicians.