The soundtrack to the 2017 erotic drama
Fifty Shades Darker
, the sequel to author
EL James
'
Fifty Shades of Grey
, features more sensually atmospheric tracks designed to convey the film's tone of edgy, sexually charged longing. The difference this time out is that while 2015's
mixed modern tracks alongside vintage pop-and-soul -- a formula for erotic film soundtracks popularized by
Adrian Lynne
's 1986 hit
9 1/2 Weeks
-- here, director
James Foley
eschews the old-school pop approach, choosing instead to amp up the sultry contemporary R&B and indie-electronica picks. In lieu of those peppy vintage pop numbers,
Foley
instead features several well-curated covers in
Corinne Bailey Rae
's buoyant reading of
Coldplay
's "The Scientist,"
Jose James
' urbanely burnished version of the swing standard "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and. per the post-2010s trend of doing a slow ballad version of a famously upbeat pop tune, we get
Frances
' funereal reading of
Haddaway
's house music classic "What Is Love." Primarily, the release is characterized by fittingly steamy, R&B-infused cuts like the
Taylor Swift
and
Zayn
duet "I Don't Wanna Live Forever,"
Halsey
's icy anthem "Not Afraid Anymore," and
Tove Lo
's dusky "Lies in the Dark." Similarly, there are a handful of deeply emotive, finely crafted cuts like
Sia
's yearning piano ballad "Helium," and
Anderson East
's soulful, loverman moment "What Would It Take." Also compelling are
the Avener
Mark Asari
's thrilling R&B groover "I Need a Good One," and the reliably tasteful
John Legend
with his passion-drenched "One Woman Man." ~ Matt Collar