Rick Rubin Enlists Flying Lotus, J.J. Abrams for ‘Star Wars’-Themed LP

Producer Rick Rubin has enlisted Flying Lotus, director J.J. Abrams and a crew of electronic artists for Star Wars Headspace, a compilation LP featuring original music blended with samples of sound effects and dialogue from the Star Wars franchise. The 15-track album will be out digitally February 19th via Hollywood Records/American Recordings, with a physical release following March 18th. An iTunes pre-order is available now.

Rubin’s shapeshifting house soundscape “NR-G7” makes ample use of R2-2D’s mechanical tones, layered over woozy synths and a pounding kick drum. The track is available to stream below. 

The unusual project also features contributions from Röyksopp, Galantis, Rustie and Kaskade, among others. Abrams, director of last year’s blockbuster The Force Awakens, has teamed with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda to co-write the bizarre Jabba the Hut tribute “Jabba Flow: Rick Rubin Re-Work” (featuring A-Trak), while Flying Lotus incorporates R2-D2’s scrambled noises into a signature, stumbling beat dubbed “R2 Where R U.”

GTA’s pounding “Help Me!” twists Princess Leia’s desperate plea of “Help me, Obi Wan Kanobi – you’re my only hope!” into a stuttering dance floor hook, and Baauer’s quirky “Cantina Boys” is built on Darth Vader’s spine-tingling exhale and a Tusken Raider battle cry.

Star Wars Headspace Track List

1. Kaskade – “C-3PO’s Plight”
2. GTA – “Help Me!”
3. TroyBoi – “Force”
4. Cantina Boys – “Baauer” 
5. Shag Kava – “Jabba Flow: Rick Rubin Re-Work (feat. A-Trak)
6. Claude VonStroke – “R2 Knows” (feat. Barry Drift)
7. Rick Rubin – “NR-G7” 
8. Bonobo – “Ghomrassen”
9. Röyksopp – “Bounty Hunters”
10. ATTLAS – “Sunset Over Manaan”
11. Flying Lotus – “R2 Where R U?”
12. Shlohmo – “Druid Caravan of Smoke”
13. Rustie – “EWOK PUMPP”
14. Galantis – “Scruffy-Looking Nerfherder”
15. Breakbot – “Star Tripper”