The music of

Although Leonardo DiCaprio made sure that his next film after the mega-blockbuster Titanic would not be anything of the same spectacular proportions, he was still not able to get out of the water. The world's most popular actor will next be seen in the movie The Beach, which is based on the award-winning novel by Alex Garland. For a change Leo gets to dive, cavort and swim on warm tropic waters in this one instead of in the frozen ocean, where come to think of it, he didn't really swim after all.

This tells the story of Richard, a young American who feeling disconnected from his electronic environment, went off in search of paradise on earth and thought he had found it on a secret island in Thailand. There, life seemed like a never-ending party and he soon lost all will to return to his former world. Of course, Richard would soon find out that was not the case and how he and the other characters get to that is what the movie is about. Along the way director Danny Boyle of Trainspotting fame, treats us to Leo's gorgeous looks, riveting action, beautiful scenery and intensely absorbing music that borders between the eerie and the ethereal.

It came as no surprise then to find out that the music for The Beach came from Angelo Badalamenti, who created the haunting score for the TV series Twin Peaks, plus the likes of Blue Velvet, City of Lost Children, Wild at Heart, Arlington Road and some others of a similar surreal bent. His work for The Beach has the same quality but it is more compelling because he blends the contemporary medium of electronica with the scenes of fearsome beauty. Take note too that Boyle is one director who works to a discernible beat and he uses music a lot to forward the story and enhance his images.

Only one cut in the soundtrack album of The Beach comes from Badalamenti, Beached, which he performs with Orbital. All of the tracks though, have the same strange attraction that could lull you to lazy sensuousness or drive you to reach for the unknown. Top cut in the collection is Pure Shores by All Saints. This is the musically exceptional all-girl quartette, which many thought would bring about the demise of the Spice Girls but which disappeared from the music scene after only one album. Well, they have returned to the charts with the soundtrack of The Beach. Nicole, Natalie, Shaznay and Melanie perform Pure Shores a composition by Shaznay, and William Orbit, who is one of Madonna's favorite collaborators.

The other cuts are Snake Blood performed by Leftfield, Porcelain by Moby; Voices, the likely hit single by Dario featuring Vanessa Quinones; Ball by Underworld; Spinning Away by Sugar Ray; Return of Django by Asian Dub Foundation featuring Harry Beckett on trumpet and Simon de Souza on the saxophone; "On Your Own by Blur; Yeke Yeke by Mory Kante; Woozy by Faithless; Richard, It's Business as Usual by Barry Adamson, Brutal by New Order, and Lonely Soul by Unkle featuring Richard Asheroft.

The album is just the right sort to take with you for long afternoon drives and lazy summer days by the water. But beware, this is not beach music in the California tradition of the Beach Boys where the combination of music and sun-kissed shores resulted in fun, fun, fun. The music from The Beach conjures up the mysterious languor of exotic climes, those places where sensuality has a dark intriguing side and where only the bravest of souls would dare to take a dip.

As for all those Leonardo fans out there, while there is no time-defying romance in The Beach the film has a rare kind of beauty that is engrossing, disturbing and is definitely not one to be ignored. The music is no different, so don't forget to bring home a copy of the soundtrack. Besides, there is a surprise waiting for you in one of the cuts. Leonardo talks! And I know that for many of you that is all that matters.

So are we looking at an album that could sell as much as those two Titanic soundtracks did? Is there something in the Celine Dion category of My Heart Will Go On for All Saints? Maybe not but those are no reasons to deprive yourself of the pleasures of The Beach.