video games

The themes are heavy, but Soulwax is keeping the vibe light with their contributions to the soundtrack for Grand Theft Auto Online: Los Santos Drug Wars.

A sprawling update to the game, out Tuesday (Dec. 13), is accompanied by a flurry of original compositions by artists including Soulwax. The duo’s work on the game includes “Autoclown,” a bouncy production by the Belgian electronic icons that mimics the psychedelic themes of the game itself. Hear an exclusive clip from this track below.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“When Rockstar approached us to be a part of Grand Theft Auto V, we were really excited about the opportunity,” Soulwax tell Billboard in a joint statement. “We had such a great time making and selecting tracks for the original Soulwax FM that we ended up creating a ton of ideas that we couldn’t fit in the final mix. So when the team came to us again to work on GTA Online, we went back to those initial ideas and started shaping them into a new score for Los Santos Drug Wars.”

Soulwax FM refers to a radio station featured in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, with GTA developer Rockstar Games having heavily incorporated electronic music into the game over the years, with appearances, radio stations and soundtrack contributions by prestige artists including The Blessed Madonna and Moodymann. In 2021, the game Rocktstar Games also partnered with Ibiza-based club brand CircoLoco for its joint venture, CircoLoco Records.

“We’re so excited to be working with Soulwax again,” Ivan Pavlovich, vice president of music at Rockstar Games, tells Billboard. “Soulwax FM’s driving dance and left field lost gems have made it such a classic station, and their music is the perfect vibe for the wild, psychedelic experience that is Los Santos Drug Wars.”

Part two of Los Santos Drug Wars is set for release in early 2023.