We really loved the first issue of the new Image Comics‘ series, Hadrian’s Wall. It’s a noir-infused murder mystery that takes place on a space station and it’s really, really great. It’s filled with tight suspense and an overwhelming sense of dread. When you read it, you can almost hear the score playing throughout the scenes, thanks largely to the gorgeous artwork from Rod Reis. Now, co-writer Kyle Higgins and composer Joe Clark are giving you a reason to reread that first issue–or experience it for the first timewith the Hadrian’s Wall Playlist.

Culled from the depths of Spotify, Higgins and Clark have really captured that neo-noir soundscape. “Hadrian’s Wall is a 1980’s inspired locked-room murder mystery on a spaceship. With my film background– and the aesthetic influences that Rod (Reis), (co-writer) Alec, and I are all drawing on– we wanted to put together a playlist for the book that evokes the era and the feel of the movies that inspired us,” Higgins told us. You can certainly feel that 80’s space-drama vibe from these tracks. It’s oozing with synth goodness.

Working with composer Joe Clark certainly had its perks, too. For one, the man clearly knows the history of electronic instruments. “The history of using electronics to create sound has a surprisingly rich past. The first electric synthesizers, like Elisha Gray’s musical telegraph and Thaddeus Cahill’s Telharmonium were made in the late 19th century, kickstarting a wave of musical instrument invention in the early 20th century which included the Theremin, the Ondes Martenort, and the Hammond Electric Organ. The first wave of electronic music composers often sought to emulate or replace familiar sounds and styles of music, but later composers would see electronics as a medium through which a whole new world of sounds could be created, unhindered by the constraints of human performers and the physics of the natural world,” Clark said.

More than anything, the songs assembled on this playlist feel really capture the feeling of science fiction. Clark could explained why that is, too. “In pop culture, this search for the new, unknown, and technologically advanced sounds has been a perfect match for science fiction. The first movie with a completely electronic soundtrack, sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet, represented such a paradigm shift that the score was listed as ‘electronic tonalities’ instead of ‘original score.’ This playlist is a mix of our favorite film score selections, deep (and shallow) cuts, experimentations, art works, and works for film.” Cool stuff, for sure.

So, do yourself a favor and give the playlist a listen. We even have some preview pages you can scope of the first issue, so do that, too. There are bonus points involved if you listen while you read Hadrian’s Wall. 

Image: Image Comics

Benjamin Bailey writes for the Nerdist and can be found on Twitter talking about Godzilla, comic books, and hardcore music.