Australian songwriter and general man of letters Nick Cave has teamed up with Warren Ellis for new soundtrack album 'The Road'.

Nick Cave has led one of the most fascinating careers in rock music. From virtually inventing psychobilly to bashing Kylie Minogue's head in on Top Of The Pops the singer has all the bases covered.

Recently, however the singer has turned away from music. Nick Cave released his second novel 'The Death Of Bunny Munro' to widespread acclaim, giving readings from the tome across the world.

Also releasing a compilation of his soundtrack work, Nick Cave is set to team up with long time cohort Warren Ellis to work on a new film. 'The Road' is due for release next year and the pair have crafted a typically spell binding soundtrack.

Following in the path of 'The Assassination Of Jesse James' and Nick Cave's own 'The Proposition' the new film benefits from a delicate, at times maudlin score that demonstrates the versatility of the two songwriters.

'The Road' is based on the book of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, and stars Viggo Mortensen.

"The movie is about the loss of things, the absence of things, the lack of things," Cave said. "The lack of the wife/mother is present in every frame of the film.

"The delicate edifice of the film holds the ache of her absence, tenderly and by the tips of the fingers. The music was composed as a direct response to the film. A light, haunting, simple score with a sense of absence and loss at its heart."

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis are set to release their soundtrack to 'The Road' on January 4th. The film is released on the same day.