James Lavelle and his UNKLE project has proved to be an enduring entity - nothing wrong with that, we say. It seems that the energy-drink manufacturers Relentless feel pretty much the same way, because they have hooked up with Lavelle for a spot of soundtrack creation for a film he is also starring in. Hey it IS a deep recession after all so why the heck not?

The film in question is, strictly-speaking, a documentary that follows the lives, the passions and the striving for ultimate perfection and achievement of contemporary artists and sports persons. This is the second in the series - the first featured French Olympic extreme-snowboarder, Xavier de la Rue, big-wave surfer Tom Lowe and hard-punksters Gallows. Rather than gabble on about the work itself, "Lives of the Artists" concentrates on the performers themselves as they face adversity in creating their art. Sounds pretentious? Not a bit of it - it's all about achieving, not the usual self-inflicted misery or 'oh look at me, I've had such a hard life, I'm such a loser'-type panderings.

In this new documentary entitled "Lives of the Artists 2: Follow Me Down", UNKLE's James Lavelle reveals what makes him tick, as well as providing some excellent-sounding film-music throughout. Xavier de la Rue also features alongside fellow snow-rider Jeremy Jones against a stunning Antartica backdrop of mountains (they scale them first) and glistening ice and snow (they snowboard down it later on), earning them the oft-used description: "you mad bastards". It certainly seems to live up to the drink's attitude to extreme sports - Relentless NASS/ Boardmasters/ Wakestock mean anything to you?

UNKLE themselves have a special Brixton date up for grabs now- they play the Academy on 19th November and tickets cost £21.50 plus fees. Chances are you'll hear the odd passage from this film as well as the usual array of UNKLE classics, including material from the recent album "Where Did The Night Fall".

Meanwhile an exclusive UNKLE track from the film, "Set No Sun", has been uploaded on the Relentless site at www.relentlessenergy.com - register first, though!