Surround Sounds: The Best Soundtracks of 2010

by Luke Jones.

As the year draws to a close the inevitable Top 10 and Best of lists have started to appear, flooding the world with often redundant opinions of which things have been better than other things, so that people who care about such things can argue about why their favourite thing should actually be number one thing instead of number two thing.

With that in mind, in no particular order here are my picks for the top five soundtracks of 2010.

1. The Social Network - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Outstanding track - In the Hall of the Mountain King

Already an early favourite for Oscar success next year, David Fincher’s The Social Network turned the formation of Facebook into the finest Greek tragedy of the year. Equally successful was the score for the film, written in partnership between Nine Inch Nails founder Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, a producer on four Nails albums. Mirroring the rat-a-tat dialogue of screenplay writer Aaron Sorkin, the driving electronica puts you at the centre of Mark Zuckerberg’s state of mind; constantly moving, driving towards some unknown destination. The highlight of the score, an adaptation of Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King (most famous as the theme for Alton Towers),

Bonus credit must also go to the film’s teaser trailer, which features a haunting cover of Radiohead’s Creep performed by Scala & Kolacny Brothers, a Belgian all girl choir. Almost as worthy of praise as the full film, it’s a masterful piece of editing, and miles better than X Factor contestant Wagner’s version.

2. Inception - Hans Zimmer

Outstanding track - Dream is Collapsing

Braaaaaaahm. First heard in early teaser trailers for the movie, Inception’s orchestral blasts became the sound effect of the summer, inspiring an internet button and an iPhone app, and became an integral part of seemingly every Inception spoof to surface. Zimmer can be a divisive composer, often content to fall back on his Oscar nominated bag of tricks from working on Gladiator, but Inception saw him working his usual bombast in amongst moments of tranquility to thrilling effect. Just listen to track 9, Dream Within a Dream, how the quiet but forceful opening blows up into James Bond-style excess, before pulling back again. Then listen to the rest of the album, and enjoy next year’s Oscar winner.

Interestingly it has been pointed out since the film’s release that the ‘Braaaaahms’ are actually taken from a super slowed down version of Edith Piaf’s Non, je ne Regrette Rien. Check out the link here for a comparison.

3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - Various

Outstanding track - Black Sheep by Metric

The only compilation soundtrack on the list, listening to Scott Pilgrim vs the World is as wonderfully eclectic and vibrant as watching it, with the added benefit of being able to enjoy the songs in their entirety. Of course that’s not very long when songs like I’m so Sad, so very, very Sad last only 13 seconds, but you do get Plumtree, T Rex, the Rolling Stones and Beck making full length contributions. Opening track We are Sex Bob-Omb deserves to be listened to with the volume turned up as loud as possible. Just don’t make the mistake of asking your Chinese high school girlfriend to listen to it with you, she may fall in love.

4. Tron: Legacy - Daft Punk

Outstanding track - The Grid

The most eagerly anticipated soundtrack of the year, and Daft Punk’s first studio album for five years, Tron: Legacy’s soundtrack may not live up to the hype built up prior to its release but it still deserves it’s place amongst the best of the year. Given an entire 88 piece orchestra to play with, french duo Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter shine the most when going back to their house roots. Derezzed is the track most likely to find it’s way into future Punk set lists, but The Grid is a personal favourite because it samples Jeff Bridges and kicks the album into high gear with a triumphant statement of the film’s main theme.

5. Lost: Season 6 - Michael Giacchino

Outstanding track - Moving On

Moving away from the world of big screen images, Lost: Season 6 was to Michael Giacchino what Revenge of the Sith was to John Williams; a chance to knit together hours of previous thematic material into one long triumphant finale. While the last season has provoked strong reactions in viewers due to the (lack of) answers provided, few complaints were leveled at Giacchino’s scoring, which remained as beautiful and otherworldly as it had for the first five seasons. Expanding accordingly to deal with the increasingly epic nature of the narrative, the soundtrack for Lost: Season Six is nothing if not diverse. There are moments of sweeping romance with tracks like Love in the time of Pneumonia. The Lighthouse channels Raiders of the Lost Ark with it’s eerie mystery. Action cues litter the score throughout.

However without doubt it is final track, Moving On, where the six years of build up pays off fullest. Weaving some of the most popular themes of the show together, it is a stand-out track on a stand-out album, and the finest work so far in Giacchino’s career.