As always, the evolving state of movie music continues to yield distinctive, unique work every single year. Which five Original Scores from 2016 did I decide on? Have a listen after the cut...
ARRIVAL (Jóhann Jóhannsson)
Jóhannsson continues to rewrite
the language of movie music, making inspired use of vocals and
non-instrumental sound design. Like Sicario before it,
singular and unnerving.
JACKIE
(Mica Levi)
A tingly tone poem in the form of
a suite of funereal dirges. Concerns itself with mood over melody,
adding volumes to the hazy headspace quality of its traumatized
central figure.
LA
LA LAND (Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul)
You can't really separate
songwriting from scoring in cases such as this. Taken as a whole,
there's little denying that La La Land is among the most
memorable feats of composition this year.
LION
(Dustin O'Halloran, Hauschka)
Rich, emotive experience from
start to finish. The feeling of each moment is embedded in chord
progression and instrumentation. Gorgeous main theme and variations
thereof.
NOCTURNAL
ANIMALS (Abel Korzeniowski)
Stealthy and minacious, with
layers of strings writhing against each other in sinister tandem.
Were the whole movie as full-bodied as its orchestral motifs, we'd be
holding it in higher regard.
Just missed:
Kubo and the Two Strings (Dario Marianelli)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Michael Giacchino)
Other considerations:
Moana (Mark Mancina, Opetaia Foa'i, Lin-Manuel Miranda)
Moonlight (Nicholas Britell)
The Witch (Mark Korven)
Just missed:
Kubo and the Two Strings (Dario Marianelli)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Michael Giacchino)
Other considerations:
Moana (Mark Mancina, Opetaia Foa'i, Lin-Manuel Miranda)
Moonlight (Nicholas Britell)
The Witch (Mark Korven)
