What Is The Last Score You Listened To From 2022?

[Thor 7,463]

 

TV series score by Gabriel Prokofiev (yes, that's ol' Sergei's grandson). I've always been fascinated by Gabriel -- part time DJ/electronic music composer, part time contemporary classical, with quite an impressive catalogue. This is his first score that has been released; lots of detached string harmonies and a modern harmonic language. Quite staccato, rhythmically. A "chilliness" that befits the subject matter, I suppose. It's OK, but not sure I'll keep it in my collection.

[Thor 7,463]

 

Started going through 2022 in earnest now. This was a nice discovery in the walkthrough so far. Westlake's best is ALI'S WEDDING, IMO, but still most famous for BABE 2, of course. This is not in-your-face orchestral bombast, but cautious, explorative textures that capture the creatures of the deep, well performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

[Thor 7,463]

 

Kornél Mondruczó's latest. Loved his JUPITER'S MOON, disliked his PIECES OF A WOMAN. Perhaps this is back to form, haven't seen it yet. Dauenhauer is a rising star, after her impressive work on BLOOD RED SKY and the new BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ. This is quite experimental. Starts off lovely with some muted vocals, but moves into Mica Levi terrain eventually. Requires a few more listens.

 

 

Ooh, another nice surprise. Not often you hear neoclassical symphonic scores these days that appear to come from a different decade altogether. And for a film that appears very "dry". Never heard of the composer before, but one to watch.

 

 

...and this. Straight up baroque chamber music. Impressive pastiche by Rogiewicz. Album is only 16 minutes, though.

[Thor 7,463]

 

Another excellent 2022 discovery. Psychedelic 60s stuff that would make Roy Budd proud. Forever Pavot is an ensemble spearheaded by Frenchman Émil Sornin. 

[filmmusic 1,823]

 

I don't know... Very static...

[Thor 7,463]

Yeah, it was not as interesting as I had hoped, given Simonsen's track record and the subject at hand.

 

(btw, currently at no. 1183 in my walktrough, and on Spain. It helps that some titles are not available for streaming, and that some -- well, a lot -- are so uninteresting, it's easy to skip ahead).

[filmmusic 1,823]

14 minutes ago, Thor said:

given Simonsen's track record

I don't think I have heard anything else by this composer. Should I check something else?

[Thor 7,463]

17 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

I don't think I have heard anything else by this composer. Should I check something else?

 

Yes! NERVE is my favourite, but it requires an interest in electronic music, which I'm not sure you have? Otherwise, I really dig his shimmering indie textures in THE SPECTACULAR NOW and WISH I WAS HERE. THE AGE OF ADALINE is fine too. Some of his more famous and commercial titles, like GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, THE ADAM PROJECT or CAPTIVE STATE don't do that much for me.

[filmmusic 1,823]

30 minutes ago, Thor said:

but it requires an interest in electronic music, which I'm not sure you have?

I went to listen a bit, but yeah, this is not my thing.

My taste in electronic music goes as far as Vangelis is concerned.

[JNHFan2000 2,943]

I have a soft spot for Simonsens score for Love Simon. That how I first got to know him.

[Thor 7,463]

 

Solo Sofia, without her husband Ian Hultquist. Quite nice. More moody, less reliant on beats. Lots of high register sounds, which provide airiness. Another contender.

[Thor 7,463]

 

I return to this again. It has some really great, funky synth tracks. Alas, the album is much too long at almost 80 minutes, and there are some directionless tracks that need weeding out for this to properly shine, and other tracks that aren't allowed to develop properly. But I'll try to work a playlist out at some point (it joins the long queue of such projects).

 

 

I don't really gravitate towards old-school symphonic adventure scores anymore (outside those I grew up with), but this is a rather delightful nod to those scores of 90s, with some ethnic colours thrown in. Should please most JWFANers, I think. Spanish film, unknown composer to me, but one of those gems you discover in the end-year research.

 

 

Another Spanish discovery. The dreamy, synth/small ensemble bits are part gorgeous, part all weirded-out with chimes, organs and echoey effects rummaging around. And a little bit of strange jazz. But very interesting, at the least, and definitely a keeper.

[Jay 37,281]

Nathan Johnson - Glass Onion

 

Finally able to check out this score album after really liking the score in the film.  Well, I didn't find the score's impact on album quite the same as the film; It starts and ends strong, but there was a patch in the early middle of the album that really failed to hold my attention.  Still really enjoying that harpsichord work; I'll listen to this album again sometime soon

 

 

[Jay 37,281]

Danny Elfman - White Noise

 

I liked this a lot, so much fun music here!  I really liked the parts that reminded me of 90s Elfman scores like Up There (Mars Attacks!), Teddy Bear (Men In Black), etc, but the whole album kept my interest throughout!  I'm really curious to see the film now because it's hard to me to picture this music working with what I saw in the trailers.

 

The song added to the end of the score here did absolutely nothing for me

[Jay 37,281]

Alexandre Desplat - Pinocchio

 

Wow.  Well, I really liked the score here!  It was as fun and inventive as the other fun Desplat scores I enjoy (I've far from heard the majority of his work)

 

However, the songs.... the songs on this album are absolutely terrible, did not enjoy any of them at all!  Yuck!

 

The next time I listen to this score, I'll make a playlist that omits all the song and only contains Desplat's score.  Yikes!

[Edmilson 7,384]

Pleasant enough and never really boring, but still far below from Newman's best efforts. These days I gave up on expecting a Thomas Newman score as emotionally powerful as The Shawshank Redemption, The Horse Whisperer or The Green Mile, but I'd settle for something like Passengers or Tolkien.

[Thor 7,463]

4 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Pleasant enough and never really boring, but still far below from Newman's best efforts. These days I gave up on expecting a Thomas Newman score as emotionally powerful as The Shawshank Redemption, The Horse Whisperer or The Green Mile, but I'd settle for something like Passengers or Tolkien.

 

I realize that due to the clout of Hanks, Newman and the general Hollywood machinery, people won't know this is based on a far superior Swedish film, with an equally superior score by the Norwegian composer Gaute Storaas. I recommend people give that a listen instead, it's also on Spotify.

[JNHFan2000 2,943]

This is fantastic! I love this score so I'm very happy more is released officially!

 

[Edmilson 7,384]

Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio (FYC)

 

I'm one of the biggest Alexandre Desplat fans of the forum, but even this is too much for me. 90 minutes of whimsical sparkling tinkly music for woodwinds, LOTS and LOTS of woodwinds... sigh. It would help if there were a little more variety to the cues but aside from a few cues at the end it is mostly this magical whimsical stuff that gets tiresome rather quickly.

 

I haven't heard Babylon yet, but I have the feeling this is one of the weaker Oscar seasons for movie scores over the last few years, JW's The Fabelmans being the exception.

 

Also, the FYC presentation of the score is very crappy, with some cues having long spaces where nothing happens.

[Faleel 5,331]

6 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio (FYC)

 

this is too much for me. 90 minutes of whimsical sparkling tinkly music for woodwinds, LOTS and LOTS of woodwinds... sigh. It... gets tiresome rather quickly.

 

 

Bruckheimer is that you?

[Edmilson 7,384]

The Banshees of Inisherin FYC (Carter Burwell)

 

Honestly, it's not as boring as I thought. Burwell creates an interesting fairy tale dream-like atmosphere using just gamelon, celesta, harp, flute, and marimba, as well as some strings. I liked the general understated atmosphere of the score.

 

The English - Deluxe (Federico Jusid)

 

On the other hand, this score received a lot of praise, but I thought it was just... okay? A few interesting cues here and there, but overall not as engaging as I was hoping based on the glowing reviews. 

[Edmilson 7,384]

Babylon - Justin Hurwitz

 

Over an hour and a half of rowdy raucous jazz pieces, with the exception of a few cues.

 

It's not the kind of score I would choose to listen regularly, but I can't deny the talent and the artistry behind it. Clearly Hurwitz is very talented and passionated, so it would be good if he started to working with other directors to challenge him.

[Knight of Ren 785]

Yeah, it's too bad that he only works with Chazelle, because that means we only get to hear new music from him every two or three years, so it would be nice to see what he would do with a different director.

 

The upside is that he is a big part of the construction and development of the films he works with Chazelle, which leads to his music being extremely impactful and important for the movies, which is something I really appreaciate, and they have done together some of my favorite movies (and scores) of the last years, so I'm not complaining that much.

[Edmilson 7,384]

I think it would be cool if he did a regular blockbuster, like a Marvel movie or something. I don't think he would do a generic superhero score, unless he is explicitely told to do so.

[Knight of Ren 785]

Yeah, it would be great to hear his take on some kind of blockbuster-type movie, like a superhero one, because I think he would provide something unique and memorable while still retaining his style.

[Thor 7,463]

 

Now working my way through all the Norwegian scores of last year, for the upcoming podcast about that. This was a highlight; a charming score that combines Hisaishi-like playfulness with jazz (dixieland), accordions and other elements.