Album Review

Hans Zimmer – Inception Motion Picture Soundtrack

• 26th Jul 2010

Hans Zimmer is a bit of an oddity when it comes to the top composers in Hollywood. His range is clear when you look at the likes of early works like Rain man compared to today’s soundtracks he makes.

The main problem with his thriller work is that he has had a lot of repetition. Listen to any of the Brukheimer movies he has done and you’ll find a very obvious distinct pattern – that even their beats carry over right upto the batman movies he’s been working on.

But having said that, he also seems to have an ability to create new and inspiring soundtracks that can still be very fresh on the ear and Inception is no exception. Yes his synth heavy score is riddled with Zimmerams (which he could solve by ditching a few of his often used instruments in favour of something very new even to him), but the body in which he injects his style is something to behold.

The complexity of the film is complemented by Zimmer who moves from harrowing sound, to inquisitive meandering in the notes played that range from paced to frantic.

He manages to keep a wide sense of anonymity in his work as when you listen to “We Built Or Own World” it’s almost like listening to John Barry. And “Old Souls” has some strong Vangelis influences about it. These examples and both protracted calmer moments that you may experience in the film.

It is in his action set-piece music that Zimmer tends to sound like Hans Zimmer. And it’s very good, if overly familiar stuff. “Mombasa is an atmospheric and exciting piece of music, but if you literally know most of Zimmers work you will see where it hails from, right back to 1988’s Black Rain.

One instrument that manages to stand out and elevate this into its own unique being is the Guitar work, by none other than Johnny Marr. It is a simple sounding touch at first but stamps the word ‘Identity’ on this disc.

But you can tell why director Christopher Nolan graduated up to Zimmer as the man for most of his projects as even in the likes of “One Simple Idea” there is that orchestral emptiness of his “Insomnia” and “Memento” movies. Zimmer fills them with grandeur.

And if you haven’t seen the film yet then you are missing a real treat for the eyes and the brain.