100 Unheralded Albums from 2010

Hans Zimmer: Inception soundtrack (Warner Bros., 7/13/10)

Hans Zimmer: “Mombasa”

Ranking 72nd on the Telegraph’s list of 100 living geniuses, German composer Hans Zimmer is a Grammy-winning soundtrack maven. And though blockbuster scores often all blend together with the same soaring, emotive motifs, Zimmer’s talents are unique, and his material for Inception stands out amid the typical Hollywood fare. The music here is dramatic and eerie — as one would expect for a dream-based, mind-bending movie — but its range is more dynamic, making use of Zimmer’s penchant for electronics.