Today I once again think really hard about I feel like discussing here and somehow find myself lost. So in turn I start up my iTunes (not an Apple person but ever since this software was made available to Windows users I’ve loved it) and put it on random. Eventually it lands on a track of one of the many scores that I tend to collect from films I love.

The score is an element of film that you only hear true cinephiles discussing. Everyone else is busy staring at the explosions and the plot. It’s only when you mention a truly great score, or some would say obviously overplayed, like say last year’s Inception by the great Hans Zimmer does everyone else get into it.

Well with three quarters of the year already gone I’d like to offer to you all my top ten scores/soundtracks of the year so far:

10. Super 8 (Michael Giacchino)

Giachinno came to my attention in 2009 with his great work in Abrams’ Star Trek and Docter’s Up. Here he continues his great adventurous grand scoring style with J.J. Abrams’ throw back to Speilberg’s great films of the 80s.

9. Take Me Home Tonight (Various Artists)

I have a soft spot for 80s music and this film’s soundtrack delivers on the fun of it with tracks like Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles, Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran and Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners. I even like the redone version of Don’t You Want Me, and the video looks really fun with a lot of 80s film references.

8. Paul (David Arnold & Various Artists)

This is one of those discs that I love for the soundtrack more than the score. The music that gets put into the film includes I Chase the Devil by Max Romeo, Hello It’s Me by Todd Rundgren and All Over the World by Electric Lights Orchestra.

7. X-Men: First Class (Henry Jackman)

This is one of those dark brooding scores which I think just works. While the film is about the development of both the characters of Charles Xavier as much as it is about Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, the score always feels getting darker and darker into the character of Magneto and how he (while not far off throughout the film) is heading in that violent direction.

6. Midnight in Paris (Various Artists)

Woody Allen puts together a great classical and very French at times soundtrack of all the great artists of the past. When you’re soundtrack can have Cole Porter in it and it not be the best song on the list then you know you’ve done something right.

5. 50/50 (Various Artists)

It was mean to have a great soundtrack, it’s the new hipster cancer dramedy and the trailer sports one of the best songs in the film by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. It’s great.

4. Drive (Cliff Martinez)

What else can I say about this film? This one, unlike Paul has no flaws from soundtrack to score. Martinez is a name that I’m sure has been around for a while but honestly before this year I have never come across his work. The scoring is great but sadly the film’s music will be remembered for the great tunes that are playing over the radio for Gosling’s character to act to.

3. Hanna (The Chemical Brothers)

After last year’s great run in with having Daft Punk do the score for TRON Legacy it was a sure trend to catch on and with The Chemical Brothers’ score for Hanna I hope it keeps going, and keeps being this good. The band’s experimental/club style music somehow works perfectly into the visuals of the film and never stops entrancing me.

2. Contagion (Cliff Martinez)

It’s a hard sell to beat the score by The Chemical Brothers but Martinez’s score for Contagion with its dirty digital noisy sensibilities to it somehow works in this almost claustrophobic story of how everyone’s trying to survive this epidemic.

1. Rango (Hans Zimmer)

Let’s get it straight. I’m a converter. I love westerns, and one of the best elements of a western is its score. Nothing beats walking down the street with the music of Ennio Morricone blasting in your ears making you feel like you’re in your own cowboy story. Here Zimmer captures all the best parts of that with an addition of this mariachi band (songs by Los Lobos) that are just great.

What’s your favourite Score/Soundtrack so far this year?