Watertower Music, out now, and on vinyl on December 13

The ominous soundtrack for Todd Phillips’ tale of the rise of Batman’s nemesis is a dark, uneasy listen, and so it should be.

Hildur Guðnadóttir is on something of a roll at the moment – her deserved Emmy win for Chernobyl has been closely followed by her most high profile solo composing credit, and it’s terrific, if you can handle it. One of the dangers of focusing on the rise of a villain is the risk of elevating their status and turning them into someone you’re rooting for. There’s no such chance here, with Guðnadóttir’s themes being so devoid of heroism or faux triumph that we’re in no doubt of this score’s sensibilities.

Right from opening cue Hoy’s Office we’re enveloped in strings – the cello has seldom sounded so low register and in pain – pulsing like the neurones in Arthur Fleck’s brain. And as his world continues to slide, so the music swells, the drums crashing in to create even more noise in his head.

Escape from the Train is the closest we get to an action cue, but it’s Call Me Joker and Bathroom Dance that bring all the elements together. At 37 minutes, and with 17 tracks, we don’t get the chance to spend too much time with the cuts. Less a series of cues and more a single movement of misery, this won’t lift your mood but it will impress in its achievements as pure cinema soundtrack.

Verdict: Like the movie it’s supporting, Joker’s score will divide the critics looking for something more traditional. For me, it’s one of the scores of the year – hypnotic, throbbing and with the threat of danger forever bubbling just below the surface. 10/10

Nick Joy

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