Apocalypto
James Horner's approach to this soundtrack is as unconventional as Mel Gibson's take on adventure movies. The percussion- and flute-heavy arrangements eschew the usual big orchestra--Horner actually employs synthetic strings instead--but what really makes this score stand out from run-of-the-mill Hollywood soundtracks is its use of the human voice, in particular that of Qawwali singer Rahan Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It adds an element that's often ominously spooky to several tracks; it's like a vague sense of menace, one whose origin is hard to pinpoint. The throat singing on "Holcane Attack," for instance, is pitched so low as to make you wonder if it is, indeed, man-made. The prevailing oppressive mood is barely alleviated by the use of airy jungle sounds on the opening and closing tracks. Horner fans may be turned off by his work here, but other listeners could actually be pulled in.--Elisabeth Vincentelli