Hercules (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Spain-born film composer Fernando Velazquez garnered much international attention for The Impossible, while his sophisticated collaborations with Guillermo del Toro netted him a World Soundtrack Award nomination for The Orphanage. But it’s perhaps not surprising to hear a little familiar rock-rooted bombast in his score for Hercules, Brett Ratner’s Hollywood adaptation of graphic novelist Steve Moore’s take on the legend. “I always played electric guitar with friends in bands when I was younger,” Fernando says of his expansive tastes. “I really tried to address the strength and nobility of Hercules,” he adds of this London Philharmonia–performed score. “The music tries to capture this kindness along with the great strength. It sounds modern, and yet it feels classical, as it is completely symphonic, even when incorporating electronics and all kind of 'modern' drums.”