Tyler Durham (aka Limina) Counts Down His Top Ten Film Scores

When Tyler Durham taps into his mind as a composer, he typically thinks big, which is what he has done with his new Limina album. Limina is the moniker Durham is currently using for his recording endeavours, and his first offering under that name is Coming Home. Released last month via Sonic Ritual, the album is both unique and expansive. It was recorded at AIR Studios in London, England, with the assistance of members of The Philharmonia Orchestra. Throughout the record, Durham plays off his unique storytelling ability as a film composer. The inspiration for the album came from an interesting source. Spending time in transit on the London Tube, Durham paid special attention to his travels. He observed as much as he could, taking mental notes of the goings on on the trains and in the stations.

Along with his observations, Durham would internalize the hums and rhythms of the trains in travel. He watched riders amid the commutes and pondered where they may be going. By observing a laugh, a clenched fist, or even a silent contemplation, Durham would get a sense of each individual’s experience. He gathered these experiences and poured them into the writing of Coming Home. Durham describes the album as a story of a person estranged from their family but wants to make amends and what that emotional journey would entail. It’s another step in the evolution of LIMINA, a project he began in 2020 with his debut EP, Hidden Spaces. The intention behind that EP became the focal point of the project, a way for him to channel his skills as a synth programmer for media in favour of something more personal.

Considering his background and experiences, Durham has a deep passion for film scores. Today, he joins us in counting down his Top 10 favourite film scores.

10. How to Train Your Dragon

“This music is so much fun. John Powell delivers everything you could want from an action/adventure score with fantastic themes, swashbuckling energy, and heartfelt moments. ‘Forbidden Friendship’ and ‘Test Drive’ are absolutely stunning.”

9. 1917

“Thomas Newman is one of my favourite composers, and I was shocked when I first heard his score for 1917. While most of the score is a bed of both pulsing and atmospheric tension, when you get to the ‘Night Window’ sequence you realize he has been building to this moment the entire film. I had goosebumps for a full four minutes during that sequence. It’s one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever heard.”

8. Braveheart

“I listened to this score countless times when I first discovered the beauty of film music. James Horner is known for tugging at your heartstrings with his gorgeous melodies, but his score for Braveheart rips out my heart every time. Just listen to ‘Freedom/The Execution Bannockburn’ and tell me it doesn’t move you.”

7. Howl’s Moving Castle

“Joe Hisaishi was one of my early film composer idols so to not include him on the Top 10 would be a disservice to the brilliant music he has made. Hisaishi always brings the perfect magical and wondrous quality to this Ghibli film, but he delicately weaves the heartache of the main character, Sophie, into the theme. The iterations of the famous track, ‘The Merry-Go-Round of Life’ is a prime example of the balance of wistfulness and tragedy Hisaishi masterfully elicits.”

LIMINA ‘Coming Home’ album artwork

6. King Kong

“James Newton Howard is one of my long-standing film composer favourites and his score to King Kong is the perfect example of his remarkable talent. From eerie, sweeping strings to bombastic brass-filled action to riveting romantic themes, King Kong delivers in every way. I’ve always loved Howard’s weighty orchestration and harmony, and it really shines in this score. He also wrote this score in under two months which boggles my mind.”

5. The Social Network

“Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are an electronic powerhouse. The production and synth design in each of their scores are worthy of study. The Social Network launched the duo into the film world, and they started with a bang. The score is a constant source of subtle, bubbling tension. The opening credits, ‘Hands Cover Bruise,’ are eerie, restrained and capture the loneliness of Mark Zuckerberg. This is followed by a pulsing electronic track ‘In Motion’ emphasizing Zuckerberg’s determination and maniacal brilliance. Plus, the electronic arrangement of ‘Hall of the Mountain King’ is a gem.”

4. Sicario

“Johann Johannsson has unquestionably had the greatest influence on my music and how I think about film scoring. Sicario truly is a masterclass in tension-building and using seemingly simple, but powerful ideas to disrupt any notion of comfort you feel. ‘The Beast’ is an unstoppable force that sets up the non-stop danger you are going to experience for the next two hours.”

3. Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope

“You cannot assemble a Top Ten Film Score list without including the undeniable titan of the industry, John Williams. Similarly, it’s hard to deny how iconic his scores for the Star Wars franchise are, especially A New Hope. We all know it, we all love it, and it’s Williams at his finest with powerful themes, masterful orchestration, and full-force suspense/action.”

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

“Not only are these some of my favourite films of all time (so yes, I may be biased), but the scores are sensational and act as a set of characters all on their own. The myriad themes and motifs throughout the trilogy all coalesce in the final installment, The Return of the King. From the ‘Ring’ theme to the ‘Shire,’ from the ‘Fellowship’ to ‘Mordor,’ every theme is perfectly crafted. Shore’s score stands as a testament to his dedication to storytelling and enhancing one of the greatest trilogies of all time.”

1. Arrival

“Unsurprisingly, Johannsson appears twice on this list because again, he was a genius. Arrival pushed so many film score boundaries and is one of the most unique sound palettes I’ve ever heard in a film. I love conceptual scores and Johannsson uses the circular visual language present in the film as the bedrock for the music.

“Working with the Theatre of Voices, Johann created a landscape that feels both familiar and distortedly, defiantly alien. ‘Whale’ tones, unintelligible syllabic vocals, and palindromic phrases serve to emphasize his commentary on language and communication. ‘Heptapod B’ is a standout for this unconventional approach. There are no real themes in the score (outside of Max Richter’s ‘On the Nature of Daylight’), but the music pulls you in through texture, atmosphere, and other-worldly sound design. I had never heard a score like this, and it completely changed the way I think about scoring.”