Brady Corbet's "The Brutalist" was nominated for 10 Oscars, including "Best Original Score". The fact that the film, which was shot in vintage VistaVision format, thrives on music becomes clear right from the start: it begins with a captivating 10-minute overture composed by Daniel Blumberg. The narrative follows Hungarian architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) as he rebuilds his life in post-war America.

The score comprises a mixture of large-scale brass orchestrations, lyrical piano melodies and improvised jazz, embodying the Brutalist design aesthetic with its rich and resonant sound. Blumberg has collaborated with musicians in the UK and Europe, including Axel Dörner (trumpet), Evan Parker (saxophone), Sophie Agnel (piano) and John Tilbury (piano).

For the film's jazz club scene, Blumberg put together a quartet that performed live on set and created one of the film's most dynamic numbers. The film's epilogue, set in the 1980s, also features synth-pop pioneer Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Erasure), who transformed the film's main theme into a synth- and drum-machine-driven track.