“Wow, this looks incredible!” I thought to myself after viewing the trailer for “Battle Los Angeles” starring Aaron Eckhart.

The movie would end up with a 35% on Rotten Tomatoes, and ultimately… I never saw it.

Still, to this day, I tell people it was one of my favorite trailers. Without Johann Johannsson’s track “The Sun’s Gone Dim” the trailer would’ve been a more accurate representation of the film – bland and unimaginative.

I dug up the song, put it on my iPod, and would turn it on occasionally when I wanted to hear something emotional, yet powerful.

Johannsson was an atmospheric composer and he would compliment tension expertly. He was more of a Carter Burwell type as opposed to the bombastic nature of the likes of Hans Zimmer/John Williams or the moody, quirky nature of a Alexandre Desplat or Danny Elfman.

Sicario was his masterpiece for me. The opening scene, like a lot of the film, carried by his creeping, yet powerful score. Arrival and Theory of Everything were icing on the cake – this guy was good. No, perhaps he was the best of our generation with his best still to come.

Johann Johannsson passed away earlier today at age 48.