Alexandre Desplat’s soundtrack for the 2012 film Argo does amazingly well at expressing the tension of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. His symphonic architecture for Argo crackles with a palpable intensity starting right from the opening song, “A Spy in Tehran.” Increasingly propulsive rhythms are colored here with foreboding melodies played on Middle Eastern instrumentation. More tone-setting than narrative-driving, the following “Scent of Death” draws the listener into the plot’s snowballing suspense with a hyperventilated vocal performance by Iranian singer, composer, and dancer Sussan Deyhim. Similarly, “Held Up by Guards” layers ominous drones with stark piano notes and dramatic orchestral swells to build a strong feeling of uncertainty (even though anyone familiar with the real story knows the outcome). The lilting “Missing Home” uses sublime textures to convey the melancholy of homesickness. Conversely, “Cleared Iranian Airspace” slowly unknots the tension with grand, sweeping movements.