Rhino, out now

Angelo Badalamenti’s compositions for Twin Peaks’ third season are joined by other underscore and incidental music in one of two albums released for Showtime’s limited event series.

When the new season of Twin Peaks was announced, I was very excited, not least because I have such affection for Badalamenti’s scores for the series and Fire Walk with Me movie. I took it as read that he would be returning, and then it was confirmed (hurrah!) and then I watched the show… and found out there wasn’t as much new music as I’d expected. Just like David Lynch and Mark Frost confounded our expectations around what we’d be getting, so too we’re their plans to do something a little different with the soundtrack.

Badalamenti’s Twin Peaks Theme is followed by a terrifying, slowed-down version of American Woman by Muddy Magnolias. Normal service is resumed with Laura Palmer’s Theme, the classic synth and piano love theme from the original series. Accident/ Farewell is the first new track by Badalamenti, a tense, overwrought, dark synth nightmare. Other new tracks by the composer are Grady Groove (a short, jazzy shuffle), Dark Mood Woods/ Red Room, The Chair, Deer Meadow Shuffle (jazz, dissonance and low rumblings), The Fireman (finally a theme for the character we just used to call The Giant), Night, Heartbreaking and Dark Low Space.

Badalamenti’s Audrey’s Dance from the original series is also included, as well as all 9 1/2 screeching minutes of Penderecki’s Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima from Episode 8’s nuclear explosion sequence. David Lynch’s acid jazz side-project (with Badalamenti) Thought Gang have track Headless Chicken, Lynch also having his track Slow 30s Room, which is co-composed with the show’s music director Dean Hurley. Chromatics, who also appear on the ‘Music from’ album perform instrumental Saturday, while their band member Johnny Jewel essays Cooper’s visit to Vegas with Windswept.

Verdict: Not as engaging as the ‘Music from’ album, a lot of Badalamenti’s new score perfectly evokes the new Twin Peaks that we’ve given, but thematically it’s a long way away from the classic sound, made even more apparent by the inclusion of those favourite tracks. Fans will take whatever Badalamenti Twin Peaks output is available but many will lament that you really can’t go back. 7/10

Nick Joy