Exactly one week before the movie’s premiere for general audiences on March 1, 2024, the Dune: Part Two Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released in its entirety. Recalling the immersive experience of that unique, far-future music he created for the first film, I was eager to journey once again to the worlds of Dune with Hans Zimmer.
In his new score, Zimmer has composed a sonic landscape as overwhelming as Arrakis itself. A spectrum of emotional and visceral intensity stretches the boundaries he established in his Academy Award-winning score for Dune: Part One. There are familiar instruments, vocals, and melodies, but something is different this time around.
Love Story
The first track, “Beginnings Are Such Delicate Times,” expands on a theme we hear briefly in the Dune: Part One soundtrack. This theme was heard in the bagpipes of the first movie, played as the Atreides first arrive on the landing fields of Arrakis. Zimmer has transformed that theme into a melody suggesting adoration, longing, and wonder.
“A Time of Quiet Between the Storms” expands that same melody into a full-fledged love theme, reinforcing the relationship between Chani and Paul. This track opens evocatively with a solitary wind instrument and ascends to a cadre of pounding percussion and wailing synthesizers. Director Denis Villenueve said he was brought to tears the first time he heard this track, and it may have done the same for this writer.
Epic Battles
Denis Villeneuve described Dune: Part Two as an epic war movie. Zimmer does his part with tracks such as “Harvester Attack” and “Worm Army.” Here Zimmer continues his bold exploration of other-worldly sounds and instrumentation to give you the sensation of being in the midst of battle. Another example is “Gurney Battle” which starts with the familiar call to arms theme heard in Dune: Part One during the Harkonnen sneak attack, but quickly evolves into a pulse-pounding confluence of bass, percussion, and sonic distortion.
Harkonnen Brutality
We are exposed to the tyrannical and depraved culture of House Harkonnen in track 10 “Harkonnen Arena.” This punishing track of crushing bass and ear-piercing riffs conjures images of Feyd-Rautha in the gladiator arena on Giedi Prime. Zimmer’s genius shines as he seamlessly layers sinister vocals, thundering drums, and melancholy melodies in “Seduction.”
Grand Finale
The last track, “Lisan al Gaib” brings together a variety of themes from previous pieces, but blends them in a way that is dark and unsettling. The listener will recall the final sequence of Dune: Part One, but this time you hear faint hints of the Harkonnen theme. Then Zimmer introduces a pensive string instrument that suggests that everything may not be as it seems. This is musical storytelling with elegance and power.
Dune: Part Two‘s soundtrack consists of 25 captivating tracks. Of these, there are a handful that especially stand out in their haunting beauty—absolute gems even when evaluated outside context of the movie—and bring out profound emotions.
Listening to this album on high-end audio gear or, if your neighbors insist, on audiophile headphones is a must. Zimmer’s score satisfies with every subsequent listen. He delivers, once again, a film score that matches the tapestry of world-building and emotional drama necessary for a cinematic adaptation of Dune that honors Frank Herbert’s vision.
DUNE Official Soundtrack Playlist on YouTube
For more information about the movie’s soundtrack, including comments from composer and director, refer to the earlier soundtrack release announcement.
