The vital role of music in illustrating a conflict between light and dark themes in David Lynch’s cult series Twin Peaks cannot be understated. “Laura Palmer’s Theme” is a particularly strong example, where composer Angelo Badalamenti covers hope and hopelessness in a cloak of dissonance and resolve with such foreboding, seamless attention to Lynch’s narrative that it’d always left me pondering the magic behind their collaborative process… until yesterday. Last night, Nicolas Jaar curated a 2-hour program for BBC Radio’s Essential Mix, featuring Jonny Greenwood, Bill Callahan, Aphex Twin, and tunes from many others. Among his eclectic playlist was a clip from 2007’s Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks special, in which Badalamenti breaks down the impetus of “Laura Palmer’s Theme” while performing on the original Fender Rhodes piano he and Lynch used to carve out score ideas. Hear him revisit their haunting moment above.
