In many ways, the second season of of Star Trek: Discovery was very different in execution and tone from the first year of the series, but in one way they were very similar. Both were impressively supported by the signature musical work from composer Jeff Russo.

Unlike the soundtrack releases for Season 1, which were split into a pair of separate collections to align with the first half and second half of the season, Discovery Season 2’s music has been compiled into one massive 39-track collection set to arrive Friday, July 19 from Lakeshore Records, with an expansive run time of 1 hour and 40 minutes.

The album runs the gamut of the full 14-episode arc of 2019 Discovery episodes and includes the Original Series-infused version of the show’s theme that played so emphatically over the season finale’s closing credits.

This third collection of music from Russo is another stellar addition to the pantheon of great Trek music through the years, adding to it with his unique style that frequently comes across as both powerful and subdued, even within a few notes of each other.

One of the best examples of that power and subtlety can be found in “Flashback,” one of seven tracks compiled from Discovery’s season premiere, “Brother.” The track’s swelling horns and searching strings reach a dramatic conclusion when Michael Burnham realizes Spock’s secret regarding the seven signals, setting up the story for the entire season.

The suite from “Brother” also features “The Final Frontier,” arguably one of the least successful tracks on the album, serving as a moody backdrop for the season-opening montage of space exploration amid a Burnham voice-over and that never really catches fire. However, that track is followed by “Christopher Pike,” the perfectly named song to introduce the famed character with a mélange of pumping brass that gives Anson Mount the powerful, welcoming introduction he both deserved and would go on to earn during the season.

Much in the way it opens with seven tracks from the season’s first episode, the album concludes with a full set of 10 tracks from “Such Sweet Sorrow.” The two-part finale is probably the most cinematic episode of Star Trek ever, and the fact they include 10 tracks from it here echoes that, as this 28-minute suite of music is basically a movie score unto itself. It is stylish, brash and inspirational, and there are no moments wasted.

 
The highlights include everything from the sweeping sentiment of “Goodbyes” to the inspirational power of “Ready,” which is the perfect pump up music for anyone needing a little extra motivation to start your day.

Of course, “Pike on the Bridge” is exquisite in building to that moment. You know the one we’re talking about. The escalating accompaniment builds throughout the entire track, and you won’t be able to listen to it without thinking of where you were when Pike walked on to the bridge of the USS Enterprise. It’s a very special track whose soaring theme feels like a culmination and payoff of the entire season.

Elsewhere on the album, “The Cathedral” is another strong track where Russo expertly relays the central mystery of “New Eden,” one of the series’ finest episodes, by interweaving rifts from the Discovery’s main theme with clever notes that sound like they’re tip-toeing around a corner.

In “The Sphere” (from “An Obol for Charon”), a variety of musical styles mix together perfectly to convey one of the core mysteries of Discovery Season 2. The violins that open the track sound like a howling banshee, but from there it alternates all the way from tinkling symphonics to Discovery-themed brass and strings (and back again). It’s a wonderful piece encapsulating the many fun reveals throughout the season.

As he’s shown on his previous Star Trek work, Russo moves from track to track on the album while building tension with the symmetry of his percussion offset against the aggressive strings that prop up his arrangements. The ability for his individual, film-quality tracks to stand alone continues to be impressive.

A good example of what Russo is so capable of can be heard in the eerie “Pillar of the Past” from the now iconic episode “Through the Valley of Shadows.” Russo’s style is ever present in matching the unveiling of one of Star Trek’s most iconic and well-known moments, but one that had never been seen before. The five-minute track crawls along eerily for a full 90 seconds before Russo ups the ante with some discombobulated horns that play like a horror movie theme.

The album also includes the beautiful “Song of Remembrance” from “The Red Angel,” which was sung so memorably by Doug Jones’ Saru at the memorial for Airiam that opened the episode. Much like the Kasseelian Opera from the Season 1 soundtrack that Russo composed, the track shows the artists amazing range in crafting the music for the series.

Two other sweeping tracks from the album that deserve callouts include “On Site” and “Two Minutes,” which work together seamlessly to capture (pun intended) “The Red Angel” so succinctly. The beautiful scores are a standout from the season with their tension building pace and unique sounds.

Overall, the album features a wide range of music, touching the corners of all 14 episodes of Discovery Season. 2. It concludes with a fun, but maybe not completely necessary, suite of three songs from the Harry Mudd Short Trek episode “The Escape Artist.”

Those tracks include two unique takes on Russo’s opening (“Lounge” version) and closing (“Disco” version) Discovery themes. The unexpected inclusion of this Short Trek sampling ultimately just highlighted that a better choice to include would have probably been the influential music from “Calypso.” (But the tracks are pretty fun.)

Overall, the music from Russo now covering three collections of Star Trek: Discovery is a resounding must-own for all Trek music aficionados and it is packaged here to near perfection.

As with last year’s soundtrack, the Discovery Season 2 collection will be available later in a limited-edition vinyl release, and we expect a version to arrive on CD as well — dates for both are at this time not yet announced, but we’ll be sure to let you know when that information arrives.

In the meantime, you can get your order your copy of the Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 soundtrack on iTunes or on Amazon Music now.

Jim Moorhouse is the creator of TrekRanks.com and the TrekRanks Podcast. He can be found living and breathing Trek every day on Twitter at @EnterpriseExtra.

S1 Soundtrack: Chapter 1

S1 Soundtrack: Chapter 2

S2 Soundtrack