Lanterns by Stephanie Economou (So Far…)
John and Hal
2026 has seen a few adventures into James Gunn’s newly established DCU - the latest is HBO’s Lanterns. A noir, True Detective style story featuring Hal Gardner and John Stewart features music by Stephanie Economou with three tracks released so far. It’s a series that I had little enthusiasm for with a pretty poor trailer - however, three episodes in and I’m really enjoying it.
In Brightest Day, In Darkest Night (Lanterns Theme) was the first track released - along with the first episode. The opening is quite traditional in a Hans Zimmer superhero sort of manner which a low key choir and synth building but then it slides into a guitar strum before becoming really quite funky and electronic in nature. There’s a drum and base layer with futuristic synths over the top with a recurring motif which I think is meant to represent the Lanterns - this being their theme after all. It reverts to an atmospheric soundscape, again reminiscent of Zimmer’s Man of Steel score, with that unearthly vocal concluding the track with a metallic drum sound. It’s a strange track that rewards repeated listens, initially I was underwhelmed and didn’t think it carried much flavour, but now, I strangely like it. It;s unearthly, dramatic and unnerving all at once and feels like a soundscape for the tone of the series.
The next two tracks are released are character themes. The first - John Stewart - really leans into the True Detective comparison with a series of strumming guitars creating a noir Western style opening to the track. As the track builds, the guitar riff is layered with further attitude, swagger and confidence, perfectly capturing the character’s arc in the first few episodes of the series. At around 2.30, those unearthly synths return as a reminder of the sci fi element of the series, before retrurning to the guitar riff. However, in the closing minute of the track, if feels stripped back with an added thrust and darkness - for the first time, the music sounds dangerous, perhaps reflecting the character development. A really great track that works well as a swaggering character piece and sounds very different from the usual superhero fare.
The third track is titled Hal Jordan and plays shorter but works well as a companion piece. There is that guitar riff, but this time with a bouncier tone to match Jordan’s cockiness and self confidence, there is also use of a constant, and very confident, drum beat. At 1.12, that guitar riff is distorted briefly and returns to that unearthly feeling before gradually regaining it’s confident playfulness amongst the Noir Western vibe.
These tracks feel like interesting work, something that the DCU has been sorely lacking so far, The Superman score was a borrowing of John William’s greatest hits and Supergirl, which I previously reviewed, was lost within a mix tape. This feels like it knows what it wants to be and how it can add to the feel of the show and the development of those two central characters.
Well worth a listen, likely not the music you’re expecting.