Courtesy of WaterTower Music
Welcome to Music Daily’s first episode of Scored, where we’ll be taking a look at Tom Holkenborg, otherwise known as Junkie XL!
From Tom to Junkie
Tom Holkenborg began his career by composing trance music under the name of Junkie XL. However, he really started to make headlines when he remixed “A Little Less Conversation” for Nike’s 2002 World Cup Commercial. But now? He’s scoring some of the biggest action blockbusters of all time! Look no further than 2016’s Deadpool, and the Godzilla x Kong films from 2021 and 2024. He even helped to compose Zack Snyder’s DCEU films with the always awesome Hans Zimmer, notably Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. But a particular piece of his work that should never be missed out on is his music for the recent MAD MAX films, 2015’s Fury Road and this year’s Furiosa!
From MAD MAX to Furiosa
Furiosa serves as the fifth installment in the MAD MAX series, acting as a spinoff/prequel to Fury Road. It focuses on its titular character (Anya Taylor-Joy) seeking vengeance against a ruthless warlord (Chris Hemsworth) for the death of her mother. The movie is packed to the brim with excellent action and wonderful acting, and George Miller’s direction is slick as always! I do think this film reaches the heights of Fury Road at various points. But, this package ain’t complete without the riveting and glorious soundtrack Junkie brings to the table!
Track Highlights
There are three specific tracks that are highlighted and showcase why this score is so good. These tracks include track #1, “The Pole of Inaccessibility,” track #7, “Wives’ Quarters,” and the lead single: track #14, “Dementus is Gaining.” Track #1 is excellent as it sets the mood and tone for the rest of the album, as well as being accompanied by a quote from the film: “As the world falls around us, how must we brave its cruelties?” Track #7 is noteworthy for being more somber and tragic, and solely has beautiful violins to carry the entire thing. Finally, track #14 is awesome in that it’s pulse-pounding, never lets you go and takes you through a wild ride! Just like the film itself.
That’s all for this episode of Scored! You can check out the video below and find out more about why this album is a must-listen. You can also find this score anywhere you stream your music.
