The Conjuring 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score composed by Joseph Bishara for the 2016 film The Conjuring 2, directed by James Wan; the third installment of The Conjuring Universe and the sequel to The Conjuring (2013). The score was released under the label WaterTower Music on June 3, 2016.
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Background
Joseph Bishara, who composed music for the predecessor returned to score The Conjuring 2. It was recorded at the Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox Studios, Eastwood Scoring Stage at Warner Bros. Studios Burbank, United Recording Studios at Los Angeles and Abbey Road Studios in London. The score featured orchestral portions performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony under Bishara's conducting and Dana Niu's orchestration and the 31-member choral ensemble from London Voices. The score was released under the WaterTower Music label on June 3, 2016, a week prior to the film's release.
Reception
Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter and Tim Grierson of Screen International noted on Bishara's contribution among other crew members, being "essential to the film's dark power" and "give the proceedings a stately but tense vibe". Katie Tarrant of The Sound Architect wrote "the work [Joseph Bishara] has produced for The Conjuring 2 absolutely supersedes expectations in terms of manipulating emotion, supporting the narrative and adding another dimension to the on-screen tension that really helped to gel the film's events together." Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle wrote "Wan regular Joseph Bishara helps the proceedings immensely with a restless and occasionally appropriately jarring score that, on the whole, is more ominous than anything else in the film." Owen Gleiberman of Variety found the music to be "punishingly loud". Chris Alexander of ComingSoon.net wrote "gelling it all together is Joseph Bishara's effective score, one that maintains the movie's aggressive momentum. It's a moody and broody score but it's never overpowering." Shubir Rishi of Rediff.com wrote "the sound design by Joseph Bishara (who also worked on the original and in other minor gems such as Insidious), really does send a shiver up your spine." Mihir Fadnavis of Firstpost called it "spine chilling".
Personnel credits
Credits adapted from WaterTower Music: