Ramin Djawadi, the composer who wrote one of the most recognizable, hummable opening credits themes of all time, is teaming up again with Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss as well as co-showrunner Alexander Woo on a very different series, 3 Body Problem. 

Instead of dragons and fantastical turf wars, the speculative sci-fi thriller immerses you in existential mysteries and the lives of an international cast of characters while transporting you through multiple chronologies, dimensions, and continents.

Tying so many epic storylines and ambitious themes together is Djawadi’s sophisticated score, which experiments with character-driven melodies, ominous rhythms meant to evoke otherworldly communications, abstract sound design — and a strategically timed Lana Del Rey classic. Read on for more on Djawadi’s process working with Benioff and Weiss on 3 Body Problem’s opening credits theme and scoring some of the most dramatic moments in the series.

Coming from huge shows like Game of Thrones and Westworld, how did you feel going to this project?

I put myself under pressure on every single project that I start. I’m always starting with that blank page in the beginning, that blank screen… Every time I go, “OK, what am I going to do this time? What can I create that is unique for this project?” And obviously, this, it’s so completely different from Game of Thrones, so I really wanted to create something that’s unique for the show and different but, of course, still somewhat has my voice in it. But it’s always a challenge.

What was it like to work with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss again, and how did they pitch 3 Body Problem to you?

It’s been absolutely amazing to work with them again. At this point, we go way back. We started working together in 2011, so it’s just very nice when you have such a strong relationship. There’s trust, there’s a friendship that developed. I was very excited when they called me up and said, “Ramin, we will need you in about a year from now. We have a new project, and please make sure you’re available.” And then they told me a little bit about it, and I was very excited.

Had you heard of the book The Three-Body Problem before you came on board?

I had heard of the book. However, just like with Game of Thrones, I had not read the book, actually. But just like with Game of Thrones, too, I’m always just excited to see what [Benioff and Weiss’] spin on the book is. So I actually then decided not to even read the book. I just wanted to see what story they’re telling and how are they adapting it.

Let’s talk about the opening credits. Are you given an idea of the visuals first, or do you come up with the music first?

It went in parallel. I had a good idea of what the visual was going to be like — it wasn’t in its finalized stage yet. In this case, it started really small and the camera zooms out, and it gets bigger and bigger, and we go into space. So I had an idea of the overall arc of what it was. And then again, I just talked it through with David and Dan. The idea, always, with the main title is that you want to capture the overall essence of the show. So in this case, they said we need adventure, we need mystery, we need danger, emotion.

One theme I liked playing with that reoccurs in the score is communication — here, we are dealing with making contact with an alien race. So I thought, “Well, what if we had some kind of Morse code in the music that sounds like these patterns that don’t even repeat steadily, but have some kind of a communication code?” So you can hear that in the main title, and that’s also something I use in the rest of the score.

You’re talking about the piano rhythm?

Yeah, that rhythm… It gets layered, but the pattern is not a literal code of anything — I just made it my own, so I treat it as if that’s a form of communication. It’s unsettling because it’s not an even pattern that falls into a groove easily — every time you feel like there should be downbeat, there’s not. It keeps pushing you forward wanting more, but it is unsettling because it is uneven.

In 3 Body Problem, you’re dealing with aliens, the end of the world, a lot of science. Do you take those otherworldly themes into account when you’re deciding what instruments or sounds to use? 

Absolutely. In the score, there are definitely pieces of music that become pretty abstract, where it’s more sound design and not so thematic. But for the main title, we chose more organic instruments. It starts out with the piano, and then as the camera zooms out, the orchestra comes in, and it just gets epic. There are some synthesizers in it, but it stays very organic because the whole show is very character-driven, and we just wanted a memorable melody. But in the score, it definitely goes into other places here and there.

One scene where the score really played into the drama was when the scientists are launching Will’s (Alex Sharp) brain into outer space, and there’s so much hope, but then it turns into this failure. What was it like scoring that emotional arc?

That’s one of the climaxes in the show, and it’s a long scene, too, so the task was to keep growing, to stay positive, and to guide the audience to think, “Oh, this whole experiment is going to be a success.” And then you later find out what happens, so that was definitely also tricky. Also, because it’s in space, there’s not really any sound. So the music is the only sound at that point that you hear, so it’s carrying the storytelling there very much.

Another notable moment in the score was in Episode 6, when Will first sees the paper boats and you hear the instrumental score for Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games.” How was that song chosen?

The song was picked by the producers, so that’s an idea they had. It’s a beautiful song. And the scene leading into it needed score. Rather than having a completely different piece of music, we thought it was actually an opportunity to set this up with score and play it as an instrumental. At first you maybe don’t even realize, “Oh wait, oh wait, that’s Lana Del Rey.” Then the melody starts and then it goes into the actual song. It’s a very powerful scene.

Can you describe your process with Benioff and Weiss a bit more?

It’s a collaboration on every single piece of music, so we discuss every scene. They always have a great vision of what they want. I love when they just describe the scene to me — or the overall feel. It’s like, “Oh, we want this to be emotional. Can you be more mysterious? Or can it be more abstract?” And then I always feel like my job is to put that into musical notes and instruments. Every scene gets very thoroughly discussed. And then I write a demo, and before we even record anything, I’ll create a demo on the computer, and then I’ll play it to them again, and we look at it to picture and discuss it, and then I tweak it, and then we finalize it.

What was the theme song that got you into film composition?

It was Elmer Bernstein’s theme for The Magnificent Seven. When I saw that movie as a kid — those melodies — they stuck with me. When the movie was over, those melodies were still with me, and I just realized the power of music attached to a visual of storytelling and what it can do. That’s when I realized it was something I wanted to do when I grew up.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length. Reporting by Phillipe Thao.

Watch 3 Body Problem, streaming on Netflix now, to hear Djawadi’s score in action.