Recent headlines about the integration of artificial intelligence and “autonomous lethality” into the “kill chain” of modern warfare add a frisson of topicality to Terminator 2: Judgment Day, James Cameron’s tale of time-travelling robot assassins on a mission to change humanity’s future.

The real buzz here, however, comes from the new soundtrack by Belgian techno producer Peter Van Hoesen, performed live by players from Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS).

Hear My Eyes: Terminator 2. Photo © Simon Aubor

It is not the easiest brief. The thundering martial drumbeats, synthetic fanfares and Jaws-like motifs of composer Brad Fiedel’s original score are, for many, as iconic as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s catchphrases. Some took to social media after the premiere at Melbourne Recital Centre to air their views, which ranged from “absolutely flipping bonkers great” to accusations of outright butchery.

Van Hoesen – who, incidentally, describes Fiedel’s music as “fantastic” – hasn’t thrown the cyborg out with the bathwater. His pulsing beats may be techno, but the soundtrack’s role in supporting the visuals is carefully observed. MESS’s synthetic palette, played on vintage instruments dating from the era the film was made (and earlier), feels tonally right...