Game music is rarely meant simply for listening. Much like film scores, it is background music made for a given context and often has little value for general listening. David Arkenstone’s album Starlight Inception is music for the game with the same name. I haven’t played the game, so I might not be qualified to do a review. All I can say is that this release is actually very enjoyable – also for non gamers.
Too few New Age music artists do music for games and apps. Instead of using “real” artists, game companies hire the usual composers with an IT background. Thought from the first days of computer gaming, on platforms such as Commodore and Atari, it was obvious that artists like Tangerine Dream and J. M. Jarre were a great influence to computer musicians. By the way: Tangerine Dream is now famous for its Grand Theft Auto 5 soundtrack.
Deep Space Music
In the world of computer gaming, David Arkenstone is most famous for contributing music to World of Warcraft and World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. Starlight Inception is a crowdfinanced game from Escape Hatch Entertainment. After reading some of the reviews this game has received, I can’t help thinking that the music is actually far better than the game itself…
The album starts with the game’s theme. Its dramatic and larger-than-life feel nicely sets the tone for album. From his rich discography we already know that Arkenstone is a master in building songs with amazing harmonies and atmosphere – and this theme is no exception. The following tracks are quite fast and has the action and power one would expect from a space adventure like this. It is not before track no. 5, Venus Calls, we get a slower and more contemplative song. My favorite track though is The Desolation of Chicago. The future Chicago seems like an exciting place!
Starlight Inception is a great album if you are looking for music for Sci Fi reading or want to take an imaginative trip through the solar system. It is a must-have for David Arkenstone fans. Also, if you happen to be a Starlight Inception gamer, this album will be of interest. Then you’ll already have memories which this music is the soundtrack to – or, in other words, you know what this is all about. We non gamers have to use our imagination…
Score: 90/100 – See how I rate music here.
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