Music of the Dead Space series

Last updated

The music of the Dead Space media franchise, created by Visceral Games (originally EA Redwood Shores) and published by Electronic Arts around a series of survival horror video games, was mainly composed by Jason Graves. Graves composed the music for all mainline entries in the series and the majority of spin-off titles. Other composers have been involved in the series; Grave's recurring collaborator Rod Abernethy acted as an early advisor for the titular first game, James Hannigan co-composed the score for Dead Space 3 , while the 2023 remake of the first game combined original music with contributions by Trevor Gureckis. Scores for the movies Dead Space: Downfall and Dead Space: Aftermath were respectively composed were Seth Podowitz and Christopher Tin.

Contents

The original Dead Space was scored to sound unconventional by standards of the time, drawing inspiration from the work of Christopher Young and the score of The Shining . For Dead Space 2 , Graves expanded the orchestral elements, and incorporated a string quartet to represent protagonist Isaac Clarke. For Dead Space 3, Graves maintained his style while incorporating action themes, while Hannigan composed music to advance its narrative and be distinct from Graves's tracks. Each mainline entry, including the remake, has received digital soundtrack album releases. Reception of the music has been generally positive, with Graves being nominated for multiple awards for his work on Dead Space and Dead Space 2.

Overview

Composer Jason Graves (pictured in 2016) worked on the majority of the Dead Space franchise. Jason Graves -- Game Developers Conference 2016 -- 18 March 2016.jpg
Composer Jason Graves (pictured in 2016) worked on the majority of the Dead Space franchise.

The Dead Space series was produced by Visceral Games (originally EA Redwood Shores). [2] The titular first game, released in 2008, began production two years before. The concept was based on series creator Glen Schofield's wish to create the most frightening horror game possible. [3] [4] It was supported by a wider multimedia narrative, originally referred to as "IP cubed" and later as a "trans-media franchise". [5] [6] Following the original's success, multiple spin-off titles followed. [2] [7] The next two mainline entries were Dead Space 2 (2011), and Dead Space 3 (2013). [2] [8] [9] While a fourth game was planned, the commercial failure of Dead Space 3 and the closure of Visceral Games caused the series to go dormant. [10] [11]

The music for the Dead Space series was primarily composed by Jason Graves. He had a background in classical music and composition for film and television before debuting in video games. [1] [12] Graves would go on to work on the next two mainline Dead Space entries, and all the spin-off titles ( Dead Space: Extraction , Dead Space Ignition , Dead Space Mobile ). [1] His work on Dead Space 3 was in collaboration with James Hannigan. [1] [13] The music for the animated direct-to-video spin-off Dead Space: Downfall was composed by Seth Podowitz. [14] For the later movie Dead Space: Aftermath , the score was composed by Christopher Tin, who was told to emulate Grave's musical style. [15] A remake of the first game was released in 2023 from Motive Studios. [16] For the remake, additional music was created by Trevor Gureckis, a film composer known for several collaborations with M. Night Shyamalan. [17]

Albums

Dead Space Original Soundtrack (2008)

Dead Space Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack album to Dead Space by
ReleasedNovember 11, 2008
RecordedBastyr Chapel, Seattle
Skywalker Sound, Redwood Shores, California
Genre Video game music
Length61:07
Label Electronic Arts
Producer Jason Graves, Rod Abernethy

Graves joined the project early in production, when the game was a quarter of the way through development. [18] During their requests for composers, the team cited the work of Christopher Young as a reference for applicants. After joining the project, Graves took further inspiration from the score for The Shining . [18] Using the available guidelines, Graves put together a sample demo, which both got him the job and greatly impressed sound designer Don Veca. [12] A sample from the demo plays during the game's credits. [18] The developers wanted music that was dark and "Aleatoric in style", ranging from eerie sounds to loud cacophonous sections. [19] As part of his work, Graves was regularly sent footage of level playthroughs as reference material. [18] While the game credits both Graves and recurring collaborator Rod Abernethy as composers, all music was composed by Graves alone. [20]

The first samples used heroic tones negatively compared to a "Will Smith sci-fi movie", prompting requests for a more frightening score. [21] One of the key challenges for the score was creating a musical and sound experience equivalent to linear horror movies within a non-linear game environment. [22] Rather than character themes and bombastic pieces, the score is based on moody ambience aside from boss encounters or scripted chase sequences. [18] To create the horror-styled environment, Graves visualized the situation through the eyes of protagonist Isaac Clarke, then used modern contemporary instruments to make the score "as non-musical as possible". [23] The sample-based style is a musical rendition of the name of the enemy Necromorphs, with "Necro" meaning "death" and "morph" meaning "to change". [24] An exception to this approach is the theme of supporting character Nicole Brennan, which followed Graves's more conventional musical tastes with traditional chord progressions. [25]

The score uses a live orchestra; each section is recorded separately, then arranged into four musical layers and adjusted in-game based on the situation. [18] [25] Many of the ambient elements as produced by string or brass sections being allowed to each play any note they wanted, with the resultant sounds mixed into the environment. [12] The score elements were performed first by the Northwest Sinfonia at the Bastyr University Chapel. [19] At one point, Graves worried that half their recording budget would be spent on elements that could be scrapped as unworkable. [24] The final in-game score for Dead Space is three hours long and was recorded over five months, several times more than Graves had composed for previous video game titles. [18] Graves described it as the most challenging and enjoyable composing job he had undertaken for a game, praising the amount of freedom he was given by the sound team. [19] A notable musical inclusion in trailers was the lullaby "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". [17]

An official digital soundtrack album, Dead Space Original Soundtrack, was announced in October, shortly before the game's release. [19] Originally slated for release alongside the console version of Dead Space on October 14, [19] it was eventually released by Electronic Arts on November 1 through its own music label, then on other storefronts in November 11. [26] [27] Video Game Music Online's Simon Elchlepp cited the music as unlike anything that had been heard in video games before, but felt that the constant tension became wearing after prolonged listening, and felt that Grave's style was better realised in Dead Space 2. [27] Robert Halvarsson, writing for Original Sound Version, praised the ambience and constant tension invoked by the score, but noted a lack of subtlety in later combat-oriented tracks. [28] Rick Damigella of G4 praised the soundtrack's overall quality and called it "truly original", saying it had encouraged him to try out the game despite his dislike of the survival horror genre. [29] Both Halvarsson and Damigella positively noted the naming puns for several tracks. [28] [29] At the 2009 British Academy Games Awards, Graves and Dead Space won in the "Original Score" and "Use of Audio" categories. [30] The game also won in the "Audio of the Year" category at that year's Game Audio Network Guild Awards. [31] The track "Welcome Aboard the U.S.G. Ishimura" was later included on the Amazon release of The Greatest Video Game Music , a compilation album of video game music. [32]

Track list
No.TitleLength
1."Dead Space Theme"3:35
2."Welcome Aboard the U.S.G. Ishimura"5:21
3."The Necromorphs Attack"5:51
4."Fly Me to the Aegis Seven Moon"4:55
5."Severed Limbs Are Hazardous Waste"4:56
6."Nicole's Farewell"2:51
7."I Left My Heart in Med Lab 3"2:19
8."The Leviathan"3:18
9."Cyanide Systems Offline"3:17
10."Entering Zero-G"2:01
11."I've Got You Devolving Under My Skin"3:10
12."Manual Survival Mode Seven"4:56
13."Plasma Cutters Are Your Friend"3:14
14."The Cost of Living Is on the Rise"4:05
15."Do Not Vomit - Do Not Shout"2:43
16."The Hive Mind"2:37
17."Escape from the Planet of the Red Marker"1:58
Total length:61:07

Dead Space 2 Original Videogame Score

Dead Space 2 Original Videogame Score
Soundtrack album to Dead Space 2 by
Jason Graves
ReleasedJanuary 25, 2011
Recorded Skywalker Sound, Redwood Shores, California
Genre Video game music
Length60:22
60:15 (Collector's Edition)
Label Electronic Arts
Producer Jason Graves, Andrew Boyd

Graves returned and worked on and off on the game for eighteen months, with his work expanding on the work he had done on the earlier game with modifications to accommodate the greater focus on action. [25] Compared to the first game, where he had a specific direction, Graves had a lot of creative freedom for the score. [33] Graves drew inspiration from classical music from the first half of the 20th century, citing Krzysztof Penderecki's Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima as a point of comparison for the string focus in Dead Space 2. [21] As with the first game, the soundtrack was performed and recorded at Skywalker Sound. [34] Each section of the orchestra, whether woodwinds or strings, had their own recording sessions and created samples that Graves later mixed together for each track. [35]

The main theme "Lacrimosa" was born from there being the time to create a concerto using a string quartet. [35] Speaking about its tone compared to the rest of the score, Graves admitted that he liked playing against genre expectations, while also giving Béla Bartók and Igor Stravinsky as possible inspirations for its instrumentation. [35] Isaac's leitmotif uses the note order D-flat, E, A-flat, and D-natural. [33] Spelling the word 'DEAD', the motif appears throughout the score. [21] The Marker's theme was described by Graves as intruding in on Isaac's theme trying to "break it down", a conflict he brought out in "Lacrimosa". [34] Like Isaac's theme it was a set of four notes, descending in half-cords. [33] He also brought back Nicole's theme as a motif spread through the score. [34] A further recurring motif was a single note "bending up and down" within the string quartet pieces, representing Isaac's dementia. The opening theme "Welcome to The Sprawl" was almost entirely used for a pre-rendered cutscene, allowing Graves to introduce all the game's themes within it. [33] Dead Space 2 contains over three hours of layered music. [35]

An official soundtrack album, Dead Space 2 Original Videogame Score, was digitally released on January 25, 2011 by Electronic Arts. [36] A physical soundtrack release was included in the Collector's Edition of Dead Space 2. [37] Graves spent around three weeks producing the albums. Due to the large amount of music in-game, his biggest challenge was selecting which pieces and arrangements to pick for commercial release. For the Collector's Edition, the soundtrack's sole physical release, he included thirty minutes of exclusive music. [35] At a launch event called "Dead Space Exposed", Graves conducted an eleven-minute version of "Lacrimosa", performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra. [36] [38] Elchlepp called the score "a mesmerising creation", and praised the selection of album tracks as a superior listening experience compared to the first game's soundtrack album. [36] Gideon Dabi of Original Sound Version compared the accomplishments of the music to sequels that surpass their originals mechanically, praising its tone and dramatic elements. [39] Both reviews praised "Lacrimosa". [36] [39] At the 2012 Game Developers Choice Awards, the title was nominated for in the "Best Audio" category. [40] At that year's Game Audio Network Guild Awards, it was nominated in the "Audio of the Year" and "Best Interactive Score", and "Best Original Soundtrack Album" categories. [41]

Track List (Album)
No.TitleLength
1."Welcome to The Sprawl"5:20
2."Much Ado About Necromorphs"4:36
3."Nice R.I.G. If You Can Get It"2:20
4."Canonical Aside"2:01
5."Rest in Pieces"2:46
6."The Cassini Towers"3:58
7."It Had to Be Unitology"5:16
8."Say Hello to My Little Friends"5:02
9."Awesome Hulk"4:14
10."You Got Nill"4:13
11."I Only Have Eyes for You"5:00
12."You Go to My Head"4:14
13."Come Rain or Come Convergence"3:46
14."Lacrimosa"7:36
Total length:60:22
Track list (Collector's Edition)
No.TitleLength
1."Isaac, Are You There?"5:16
2."Padded Room With a View"3:11
3."Hospital Escape"2:20
4."The Cassini Towers"3:58
5."Fear of Flying"4:03
6."It Had to Be Unitology"5:16
7."Isaac Get Your Gun"1:48
8."Titan Station Elementary"3:44
9."Class Dismissed"2:40
10."East of the Sun and West of the Solar Array"2:09
11."Administering Control"2:46
12."Start Spreading the Limbs"2:31
13."You Go to My Head"1:15
14."The Government Sector"2:41
15."Canonical Aside"1:56
16."War and Pieces"2:45
17."Convergence Delayed"3:46
18."Lacrimosa"8:10
Total length:60:15

Dead Space 3 Original Video Game Score

Dead Space 3 Original Video Game Score
Soundtrack album to Dead Space 3 by
Jason Graves & James Hannigan
ReleasedFebruary 12, 2013
Recorded Abbey Road Studios, London
Slovak Radio Concert Hall, Bratislava
Genre Video game music
Length1:23:29
Label Electronic Arts

For the soundtrack of Dead Space 3, Graves collaborated with Hannigan. Reflecting the title's gameplay change, the music shifts its tone towards action over the earlier focus on horror. [42] [43] While there was a greater focus on action, Graves wanted to maintain musical links to the earlier games, blending the series' established horror-based sound with "some modern, edgier appointments". [42] For the long space sections, while otherwise realistic in their muting of sounds beyond the range of Isaac's suit, use musical cues to emphasise the action. [44]

Hannigan was brought in around the middle of 2012 after being requested to provide test music by Electronic Arts. [13] [43] Hannigan described his contribution to the score as focusing on moving the narrative along rather than creating atmosphere. [13] Speaking about the change from urban to natural environments with the Tau Volantis location, Hannigan compared the contrasting tones with how music was used to humanise alien locations by John Williams for the Star Wars film series. Knowing Grave's style for the series, Hannigan chose to mostly stay away from it. [43]

The soundtrack was performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, and the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra at the Slovak Radio Concert Hall in Bratislava. [45] [46] Graves and Hannigan mostly worked on different areas of the music or focused on specific chapters, though there were sections where both of their compositions featured. [13] [43] Hannigan described the score as a whole as being "a little more high-tech" than earlier entries. [43] The score featured vocals from singer Miriam Stockley. [46] The ending credits used the track "Ephemeral" by post-metal band Pelican. [47] The live-action launch trailer used a remixed version of the Phil Collins single "In the Air Tonight". [48]

An official soundtrack album for the game titled Dead Space 3 Original Video Game Score, featuring selected tracks by Graves and Hannigan, was released by Electronic Arts on February 12, 2013. [45] [47] The official album featured tracks from both composers, chosen to contrast against one-another. [13] Elchlepp found the official album a disappointment due to the clashing tones of Grave's and Hannigan's work, also noting that the more atmospheric tracks made similar mistakes to the ambient focus of the original game; he summed up the changed as "a disappointing downgrade". [45] He ranked Grave's self-published digital album release as being better musically, but still less impressive than earlier soundtrack releases. [49] Jen Bosier of Forbes was more positive, saying series fans would enjoy the album despite the shift in tone, saying that "Hannigan's and Graves' style and tone combine for a wonderful, cohesive listening experience." [47]

Track list
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."200 Years Ago, On an Icy Planet..."James Hannigan7:20
2."The Quick and the Dead"Jason Graves6:03
3."A Broken Past"James Hannigan4:54
4."Lunar Express"James Hannigan4:35
5."60 Seconds Over Tau Volantis"Jason Graves1:59
6."The Fiery Room"Jason Graves2:32
7."Spaced Out and Frantic"Jason Graves2:30
8."Vomit Comet"Jason Graves2:12
9."Graffiti Speaks"James Hannigan1:30
10."Knee Deep"Jason Graves5:30
11."Buckell Down"James Hannigan2:13
12."Apoplexia"Jason Graves4:04
13."In Tents"Jason Graves4:23
14."Into the Stomach"Jason Graves6:33
15."The Nexus"Jason Graves2:37
16."Mountains of Madness"James Hannigan2:16
17."The Ascent"Jason Graves2:26
18."Rosetta Suite"James Hannigan5:31
19."Cry of the Ancients"James Hannigan4:26
20."Convergence"James Hannigan2:43
21."Moon Crash"James Hannigan7:04
Total length:1:23:29

Dead Space Original Soundtrack (2023)

Dead Space Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack album to Dead Space by
Trevor Gureckis
ReleasedJanuary 11, 2023
Genre Video game music
Length60:26
Label Electronic Arts

The 2023 remake retained Grave's original music while further tracks were added by Gureckis. [50] [51] Gureckis worked on the score for eighteen months, starting with Gureckis playing through the original game as preparation. [52] Gureckis was inspired in his approach by a story breakdown from the remake's lead writer Joanna Berry, who equated it to "a descent into Hell". Inspired by this imagery, Gureckis sought for ways to distort the score as the game progressed. [51] The musical goal was creating a representation of journeying through Isaac's mind, using recurring themes to create a musical "dialogue" with players. [53] Early in the process, Gureckis wrote suites associated with themes and characters rather than specific scenes, with two mentioned pieces being for the Marker and Unitology. He used pieces of these suites throughout the final score, along with expanded musical elements for Isaac, to create an atmosphere that would immerse players into the world and story. [52]

He described his role as expanding upon the original work, creating new themes for characters such as Nicole and story sections, while incorporating and exploring the musical elements established by Graves. Among the instruments used by Gureckis for his new pieces were cello, violin, and a welded metallic percussion instrument dubbed "Marvin". [53] The score was recorded both with a large orchestra, and in Gureckis's Brooklyn studio. [17] As a homage to the original game, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" was included. Gureckis created two versions, one with full choir and one for a solo voice. The solo version was chosen as it better matched the original game's version. [53] A soundtrack album was released digitally by Electronic Arts through their music label on January 11, 2023. [54] A physical CD version of the album was released as part of the game's Collector's Edition. [55]

Track list
No.TitleLength
1."Hunger for the Stars"3:56
2."Main Title Theme"3:53
3."The Dead Survive"3:37
4."Zero Gravity"3:50
5."Reborn as One"2:31
6."Tram Station"6:27
7."The Leviathan"4:39
8."Isaac's Hallucination"2:20
9."Make Us Whole"5:00
10."Corruption"4:34
11."Visions of Nicole"1:46
12."Change My Flesh"2:12
13."Convergence is Nigh"1:56
14."The Hive Mind"7:58
15."Escape"1:19
16."Nicole's Theme (Solo Piano)"2:21
17."USG Ishimura is in Trouble"2:07
Total length:60:26

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soundtrack</span> Recorded sound accompanying a production such as a film

A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film, video, or television presentation; or the physical area of a film that contains the synchronised recorded sound.

Video game music (VGM) is the soundtrack that accompanies video games. Early video game music was once limited to sounds of early sound chips, such as programmable sound generators (PSG) or FM synthesis chips. These limitations have led to the style of music known as chiptune, which became the sound of the first video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Hannigan</span> British composer

James Hannigan is a BAFTA Award winning composer and producer. His credits include entries in the Harry Potter, Command & Conquer, Dead Space, RuneScape, Evil Genius,EA Sports and Theme Park video game series, among numerous others. He has also scored full-cast adaptations of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, the Audie Award winning Alien dramas (2016–2019), BBC Radio 4's adaptations of Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens and Neverwhere.

Final Fantasy is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and owned by Square Enix that includes video games, motion pictures, and other merchandise. The series began in 1987 as an eponymous role-playing video game developed by Square, spawning a video game series that became the central focus of the franchise. The music of the Final Fantasy series refers to the soundtracks of the Final Fantasy series of video games, as well as the surrounding medley of soundtrack, arranged, and compilation albums. The series' music ranges from very light background music to emotionally intense interweavings of character and situation leitmotifs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Soule</span> American composer

Jeremy Soule is an American composer of soundtracks for film, television, and video games. He has composed soundtracks for over 60 games and over a dozen other works during his career, including The Elder Scrolls, Guild Wars, Icewind Dale, and the Harry Potter series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bear McCreary</span> American composer (born 1979)

Bear McCreary is an American composer of film, television, and video game scores. His work includes the scores of the television series Battlestar Galactica (2004), Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Black Sails, Outlander, The Walking Dead, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Serpent Queen, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Halo, the video games Call of Duty: Vanguard, God of War and God of War Ragnarök, and the film Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

<i>Dead Space</i> (2008 video game) Survival horror game

Dead Space is a 2008 survival horror game developed by EA Redwood Shores and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows as the debut entry in the Dead Space series. Set on a mining spaceship overrun by deadly monsters called Necromorphs following the discovery of an artifact called the Marker, the player controls engineer Isaac Clarke as he navigates the spaceship and fights the Necromorphs while struggling with growing psychosis. Gameplay has Isaac exploring different areas through its narrative, solving environmental puzzles and finding ammunition and equipment to survive.

<i>Halo 3 Original Soundtrack</i> 2007 soundtrack album by Martin ODonnell and Michael Salvatori

Halo 3 Original Soundtrack is the official soundtrack to Bungie's first-person shooter video game Halo 3. Most of the original music was composed by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori, but also includes a bonus track, "LvUrFR3NZ", which was the winning entry in a contest held before the soundtrack's release. The 2-CD set was released on November 20, 2007.

Music of the <i>Command & Conquer</i> series

The music of the Command & Conquer series consists of the soundtracks of the Command & Conquer video games, published in various soundtrack and compilation albums. C&C is a video game franchise, mostly of the real-time strategy style, developed primarily by Westwood Studios and Electronic Arts. Much of the music for the series was composed and produced by Westwood Studios' former sound director and video game music composer Frank Klepacki for the early games, with composition duties being taken on by several others following the liquidation of Westwood Studios in 2003. Klepacki returned to the series in 2008 to assist with the soundtrack for Red Alert 3.

<i>Dead Space: Extraction</i> 2009 video game

Dead Space: Extraction is a 2009 rail shooter co-developed by EA Redwood Shores and Eurocom and published by Electronic Arts for the Wii. A port for PlayStation 3 was released in 2011 alongside Dead Space 2. A spin-off within the Dead Space series and a prequel to the original game, the story follows survivors from the Aegis VII mining colony as the planet and newly-arrived ship USG Ishimura is overrun by deadly monsters called Necromorphs. Gameplay involves going through scripted sequences with different characters, using assigned weapons to kill Necromorphs by severing their limbs. Each version respectively supported the Wii Zapper and PlayStation Move peripherals.

<i>Dead Space Ignition</i> 2010 video game

Dead Space Ignition is a 2010 action puzzle video game co-developed by Visceral Games and Sumo Digital. It was published by Electronic Arts for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. A spin-off of the Dead Space series, it serves as a prequel to 2011's Dead Space 2. It is set on the Sprawl, a city built upon the remains of the moon Titan. The player takes the role of Franco Delille, an engineer who witnesses and navigates round the initial outbreak of the hostile alien Necromorphs. The gameplay combines hacking minigames with motion comic-style cutscenes featuring multiple story paths.

<i>Dead Space 3</i> 2013 video game

Dead Space 3 is a 2013 survival horror action video game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360. It is the third and final main entry in the Dead Space series. The game's story follows player-character Isaac Clarke and his allies as they explore a frozen planet, Tau Volantis, to discover the origins of the growing threat from their enemies, the Necromorphs. Players control Isaac and explore the environment, solve puzzles, and find resources, while fighting Necromorphs and hostile humans called Unitologists. The game supports online cooperative multiplayer sessions in which a second player takes the role of new character John Carver.

John Paesano is an American composer working primarily in film, television, and video games. He is known for collaborating with director Wes Ball on the Maze Runner film trilogy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, as well as composing for the Marvel Television series Daredevil and The Defenders. As a video game composer, he has contributed music to the acclaimed titles Detroit: Become Human and the three installments in the Marvel's Spider-Man series. Paesano won the BAFTA Games Award for Music, as well as the D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malukah</span> Mexican video game musician

Judith de los Santos, known professionally as Malukah, is a Mexican composer and singer-songwriter known for her cover versions of music from video games or TV series and movies, which she publishes on YouTube. She became known to an international audience when a video of her cover of the song The Dragonborn Comes from the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim became a viral video in November 2011. Since then she has contributed to several video game soundtracks, composed and produced original music, and performed live.

The music for the 2011 neo-noir detective video game L.A. Noire, developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar Games, was composed by musicians Andrew Hale and Simon Hale. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, the score also features contributions from Woody Jackson, who had collaborated with Rockstar on other projects both previously and since. Andrew Hale felt that composing the game's score was about setting a mood, attempting to compose music that felt accessible to players. The score was inspired by films from the 1940s, though the team avoided specifically composing for this time period, instead opting to focus on that after the music had been produced. Three supplementary vocal recordings were composed by The Real Tuesday Weld and performed by Claudia Brücken; they also sought to fit with the game's setting.

Michael John Gordon is an Australian composer, record producer, musician, and sound designer, composing music primarily for video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woody Jackson</span> American composer and session musician

Woodrow Wilson Jackson III is an American composer and session musician. He is best known for his work with Rockstar Games, composing scores for its video games Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire, Grand Theft Auto V, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Born in Oil City, Pennsylvania, Jackson studied at Virginia State University for one year, taking harmonica lessons before dropping out and playing guitar in a band. He moved to Los Angeles in 1992, and eventually joined the band Friends of Dean Martinez. He later became a session musician, working on the soundtracks of films like Ocean's Twelve (2004) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Since 2009, he has owned and operated Electro-Vox Recording Studios in Hollywood, where he has recorded two original albums and much of his composing work. He is an avid collector of vintage instruments.

The music for the 2018 action-adventure game Red Dead Redemption 2, developed and published by Rockstar Games, consists of an original score composed by musician Woody Jackson and an original soundtrack produced by Daniel Lanois. The soundtrack album was released digitally in July 2019, consisting of vocal tracks with artists such as Willie Nelson, Rhiannon Giddens, and Josh Homme. The score album was released in August 2019, mostly consisting of Jackson's original work and collaborations with artists such as Colin Stetson, Senyawa, and Arca. An additional extended play, The Housebuilding EP, was released in February 2021, consisting of original songs by David Ferguson and Matt Sweeney. Two singles of music from the game have also been released: "Unshaken" by D'Angelo in January 2019, later released as part of the original soundtrack; and "Letter from Bluewater Man" by Christone "Kingfish" Ingram in August 2021, as part of an update for Red Dead Online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game Audio Network Guild Awards</span> Award show

The Game Audio Network Guild Awards is an award show that celebrates excellence in video game audio. The awards, which started in 2004, are arranged by the Game Audio Network Guild and held annually during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The first four shows were held at the Fairmont San Jose, before moving to the Moscone Center from the fifth; due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 18th, 19th, and 20th ceremonies were held virtually.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Credits". Jason Graves Website. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 McCarthy, Caty (October 19, 2017). "The Rise and Fall of Visceral Games". US Gamer . Archived from the original on October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  3. Peppiatt, Dom (2015). "The Making Of... Dead Space". Play (256). Imagine Publishing: 76–79.
  4. Ars Technica (January 8, 2019). How Dead Space's Scariest Scene Almost Killed the Game / War Stories / Ars Technica (Web video). YouTube (Video). Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  5. Rose, Frank (March 14, 2009). "SXSW: Dead Space, a 'Deep Media' Case Study". Wired . Archived from the original on July 23, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  6. Whittington, James (January 17, 2011). "Dead Space: Aftermath - News". Horror Channel . Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  7. Nutt, Christopher (February 10, 2010). "A Distinct Vision: Nick Earl And Visceral Games". Gamasutra . Archived from the original on February 24, 2010. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  8. McElroy, Griffin. "Dead Space 2 comes with Move-based Extraction on PS3". Joystiq . Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  9. Conditt, Jessica (May 7, 2012). "Need for Speed and Dead Space titles coming by March 2013". Joystiq . Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  10. "Dead Space 4 canned, series in trouble following poor sales of Dead Space 3". VideoGamer.com. March 4, 2013. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  11. Makar, Connor (July 13, 2018). "Visceral had some cool ideas for Dead Space 4". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 Gonzalez, Annette (January 23, 2011). "Dead Space Composer Jason Graves Explains The Unsettling Score". Game Informer . Archived from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Dyar, Amanda (February 6, 2013). "Exclusive: Composer James Hannigan Discusses Dead Space 3 and Teases Transformers Universe". Dread Central . Archived from the original on June 19, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  14. "Dead Space: Downfall". Seth Podowitz website. Archived from the original on March 29, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  15. "Dead Space: Aftermath". Christopher Tin website. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  16. Makuch, Eddie (July 23, 2021). "Dead Space Remake Will Cut Some Elements That 'Don't Work'". GameSpot . Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  17. 1 2 3 Banas, Graham (February 19, 2023). "Dead Space interview: designing the USG Ishimura's sound of silence". Push Square . Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dead Space Composer Interview". IGN . October 18, 2008. Archived from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dead Space Reveals Spine-Tingling Score Composed and Conducted by Jason Graves". Music4Games. June 10, 2008. Archived from the original on June 26, 2009. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  20. Napolitano, Jayson (October 7, 2008). "Dead Space Sound Design: In Space No One Can Hear Interns Scream. They Are Dead". Original Sound Version. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  21. 1 2 3 Pellett, Matthew (April 2, 2011). "Dead Space 2: How it was made". Computer and Video Games . Archived from the original on April 4, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  22. Veca, Don (November 28, 2008). "The Music of Dead Space: Artistic Design and Technical Implementation". Music4Games. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  23. Greening, Chris (March 22, 2010). "Jason Graves Interview: Scoring Dead Space". Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  24. 1 2 Thurmond, Joey (May 16, 2015). "Interview: The Man Behind the Music - Jason Graves". Push Square. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  25. 1 2 3 Cowen, Nick (January 17, 2011). "Dead Space 2: Jason Graves interview". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  26. "The Official Dead Space Soundtrack". Electronic Arts. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  27. 1 2 Elchlepp, Simon (January 25, 2011). "Dead Space Original Videogame Soundtrack". Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  28. 1 2 Halvarsson, Robert (April 6, 2009). "One Deadly Orchestra: The Music of Dead Space". Original Sound Version. Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  29. 1 2 Damigella, Rick (November 28, 2008). ""I Left My Heart in Med Lab 3" - 'Dead Space' Soundtrack Review". G4 . Archived from the original on November 22, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  30. "Video Games Awards Winners". British Academy Games Awards . March 10, 2009. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  31. "7th Annual Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) Award Winners". Music4Games. March 30, 2009. Archived from the original on September 1, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  32. "The Greatest Video Game Music". X5 Music Group . Archived from the original on March 29, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  33. 1 2 3 4 Kostigan, Kevin Thomas (February 2011). "Lost in Dead Space 2; Part 1" (PDF). Film Score Monthly . Vol. 16, no. 2. Lukas Kendall. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 20, 2011.
  34. 1 2 3 Damigella, Rick (January 24, 2011). "Interview with Dead Space 2 Composer Jason Graves". G4TV . Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 Greening, Chris (January 2, 2011). "Jason Graves Interview: Scoring Dead Space 2". Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on June 18, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  36. 1 2 3 4 Elchlepp, Simon (January 25, 2011). "Dead Space 2 Original Videogame Soundtrack". Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  37. Juba, Joe (October 13, 2010). "Dead Space 2 Collectors Edition Announced". Game Informer . Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  38. "Bafta Award Winning Composer Jason Graves To Speak At Develop Conference". Gamasutra . June 21, 2011. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  39. 1 2 Dabi, Gideon (February 28, 2011). "Dead Space 2 OST: Missing This One Would Be A Grave Mistake". Original Sound Version. Archived from the original on May 7, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  40. "12th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards". Game Developers Choice Awards . 2012. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  41. "2011: 10th Annual GANG Awards". Game Audio Network Guild. 2012. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  42. 1 2 Bosier, Jen (February 4, 2013). "From 'Dead Space 3' to 'Tomb Raider:' An Interview with Jason Graves". Forbes . Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 Barkin, Jonathan (February 15, 2013). "[Interview] Dead Space 3 Composer James Hannigan Takes Us To Tau Volantis". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on June 19, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  44. Pitts, Russ (October 17, 2012). "Inside the Composer's (dead) space". Polygon . Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  45. 1 2 3 Elchlepp, Simon (April 29, 2014). "Dead Space 3 Original Videogame Score". Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  46. 1 2 Visceral Games (February 5, 2013). Dead Space 3 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows). Electronic Arts. Scene: Credits.
  47. 1 2 3 Bosier, Jen (February 27, 2013). "Atmosphere and Action: Dead Space 3 Original Soundtrack Review". Forbes . Archived from the original on March 2, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  48. Bosier, Jen (January 28, 2013). "Action is 'In the Air Tonight' in 'Dead Space 3' Launch Trailer". Forbes . Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  49. Elchlepp, Simon (April 29, 2014). "Dead Space 3 Original Soundtrack Recording". Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  50. Electronic Arts (March 11, 2022). Dead Space / The Sound of Fear Reimagined / Audio Developer Livestream (Web video). YouTube (Video). Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  51. 1 2 Chesler, JC (January 23, 2023). "Jason Graves & Trevor Gureckis explain how their atmospheric scores come together on the 'Dead Space' remake". Alternative Press Magazine. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  52. 1 2 Sheehan, Gavin (January 26, 2023). "Exclusive: Listen To A New Track Form The Dead Space Soundtrack". Bleeding Cool . Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  53. 1 2 3 Nelson, Will (February 11, 2023). "Dead Space interview: designing the USG Ishimura's sound of silence". PCGamesN . Archived from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  54. "Dead Space (Original Soundtrack)". Bandcamp . Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  55. Reed, Chris (January 9, 2023). "Dead Space: Here's What Comes in Each Edition". IGN . Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.