Dead Space Original Soundtrack

Dead Space Original Video Game Soundtrack
Soundtrack album to Dead Space by Jason Graves
Released November 11, 2008
Recorded 2008 (2008) at Bastyr Chapel and Skywalker Sound Scoring Stage, Redwood Shores, California
Genre Video game music
Length 61:07
Label Electronic Arts
Producer Jason Graves, Rod Abernethy
Dead Space series chronology
Dead Space Original Video Game Soundtrack
(2008)		 Dead Space 2 Original Videogame Score
(2011)

The Dead Space Original Soundtrack is the official soundtrack album to the 2008 survival horror video game Dead Space. Released on November 11, 2008 by Electronic Arts, the album features 17 tracks from the game composed by Jason Graves.[1] The soundtrack was compiled from over three hours of music from the game, performed by the Northwest Sinfonia and the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra and recorded at Bastyr Chapel and Skywalker Sound Scoring Stage in Redwood Shores, California.[2]

Composition and recording

According to an interview with Don Veca, the game's audio director, composer Rod Abernethy "helped out logistically and was involved in our initial brainstorming" for the music of the game, but Jason Graves "actually composed, conducted, and arranged all the music."[1] On general plans for the direction of the game's audio, Veca said the following:

“ The plan from the very start was to create mood through overall sound design. We weren't going for traditional music composition or memorable themes, but instead approached the entire sound-scape as a single unit that would work together to create a dark and eerie vibe. This is not to say that we didn't use music to help create the atmosphere, because we certainly did; however, the music was used much more texturally than thematically. In this way, Dead Space has really blurred the line between music and sound design. When you get right down to it, music is really just sound design with a lot more rules.[1] ”

Although subtle the music can instantly shift to a dissonant arrangement of notes that both supports the action occurring in game and evokes emotional response from the player. This compositional technique gives the listener very few things melodically to orient themselves. For the most part the music lacks melody, harmony, chord progressions and tonality. With the orchestra moving in multiple directions at once it disorients the listener further.

In an interview with Jason Graves he said the following about how to go about creating music for a horror game:[3]

“ What sounds scary? Things you don’t recognize. How do you make music unrecognizable to the player? Use contemporary orchestral techniques and make the music as NON-musical as possible ”

In its entirety, over three hours of music was composed by Graves for Dead Space, all of which was recorded in just two recording sessions; each individual instrumental section was recorded separately, including the woodwind, string, brass and percussion sections.[2]

Release and reception

The soundtrack was made available as a digital download through the EA Trax service on November 1, 2008.[4] The soundtrack was made available to download from Amazon.com and iTunes ten days later on November 11.

The audio element of Dead Space was widely praised by critics and industry figures, and was nominated for a number of awards. In the GameSpot "Best Games of 2008" awards, the game's music helped it receive nominations for Best Atmosphere (losing out to Fallout 3 by just 3% of votes)[5] and Best Sound Design (which it won with a 42% majority).[6] At the 5th British Academy Video Games Awards Dead Space won the Use of Audio and Original Score awards;[7] at the 2009 Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony the game won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design and was nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition award;[8] and at the 9th annual Game Developers Choice Awards the game received the "Audio award".[9]

Track listing

All music composed by Jason Graves.

No. Title Length
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

References

  1. 1 2 3 Veca, Don (October 7, 2008). "Dead Space Sound Design: In Space No One Can Hear Interns Scream. They Are Dead.". Original Sound Version (Interview: Transcript). Interview with Jayson Napolitano. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Symphony of dead space". Game-OST. October 9, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  3. ↑ Elchlepp, Simon (11 November 2008). "Dead Space Original Video Game Soundtrack". Game Music Online. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Official Dead Space Soundtrack". EA Trax. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Best Atmosphere". Best Games of 2008: Special Achievement Awards. GameSpot. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Best Sound Design". Best Games of 2008: Special Achievement Awards. GameSpot. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Games Nominations 2008". Past Winners and Nominees. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  8. ↑ "12th Annual Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 23, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  9. ↑ "9th Annual Game Developer Choice Awards". Archive. Game Developers Choice Awards. Archived from the original on March 28, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
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