Showing posts with label Alexander Brandon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alexander Brandon. Show all posts

Wednesday 2 September 2020

Alexander Brandon "Earthscape" (2010)

 
With a recent nostalgic dive into a game from my childhood, Tyrian 2000, I discovered composer the Alexander Brandon was behind the games wondrous and lively midi driven soundtrack. Stumbling onto his bandcamp, I was impressed by the moderate temperaments of music fusing bright virtual instruments with chunky 90s electronic percussion and shapely synthesizers. Its a typically hard to nail down sound, mild manured with a mature variety yet softly engrossing as it pulls inoffensive ideas together with a sensibility akin to video game soundtracks.

Earthscape chalks up a little variety along the way. His singing voice a sensitive one, utilised on two tracks with a worldly Art Pop track reminiscent of Peter Gabriel and on the albums closer he soars some keen words between synthesizer laden vocal effects that wobble with charm. Both endearing. Eagles March breaks for a marching band percussive segment with intriguing groove and patterns that fill the narrow reverb applied. Alba drops in a little metallic guitar distortion too, always welcome with me.

Between its surprises an array of welcome melodies play out across many instruments, occasionally steering into classic electronic tones that sparked similarities with the Tyrian soundtrack that brought me here! It was a nice experience to pick something up on a whim. Although I don't think there is anything deep or profound here, its a record with that typically soundtrack ability to give you the resonance for focus and musical enjoyment with little investment on your own behalf.

Rating: 6/10