Episode 83 :: Horizon Zero Dawn

Blog Link: http://videogamegrooves.com/2021/06/27/episode-83-horizon-zero-dawn/

In the far-flung future, civilization has collapsed. Humanity has forgotten its roots. Robots roam the earth. CD audio has decayed. Only vinyl records remain. Video game music is scavenged from the rubble of our past to rebuild society. The year is 2021. The podcast is Video Game Grooves. Tom Quillfeldt from Laced Records joins Jeremy to explore, appreciate, and illuminate the music of Horizon Zero Dawn. We devote the entire episode to this 4xLP box set, discussing the game’s future-tribal setting and sounds. Appreciating the sound team for Horizon Zero Dawn begins with Music Supervisor Lucas van Tol at Guerrilla games, and the guidance and instruction given to the composition team led by Joris de Man. Combining the skills of The Flight, Jonathan Williams, Niels Van der Leest, and of course Julie Elven providing vocals, the weave of thematic and evocative audio perfectly augments the game’s unique setting. We pick several selections from across the HZD spectrum to showcase how the game’s music sets the stage and communicates the setting to players, and makes for a darn listenable experience too. We also find some “never-before-internetted” music from the score and share it here for what we reckon must be the first time in knowable human history.

After setting our campfire for the day, we summon up the new releases and announcements, including a nice one from Laced, and quite a few that may be worth spending your metal shards on as the month closes out. We also take a cue from the “found music” elements of Horizon Zero Dawn to uncover a few other bespoke instruments, engineered sounds, and altogether fabricated soundfonts that exist in the music you listen to on your own vinyl records… your indestructible time-capsule of a music format.

Outro: “The Good News” – Joris de Man ft. Julie Elven

Twitter – @vg_grooves, @jeremy_lamont, @laced_audio

Links:
Resident Evil 2 (2019 remake) (Laced Records Limited Ed) (Standard Ed)
https://www.lacedrecords.co/collections/resident-evil/products/resident-evil-2-limited-edition-x4lp-boxset
https://www.lacedrecords.co/collections/resident-evil/products/resident-evil-2-2019-standard-edition-x4lp-boxset
Rad (Ship To Shore PhonoCo)
https://shiptoshoremedia.com/collections/featured/products/rad
Road 96 (G4F Records)
https://www.g4f-records.com/en/produit/road-96-vinyl-edition/
Zeldawave (Polygon Dream Bandcamp) (sold out, repress incoming)
https://marblepawns.bandcamp.com/album/oot
Weezer: Tell Me What You Want (Wave Break) (iam8bit)
https://www.iam8bit.com/products/wave-break-7
Surviving Mars (Paradox Interactive)
https://vinyl.survivingmars.com/
The Dark Pictures: House Of Ashes (Bandai Namco EU only)
https://store.bandainamcoent.eu/eu/product/648305/the-dark-pictures-house-of-ashes-vinyl
Mighty Fight Federation (Yetee Records)
https://theyetee.com/products/mighty-fight-federation-ost
Soulless I & II (Kickstarter)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amicomretrobooks/soulless-commodore-64-chiptune-game-soundtrack-on-vinyl-and-cd
The Last of Us 2 restock (Playstation Gear store)
https://gear.playstation.com/Product/1525832-The_Last_of_Us_Part_II_Vinyl_Record
Skies Of Arcadia repress (Wayô Records)
https://www.wayorecords.com/en/wayo-records/651-skies-of-arcadia-eternal-soundtrack-vinyl-edition.html
Samorost 3 repress (Minority Records)
https://store.minorityrecords.com/