 | Album Title: Risk of Rain |
| Record Label: Bandcamp (Digital Edition); Chucklefish (CD Edition); Black Screen Records (Vinyl Edition) | |
| Catalog No.: N/A | |
| Release Date: September 4, 2013; February 1, 2015; October 1, 2016 | |
| Purchase: Download at Bandcamp |
Summary
Chris Christodoulou had delivered some strong work in the past, but none of his early scores prepared listeners for the explosion of creativity and colour that is the Risk of Rain soundtrack. This is prog rock in the best sense: music that’s happy to experiment, unfettered by genre expectations.
An impressive variety of electronics forms the basis of the album, ranging from nostalgic chiptune bleeps to vinyl grooves, 80s synth textures, and up-to-date club beats and dubstep – all establishing the game’s sci-fi world. But Christodoulou also manages to seamlessly mix in churning hard rock rhythms, blistering double-bass attacks, drifting classic rock guitar soli, lots of wood and steel percussion, and the occasional clarinet and oboe solo.
This heady brew oscillates between mesmerising moments of quiet awe; enticing, moody underscore that could hardly be more atmospheric; and rousing melodic outbursts. Risk of Rain feels like a journey into the unknown, constantly revealing wonders and amazing new sights – just like a great sci-fi story should.
