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Silicon Knights has just announced that the Too Human
soundtrack is now available for purchase. This haunting musical CD,
which was just nominated for “Best Original Video Game
 Score”
by the Hollywood Music Awards, features tracks from the game, such
as Relic, Path to Attrition, The World Tree and
Gods and Chaos, along with sixteen other harmonic tracks. All
the music was originally scored by Silicon Knights’ award-winning
composer, Steve Henifin, and performed by the FILMharmonic Orchestra
and Choir Prague. This hour-long soundtrack is mixed in a continuous
format with special extras and remixes to deliver a one-of-a-kind
listening experience. With an RRP of for $15.98 in the US, the
soundtrack is available for order now.
The game Too Human is based on Norse mythology, retold as a
technologically advanced lost civilization. Great care was taken to
maintain the Old Norse setting, and this goes for the music as well.
The soundtrack feature period instruments, such as the Hardanger,
Lyre, Alpenhorn and Langeleik, and Old Norse vocals that are loosely
based off of the Norse Eddur.
The music ranges by location and scenario. There are moments of long
beds of orchestral music, followed by electronic/metal sounding
tracks that put the listener into a different space altogether.
There are also vast ambient tracks that are made of layers upon
layers of sample-based sounds and evolving electronic sounding
textures as well.
In Too Human, the Cybernetic god Baldur is faced with the
task of defending mankind from the hordes of machines bent on
destroying humanity. The
game’s music helps to evolve the player through tales of discovery,
bloodlust, vengeance, and glory. “Music is key to character
establishment, keeping continuity throughout the gameplay, and in
its relation to the story” said Steve Henifin, Director of Audio for
Silicon Knights. “Having the tracks evolve around each setting is
something that draws you more into the experience and gives players
a sense of progression.”
So while the music and audio is Norse in its presentation, it is not
exclusively Norse in its sound. It branches out quite a bit, but
still stays in the realm of an ancient lost world of technology. It
also has its moments using a more aggressive contemporary sound. In
places, the Silicon Knights audio team brought in layers of
electronic elements, but in a more subtle way. The cyber elements
are more elegant and organic in style. In some cases the song style
was influenced by the style of the instrument itself, whether that
be a Balaban, Bone flute, Frame Drum, Bagpipe or something else,
making the phrasing and general feel of a song constructed around
the characteristic of that one instrument. |
