Friday, May 18, 2018

Music to Game To: Alec Empire - The CD2 Sessions: Live in London 7-12-2002

I listen to a lot of music (over 40 days worth in 2017 according to last.fm) and I find that few things help me keep the mood of a game foregrounded in my mind like a good soundtrack. Plus, I’ve discovered that when I’m playing music to a speaker via Bluetooth, I’m less likely to be on my phone, lest my players hear any stray sounds, letting me better model engagement during a game. To that end, I want to share some of my favorite music to game to; the albums that inspire and inflame my imagination and that I’ve found work well as background music for games as well. I’ll do a mini-review and cover the basics of what mood it helps me set.

ALEC EMPIRE – THE CD2 SESSIONS: LIVE IN LONDON 7-12-2002

A few things to get out of the way, yes, this is a live album that I’m recommending and, also yes, this live album is the album I’d recommend if you only had a single album to use as the soundtrack of a cyberpunk game. Not to worry, this album doesn’t feature any of the usual hallmarks of a live album, like audience ambiance or applause, that can help a live album deliver an authentic concert experience. Instead it’s a live recreation of many of the experimental electronic songs off of CD 2 of Alec’s Intelligence and Sacrifice album, hence CD2 sessions. Beats and grooves come and go in the songs, but what carries through is a harsh-edge electronic paranoia, which makes this album perfect for a Cyberpunk RPG. A groove will build only to be shattered by a dissonant electronic sound and the longer running time of many of the tracks lets the songs build and morph. Thudding bass riffs, frantic glitches and shimmering electronics, there album is the base for the soundtrack of any cyberpunk game I run.


  • Vocals?...Yes, “Electric Body Rock” features the lyrics “Electric Body Rock”
  • Music Genre(s)… Experimental, Electro, Musique Concrète
  • Perfect for…Any Cyberpunk game or any game where you want to add a deep cyberpunk feel.
  • If you only grab one track, make it…Technological Warfare”, seven minutes of high-voltage electronic tension.

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