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.
NARCOSATANICOS – BODY CULTS
I’ve been re-reading
Richard Kadrey’s “
Sandman Slim” series, and listening to Body Cults to prep this review, all I could think is that this would fit right into the jukebox at the punk tiki bar, Bamboo House of Dolls. Intense, noisy, wonderfully sleazy and with enough swing to make it feel dangerously gleeful, like a serial killer winking at you as he wipes the blood off his blade. The album feels like an alternate soundtrack to a particularly unhinged 70s low budget splatter film, transporting you a realm of dangerous chases, desperate escapes and brutal combats.
- Vocals?...Yes, deeper in the mix or incoherent screams.
- Music Genre(s)… Noise Rock, Psychedelic Rock
- Perfect for…Horror games that need an intense and sleazy soundtrack with a 70s vibe.
- If you only grab one track, make it...”Television Dreams” which roars in on a whirlwind of guitar, sax and drums and then only gets more intense after it slows down to show you the full terrifying scope of its sonic vision.
