Video games often times have the best soundtracks. This was brought to the attention of many back in 2013 when the soundtrack for Indie video game, Journey, was nominated for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. Even though it did not win, the fact that it was nominated helped non-gamers realize that video games can compete as works of art alongside films and other media. For me, I am a bit disappointed that this was not brought up much earlier.
Who is Theophany?
From the website, Bandcamp:
“THEOPHANY is a sound designer and composer whose sound design credits include award-winning projects including “Oxenfree” by Night School Studio and the sci-fi short film “Dust” by Ember Lab.”
If you want a very factual description of who they are, there you go. The first EP it seems he released came out in August 2011, and is a tribute to the 25th anniversary of the Metroid series. Since then there have only been 3 additional releases, one of which I have not yet listened to, but definitely plan on. My first and primary experience with Theophany are the concept albums, Time’s End: Majora’s Mask Remixed and Time’s End II: Majora’s Mask Remixed. As the names tell you, they are “remixed” tracks from the 2000 Legend of Zelda release, Majora’s Mask. I put the word remixed in parenthesis because I have a hard time wanting to really call them remixes. To me, they feel like so much more than that.
What is the music?
The Legend of Zelda franchise always boasts incredible music and Majora’s Mask was no exception. The game itself showcases a dark and dreadful world where all the characters seem to have lost hope. A father was turned into a zombie and has to be locked away by his daughter to avoid harming anyone else, a mother has her children taken from her by pirates and takes a vow of silence because of this, a boy has his horse stolen while looking for a lost friend and is transformed into an hideous shell of a creature, and on top of everything, the moon inches ever close to the earth, threatening to destroy the world in just 3 days’ time. It is all a very depressing tone and the music of the game captured the essence perfectly. Well, near perfectly that is. While the soundtrack for the game was wonderful for video games at the time, much of it was simply unable to achieve the level of quality that it deserved. In 2012, Theophany aimed to fix that. There is not a track for every song from the game as it stands now (I’m really hoping that will change eventually), but if you were/are a fan of the game, you should recognize most if not all of the tracks as recreations from the game.
Why is it worth listening to?
While a large reason for my personal enjoyment of Theophany is the nostalgia of playing Majora’s Mask as a kid and sinking hours into the game alongside its immediate predecessor, Ocarina of Time, there is still much to appreciate without the nostalgia. With a full range of classic orchestral sounds and the slightest touch of modern synth instruments as well as classical guitars that bring you to a renaissance fair, the wide-reaching scale of any given track feels completely fleshed out and filling. Just about each track takes you on a journey of quiet reflection and exhilarating crescendos! Theophany knows when to use open space in a track and when to bring layers of counter melodies and flowing harmony to fill the room with an exciting and energetic ambiance. For me, I always feel like this is what a serious high-stakes film drama should have for a score, and it makes me wistful for a Majora’s Mask film. At the very least, it makes me want to go out and buy whatever I need to have that incredible Majora’s Mask experience again and for the first time, but as an adult.
Summary
Theophany takes an already incredible soundtrack from a now 19 year-old game (12 and 16 at the times of release) and makes it sound new and deeply fulfilling. If you played the game at any point and want to listen to the soundtrack more, but modern, this is for you. If you enjoy film scores and ambient music, this is for you. If you are looking to expand your appreciation of classical music, but find it difficult to start somewhere, this is for you. If nothing else, I would recommend to everyone that you at least give one track a listen to and see how you feel. Personally, as a songwriter constantly looking for inspiration and finding a difficult time writing music for the things I enjoy, like video games, Theophany is truly an inspiring composer that is helping me to identify what I can create.
Check out Theophany on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theophanyremix?lang=en
Check out Theophany on Bandcamp: https://theophany-rmx.bandcamp.com/
Written by Hunter Raffety
