Vampyr by Olivier Derivière
Vampyr by Olivier Derivière pressed on red with black splatter vinyl by Black Screen Records.
“What is life but death pending?”
The Struggle
Awaken from the darkness and satiate your thirst this week with Vampyr by Olivier Derivière. Pressed on red with black splatter vinyl by Black Screen Records, the soundtrack to Dontnod’s darkest action-adventure game to date is here to drain your blood. Wipe off your blood-soaked mouth because it’s time to sink your teeth into some grooves!
The Thirst
Olivier Derivière is an award-winning composer and classically trained musician based out of France. Best known for his work on “Remember Me”, Olivier’s unique mixture of classical and electronic infusion bridges the gap between gameplay and interactivity which is something I have rarely experienced in gaming. As one of the most compelling and diverse composers in the industry, Olivier transcends the screen through his musical performance bringing us, the players, one step closer to the game his score inhabits. From dystopian futures to universes set in storied and dark pasts, what Olivier accomplished with Vampyr is just morose in all the best ways.
Making a Vampyr
Blood pours from the turntable as the needle drops into this crimson and black-infected coven of grooves. A somber cello pierces through the electronic hum before falling away into a cavern of percussion -- Swallowing you down into this epic coagulation of sounds, Olivier sends you whirling with every beat into his own fever dream of strings. Drip-feeding you synthetic undertones like an IV, Olivier mainlines your pulse with a thrall of symphonic eulogies that will transfuse directly into your soul. The percussion on this album is explosive yet reserved in its delivery -- like a bloody mist, it just hangs in the air thick with iron. This album never lets you catch your breath.
White Chapel District
One of the most unique aspects of the music on this album is the haunting vocals that surround you in the ominous dissonance that is elevated by Olivier’s playful electronic static. The echoey orchestrations coupled with splatters of gregorian-esque vocals will leave you swimming in this blood bank of notes and chants that won’t let you escape until this album stops spinning. Even after a prolonged listening session the air around my turntable seemed transfixed with this aura that I couldn’t shake for hours. This album is truly a treat and altogether an experience that enhances the story and setting that Dontnod has created. Olivier is just a master with the baroque and that’s all there is to say.
A Night at Home
Black Screen Records are masters at their craft. The work that they have done to bring some of the industry’s best independent game soundtracks to vinyl is why I think they are one of the leading labels out there. The mastering for this record was carried out by none other than Christian Bethge at RAMA Tonstudio and is every bit of the quality we have come to expect from his work with Black Screen Records. Seriously some of the best sounding albums in the industry are in no small part because of him, and this record is among his finest work. Design-wise I feel the cover artwork for this album is a little bland. Using the key art directly from the game’s cover feels very underwhelming in contrast with the excellent world and art that fills the streets and alleys of Dontnod’s wonderful adventure. While executed wonderfully in a new painted style by Florent Auguy I can’t help but feel left desiring more. The gatefold and back cover artwork definitely steals the show and better depicts the grim and forlorn world and music we have all come to know and love with Vampyr. The design and layout of text throughout this release from Dane Baudoin is impeccable as always. His accentuated use of red enhances the presentation of this album and is aesthetically pleasing to the otherwise muted colors of artwork presented here. Overall I feel like this is another astounding release from this German-based label, and one that I highly recommend you acquire for your collection!
Another Land
If you are a fan of Olivier’s work keep your needles nuzzled into the grooves here at VGM WAX as I have a special interview planned for his latest release with Black Screen Records... “A Plague Tale: Innocence an Interview” will be coming soon... Much love to you all and listen to some great music this week!
The Lost Soul
If you want to hear another awesome analysis of this amazing soundtrack check out Episode 42 of the Video Game Grooves podcast where some of the photos from this review were featured back in March of this year. I want to give a huge shout out to Jeremy specifically for helping me recover the photos for this review. I had a slight hiccup with my PC earlier this year and I had lost the pictures I took for this album. It was a huge relief to know that he lovingly backed these up for me to have access to again. Thank you so much, Jeremy, for all that you do and keep up the great work with the podcast! Let’s do another episode together soon! 😉
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Album Details
Music by:
Olivier Derivière
Remastered for vinyl by:
Christian Bethge
Artwork by:
Florent Auguy
Vinyl produced & distributed by:
Black Screen Records
Where to buy?
This album is still readily available directly from Black Screen Records. There are two variants available, the UK exclusive with red and black marble and a red cover or the US variant pictured in this review. There are also CD copies of this album available so nab one if that's your thing. Digital copies are included with the vinyl purchase as a download card, or you can purchase a copy directly from Olivier Derivière’s Bandcamp where you can stream or download the album in high-quality MP3, FLAC, and more!