Vinyl Review: Thomas Happ — Axiom Verge OST

Moody video game soundtrack owes much to synth’s past

Ship to Shore Phono Co

Picking up where John Carpenter’s “Escape From New York” left off, the soundtrack to 2015 indie game Axiom Verge is rife with nods to prior synth scores. Looking at the whole picture, it only makes sense; the game design and play style is akin to past side-scrollers like Contra and Metroid. The score sets itself apart however, by exploring lush atmospheric sounds not commonly heard in the often harsh electronic genre referred to as “chiptune.”

Composer Thomas Happ weaves a lot of emotion into these tracks. In “Otherworld,” the synth bass moves up and down behind a thumping drum beat, giving you a sense of wonder and slight confusion. “Apocolypse” begins with a distorted siren wail before breaking into Simonetti-like arpeggios and unnerving choral passages. It’s all reminiscent of the best ’80s horror music.

Packaging

The record is housed in a 2-panel medium weight jacket. The record weight feels about 140 gram, which is perfect for this kind of release. The purple marble vinyl is wonderfully done with little bits of flame shooting away from the center. The cover art is taken directly from the game and is reminiscent of 16-bit sci-fi side scrollers. Inside, there are liner notes and art sketches from the game.

Sound Quality

Like all of the Ship to Shore releases we’ve reviewed, sound quality is excellent. I would recommend adjusting your eq a bit though, as some of the 16-bit sounds can be a bit harsh with too much treble. There was no noticeable surface noise present, and the synth drums provide ample bass to really push a subwoofer or 3-way system.