On the latest episode, I’m joined by Jason Graves! Jason is best known for a number of different video game scores, such as the Dead Space games, Tomb Raider, Far Cry Primal, and Moss 1 and 2, so it’s no surprise that we spend much of our conversation talking about his latest game scores: Still Wakes the Deep and No Rest for the Wicked. They’re two very different games, in terms of genre, style, gameplay, and more, and so Jason’s scores are equally unique. We probably spend the most time talking about the former game’s score, which is a combination of a string quarter, woodwinds, a bass synth, and a roughly two foot tall sculpture – it may seem weird, but I promise that it sounds good. Along the way, we cover things like his journey through scoring, how he works with game writers to understand concepts and plot points before they’re rendered in-game, and differences (perceived and real) between scoring for film and video games.
It’s no surprise that I don’t talk to a lot of composers for video games (one major hint is in the name of this site and podcast), but they’re something I’ve played on and off for a long time. As such, it’s great to get a little more inside information regarding the process to sate my own curiosity, and Jason was more than happy to oblige. In film, we often here of short lead times for scoring and a lot of constraints regarding style or approach, particularly on bigger films. At least for Jason, video games provide a chance for Jason to explore musical curiosity, telling me “I, almost to an obsessive point, just want to innovate and try new things all the time.” Still Wakes the Deep, in particular, seemed like a good chance for this, as “I think it was the most I’ve pushed myself, basically because Chinese Room [the game’s developers] let me. Everything I said they said ‘Yeah let’s try it’ and they never said no.” It’s refreshing seeing this level of trust and openness, and the results speak for themselves.
Still Wakes the Deep (the game and the score) releases on June 18, while No Rest for the Wicked is currently in early access with Jason’s score forthcoming. You can also find many of Jason’s other scores physically or on all major platforms. Find out more about Jason on his website.
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