After what felt like an interminable wait, SuperGiant Games finally released Transistor for PS4 and PC last week.
Like the studio’s 2011 debut Bastion (we discussed its isometric melancholy with guest Dan Bendon of Ready Up way back in issue 10 of the Cane and Rinse podcast), Transistor features Jen Zee‘s distinctive art and the music of Darren Korb (plus vocals from Ashley Barrett).
I really enjoyed Bastion the game, but even more its OST was one of my favourite albums of that year thanks to standout acoustic ballads like Build That Wall, Mother, I’m Here and powerful closer Setting Sail, Coming Home.
Tremendous stuff, however, Korb demonstrates some of his strongest composition skills on many of the instrumentals that can go partially unnoticed and somewhat unappreciated in-game while the player’s attention is on Rucks’ (Logan Cunningham) throaty narration and the sometimes hectic action.
Some of the pieces – like Twisted Streets here – sound quite unlike anything else in gaming (if a little like Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes in places), evincing a unique mood:
I find this one particularly good as accompaniment while I wander the sometimes bizarre environs of Brighton.
Finally for this Music Monday here are Darren and Ashley performing songs from Bastion and Transistor together ‘unplugged’ at PAX Prime in 2013:
