Originally, I wanted the music to be reminiscent of 50s jazz, soul, and funk. I researched a few artists from the 50s as well as modern artists who were inspired by 50/60s music.
The music during the dress-up segments was intended to be simple. The piano and trumpet in Cheek to Cheek by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong are clean and not overwhelming. It’s upbeat and warm, which hopefully leaves the player unaware of the upcoming horror.
Amy Winehouse’s music mixes late 50s girl groups and R&B, 60s jazz and modern pop. Known as one of her biggest hits, Back to Black has a strong hook with the strings at 1:25 to 1:30 that repeat throughout the song intensifying the gloomy atmosphere. The beat (also heard in Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations), typically cheerful takes on a different vibe with the slower rhythm of her vocals. The cover by Beyonce and Andre 3000 made the song have a more haunting feel.
Each environment will have its own soundtrack/song that sets the tone. For example, John’s office may focus more on the bassline with a darker vibe whereas the stage might fit a more orchestral sound.
I found that a strong beat/bassline was a defining feature in most of the songs that I chose as inspiration. Lana Del Rey’s instrumentals blend orchestral arrangements and dreamy melodies with elements of rock and hip-hop. There’s also often a sense of nostalgia, glamour and melancholy. The reverb gives it depth and paired with (often time) strings emphasises the dark and dramatic themes in her music. She often uses trap style beats (e.g. kick, snare, hi-hat) that sound heavy but snappy – which is heard a lot in her Honeymoon album.
I really liked how Ethel Cain did beat drops and percussion in Gibson Girl. It was a good example of how I wanted the very tense moments to sound in my game. At 0:36 to 1:06, it’s just the beat as it builds up to the chorus. By giving it space to “breathe”, it creates that sense of tenseness and also sounds like a heartbeat. It’s haunting and sultry which matches Genevieve.
I liked the idea of having something similar to the intro of The Blackest Day for the moments when Genevieve is beginning to lose her grip on reality; like the haze you get when you start disassociating. It embodies that feeling of loneliness and tragedy. Another song by Lana Del Rey: Cherry in which the bass plays under the music for the majority of the song, has a very haunting and almost sinister feel. (Full instrumentals are available on YouTube)
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