Disco Elysium

As computer gaming has become more sophisticated, the creative minds behind it have allowed their ambitions to follow suit, and Robert Kurvitz is a fine example. Kurvitz was the author and lead designer of the award-winning Computer Role Playing Game Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, and when he began thinking about a musical score for the project, he approached U.K. indie rock band Sea Power to come up with something suitably evocative. Sea Power have had experience in film scoring and trade strongly in atmosphere as well as large-scale orchestration, so they were a shrewd choice for the job, and 2021s Disco Elysium features the music they penned for the game, which earned them an award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Divorced from the context of the game, Disco Elysium suffer from the same problem that often bedevils movie music -- this may be beautifully crafted and realized with great care, but its also meant to be part of the background of the game, and the languid pace and deliberately spare melodies are only so compelling on their own. Theres also a whole lot of music here -- this album runs over an hour and 40 minutes, and given the minimalism of the themes, its best not absorbed in one sitting. In some respects, Disco Elysium recalls the 1990s efforts of Rachels and the Dirty Three, two acts who were attempting to fuse indie rock experimentalism with the structures and instrumental palette of classical music. With greater resources at their disposal, Sea Power have been able to present their score with more full-bodied and exacting orchestration, and theres rarely a moment where youre not struck by the intelligence and dour beauty of this music. However, for all the brilliant moments, Disco Elysium doesnt cohere into a complete musical statement on its own, which stands to reason, since it wasnt initially intended to be heard separate from the images and sensory input of gaming. Disco Elysium testifies to the remarkable taste and talent of Sea Power, but the music is best appreciated by committed fans who can view it on the proper level, though in small doses its a genuinely impressive work. ~ Mark Deming