Celeste’s Video Game Soundtrack Is the Perfect Background Music to Get the Job Done
There is a popular theory , according to which the soundtracks for video games provide an excellent background music when you need to work or study. The idea is that music is meant to motivate you, but not distract you, but this is not always the case. A lot of video game soundtracks can be overwhelming, unpleasant, or just plain bad – here comes Celeste .
Celeste is a new platformer video game (imagine a 2D side scroller featuring Mario, but starring a red-haired woman struggling with depression while trying to climb a mystical mountain in Canada). It’s a beautiful game with amazing art and an incredible soundtrack that blends perfectly with the rest of the experience.
The music, created by electronic artist and video game composer Lena Rein , is good enough to stand on its own like an album. But since this is a video game soundtrack without words or climaxes designed to nudge the player through difficult sections, it’s also the perfect background noise to get the job done.
I’ve been listening to Celeste’s soundtrack almost continuously for the past few days. When I’m not actually playing a game, I put it in the background to write. I even listened to it last night on the subway to Manhattan to meet up with friends.
Celeste’s music is a mixture of electronic sounds and piano, sometimes some other instruments are added to it, such as guitar and theremin-style synthesizer. Many of the tracks start off with a slow, simple melody, adding layer by layer until they reach incredible heights designed to push you through some of the game’s toughest moments.
The song “Resurrections” inserted above is one of my favorites, and in an interview, Raine described the nearly 10-minute track as “almost like a complete set of music in itself.” I also like “Reach for the Summit”, one of the last songs on the soundtrack, with a fierce, energetic beat that matches the ending of the game. Scattered and Lost is beautiful and dynamic with a sense of space, while Check In slows down the action but maintains a steady rhythm so you can focus.
You can choose the songs you want to hear, but it’s better to just let the entire Celeste soundtrack (available on Spotify , Apple Music and Bandcamp ) play. You won’t regret it, just don’t blame me if you’re addicted to the game too.