Olivier Derivière releases SUPERNOVA Soundtrack

Olivier Derivière’s soundtrack to Namco Bandai’s MOBA game Supernova is now available through BandCamp. The soundtrack album is a conceptual release, that follows a star from birth to supernova. What makes the soundtrack unique is that it’s orchestral. We went through a brief period of orchestral soundtracks in games (The first-ever was Michael Giacchino’s score to the PlayStation version of Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and the Halo series was one of the big examples.) Right now we’re in a period where sampling software is advanced enough that a lot of motion pictures dispense with the orchestra and use the composer’s far-less-costly digital mockup – so for a new IP to spring for the Philharmonia Orchestra to record at Abbey Road is really cool, and kind of a big deal.

The music itself is very kinetic -much of the score the driving beats and building riffs that one might hear in an EDM score, but with the organic feel of live instruments. That clash of worlds is not a complete rarity, but it’s uncommon enough to be worth mentioning, and it certainly seems well-done here. The textures are very well-blended, and there are moments where it’s hard to discern whether you’re listening to extended technique from the orchestra or electronic accents.

Supernova is a spacefaring MOBA with elements of real-time strategy. Judging from the game’s website, it’s still in alpha.

Derivière is a graduate of the Berklee school of music, and has scored numerous games, including the ObScure series, Remember Me, and Assassin’s Creed IV: Freedom Cry.

You can listen to snippets of the score at his SoundCloud here, and buy the album at his BandCamp page here.