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The Last of Us by Gustavo Santaolalla

Fenicks

Bedroom Producer
The scores for the video game series The Last of Us - with its apocalyptic Western sensibility and Santalaolla's characteristic roncoco - are some of my favourite soundtracks of all time. There are three albums encompassing the first game, its short prequel, and the sequel: The Last of Us, Left Behind, and The Last of Us Part II. From the horrors of fungal zombies and the disintegration of human decency to the fading innocence of a child growing up in a destroyed world, there is a wonderful breadth of tones across these soundtracks. Mac Quayle contributed to the music of Part II, puncturing Santaolalla's emotive themes and motifs with anxiety-inducing drones and ambient textures. Even if you don't play games, I highly recommend these soundtracks to all.









 
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Weirdly, even though not the kind of music I'd listen to (whatever that means) it is one of my all-time favourites too. Goes bang perfectly with the game.
 
It wasn't my kind of music either at first but over the years I've fallen in love with it!

It adds an absolute TON to the game. Last of Us is my most completed game ever. I've completed it like 6 or 7 times, and I don't usually finish games for some reason (my kids maybe!)

But I'm always aware of the music and its impact.
 
It adds an absolute TON to the game. Last of Us is my most completed game ever. I've completed it like 6 or 7 times, and I don't usually finish games for some reason (my kids maybe!)

But I'm always aware of the music and its impact.

I've played the first game a similar number of times and I'm planning to start my third replay of Part II soon. The musical world of the games is half of the pleasure. I'm interested in the various instruments and techniques used to craft that sound as I've never heard anything quite like it. Do you know what instrument the chime sound is in Fleeting (embedded above)? It doesn't appear in any of the other albums. I love how Santaolalla uses it to represent the tragic naivete of childhood in Left Behind.

Part II's soundtrack sounds more 'broken' than that of Part I and Left Behind. Melodies and chords stumble and threaten to collapse under the weight of the story's grief. It's also more ominous. They did an amazing job creating a musical identity for Part II that is a natural evolution of the first game's soundtrack.
 
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Do you know what instrument the chime sound is in Fleeting (embedded above)? It doesn't appear in any of the other albums. I love how Santaolalla uses it to represent the tragic naivete of childhood in Left Behind.

sounds like an effected toy piano or some other quasi-inharmonic metallic tine instrument
 
All 3 OSTs are outstanding, great score design that's easy to miss.
I do wish Part II had a little more of the found-sound textures that worked so well in the first one. To me that score really bought the world to life. Equally I can see why part II shifted focus.
 
The scores for the video game series The Last of Us - with its apocalyptic Western sensibility and Santalaolla's characteristic roncoco - are some of my favourite soundtracks of all time. There are three albums encompassing the first game, its short prequel, and the sequel: The Last of Us, Left Behind, and The Last of Us Part II. From the horrors of fungal zombies and the disintegration of human decency to the fading innocence of a child growing up in a destroyed world, there is a wonderful breadth of tones across these soundtracks. Mac Quayle contributed to the music of Part II, puncturing Santaolalla's emotive themes and motifs with anxiety-inducing drones and ambient textures. Even if you don't play games, I highly recommend these soundtracks to all.











I definitely recommend to others here to play the games, especially the second one (Last of Us Part 2) really deals with the complex issue of killing, its morality, and what it means to be human. I found it to be a very eye-opening experience. It got a handful of negative user reviews, because some people were so attached to a certain character who loses their life that they could not appreciate the rest of the game (this is a shame. It would've helped them far more to play the game through and learn something than to write angry reviews. They'd have come to appreciate selflessness more from doing that instead.)

As to the music, I find it serves the games very well - but it's a bit too minimalistic for my own personal tastes. It is still very effective in its regard and I appreciate why they went with a subtle presence - it's meant to be more atmospheric and set a very realistic and serious tone, being much closer to how in real life we never have an 'underscore' playing along with us. I still think it's brilliant and effective, but I personally enjoy more musical presence in video-games, and that's just my taste 😄
 
I'm a big fan. I love the guitar/banjo approach and it's actually one of my goals to compose around those instruments along with an orchestra. Hard to see something else for The Last of Us, as it fitted perfectly the video game.
 
Bumping this thread since the HBO adaption of the games premiered last night, and Gustavo Santaolalla is scoring the show as well! I love how they've translated the story so far and it was a relief to hear Gustavo's iconic music woven throughout the story. It wouldn't be The Last of Us without his ronroco. I can't wait to hear what new tracks he may have composed for the show, too.
 
Bumping this thread since the HBO adaption of the games premiered last night, and Gustavo Santaolalla is scoring the show as well! I love how they've translated the story so far and it was a relief to hear Gustavo's iconic music woven throughout the story. It wouldn't be The Last of Us without his ronroco. I can't wait to hear what new tracks he may have composed for the show, too.

He’s scoring it with David Fleming too!!
 
He’s scoring it with David Fleming too!!
I have no idea who David Fleming is, but I hope whatever he brings to the music blends harmoniously with Santaolalla's music. I know that Mac Quayle worked with Santaolalla for Part II, and his (awesome) tracks were used for the more action-heavy sequences.
 
I have no idea who David Fleming is, but I hope whatever he brings to the music blends harmoniously with Santaolalla's music. I know that Mac Quayle worked with Santaolalla for Part II, and his (awesome) tracks were used for the more action-heavy sequences.

I’m confident in saying you’ve definitely heard David Fleming’s music before, he’s been one of those hidden secrets in the industry but his name is starting to see itself at the forefront of big projects, he’s done additional music with Hans on Dune, The Lion King 2019, Top Gun Maverick, Wonder Women 1984, and many others!!
 
The opening credits feature the iconic theme, but it seemed a bit condensed and rushed at first listening. I haven't played the Part II, so would be unaware if this version was there already. Or is it just my brain playing tricks?
 
The opening credits feature the iconic theme, but it seemed a bit condensed and rushed at first listening. I haven't played the Part II, so would be unaware if this version was there already. Or is it just my brain playing tricks?
You're right: it's the main theme from Part I spliced down to one minute. I listen to it a lot and it's jarring to hear it cut like that, but it's probably less weird if you've never heard it before. I do wish it had an extra 20 seconds or so to breathe.
 
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