MIDI Week Singles: "This Is What You Are" - Warframe (NS)

"This Is What You Are" from Warframe on the PC, PlayStation 4 (2013), Xbox One (2014), & Nintendo Switch (2018).

Composer: Keith Power

Album: Warframe (Original Video Game Soundtrack)

Label: Bandcamp

Publisher: Digital Extremes

Developer: Digital Extremes

I participated in a brief discussion last week about how listening to music, specifically video game soundtracks, that you are not familiar with can help with focusing and mindfulness; not so much me discussing it as it was someone else and I agreed with their statement.  I had this in mind while listening to the music from Warframe, a free-to-play online co-op (optional) loot-shooter developed by Digital Extremes.  I started Warframe shortly after it was available on the Switch just to see what it was like, although I have not played past the prologue/introductory/tutorial stage so I have zero context for how "This Is What You Are" plays into the game, and that is why I wanted to feature it in today's article.

To me, the opening of the song evokes the loneliness Jerry Goldsmith's score establishing the universe in Alien, but then once the vocals come in at 0:26, then it takes on a life all of its own.  At least for me as nothing comes up as sounding derivative from that point on.  There an orchestra, there are drums (as in drums being a featured instrument, a choir, it has the works, which is a great way to start off a soundtrack.

Kind of what was being talked about was that this song, for me, hit a lot of figurative notes and I immediately really liked this song, even on the initial listen, without having any nostalgia or in-game context.  You know, I should just redownload Warframe and give that game another attempt.  It's not like it sounds like it would be a long game to play, right?



~JWfW/JDub/Cooking Crack/Jaconian
Instrumental