Writing the ‘loading’ theme for Combat Waffle Studios’ VR hit shooter Ghosts of Tabor, I wanted to blend raw electronic sounds with heavy percussion and guitars. All sounds in this theme were selected to hype up players for the next round of warfare in virtual reality. Doing so we set out to create a track that would build going through the different phases of loading up a new game, building as players would get ready to be dropped into the map.
(MUSIC COMING SOON)
Additional music by Jonathan van den Wijngaarden
Metro Awakening ® 2024 Vertigo Games BV. Developed by Vertigo Games BV. Metro Awakening ® and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Vertigo Games BV. All rights reserved.
Revisiting the original Arizona Sunshine soundtrack with this remake, the original tracks were extended and remastered. In addition I wrote new music where I felt this was needed in this new version of the original VR hit game.
Returning to the heat of Arizona Sunshine was an incredible opportunity for me. Not only did it allow to further build upon and expand ideas written for the original VR hit game, this time around the game featured a more dramatic story arch, as brilliantly written by Rob Yescombe (with Sky Soleil returning as the main protagonist).
The score to Arizona Sunshine 2 is built upon weird noises, raw percussive rhythms and synth tones. An orchestra forged in the apocalypse, where everything perishes in the burning Arizona heat. Something that sounds pure, raw and dreadful while instilling emotional themes throughout to carry the keymoments in the game.
Working on the 7th Guest VR has been an exciting experience. When the team at Vertigo approached me first, I felt both excited and slightly intimidated! The original game is such a legendary title and still holds a very dedicated fanbase even today. From the very first moment I’ve felt doing right to both the iconic work done by George (Sanger) and to the fans would be my very first goal.
It quickly became clear that we’d be retelling the original story while adapting it for modern audiences and not in the least; the new platform. Music and sound should also follow this direction, and to me it felt doing a literal remake of the soundtrack would not do justice to this approach (also; it didn’t feel right to ‘redo’ the work done by George for the original). Instead I wanted to capture the essence and feel of the original music and make this the center of this new score.
That said, George’s work obviously was a huge source of inspiration and many of the original themes and motifs return. I made a selection of the original themes that to me felt most memorable and used those as a starting point for writing the new material. All music is adaptive in nature, which allows us to transition to a different variation once you solve a room.
With my first EP release I wanted to do something that blends ambient, experimental, electronic and acoustic music all into one single project. Each track will take the listener on a little journey and explore stories behind colors and shades. All tracks are inspired by life events and colors, painting emotion using musical colors.
Early 2019 I was invited over by the Vertigo Games team to play their next big game in development. After the Fall plays in a post apocalyptic frozen Los Angeles. Set in an alternate timeline, the entire presentation of the game was based around a 1980s esthetic and focus heavily on Left 4 Dead style gameplay runs.
After the Fall has to be the most electronic score I’ve done thus far and not a single synthesizer was left untouched in the process. Used were the ARP2600, Prophet 5, Moog Grandmother, OB-6 and many more classic analog synthesizers. Blended in are big percussion ensembles to drive the action and underline big moments.
Music composed and performed by Jonathan van den Wijngaarden.
Cello performed by Carolina Teruel
Mastering by Frank Klepacki
Mastered for vinyl by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege
After the Fall ® 2021-2022 Vertigo Games BV. Developed by Vertigo Games BV. After The Fall® and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Vertigo Games BV. All rights reserved.
As a frequent demo composer for acclaimed library companies such as The Unfinished, Sonic Underworld and Luftrum I’ve written tracks in a multitude of styles. Listed is a brief selection of the music I’ve written in recent years.
Although Terraria: Otherworld never saw the light of day, most of the original soundtrack had already been written when it got cancelled a few years ago. Because the team at Re-Logic enjoyed the music a lot, it was decided to do a formal soundtrack release regardless of the game’s cancellation. The music for this release hits a lot of different moods and genres while also paying homage to the original Terraria (over 30 million units sold) soundtrack.
Terraria: Otherworld (Official Soundtrack) composed by Jonathan van den Wijngaarden & Jeff Broadbent. Additional music by James Hannigan. Performances by Frank Klepacki, Tina Guo and Jeff Ball.
© 2020 Re-Logic
At the dawn of consumer virtual reality I got approached by the Arizona Sunshine team to write the soundtrack to their post apocalyptic thriller. As a huge fan of John Carpenter scores, I decided to blend the mood of his classic horror movies with edgy spaghetti western elements. From bowed lap steel guitars to vintage Hammond drum machines run through modular synthesizers I shaped the soundscape of this tense VR experience. This is definitely one of the more experimental scores I have done till date.
Arizona Sunshine (Original Soundtrack) composed by Jonathan van den Wijngaarden for the videogame Arizona Sunshine (Vertigo Games / Jaywalkers Interactive).
© 2020 Vertigo Games / Jaywalkers Interactive