What musical tropes make sci-fi music recognizable?

Anyone who’s seen a science fiction movie knows the importance of sound for creating a believable environment. Sci-fi's power is in taking you to another world, and thus its music must reflect that. If done right, the mix of typically larger-than-life movie sonics is combined with unique textures and tones of explorative sound design, creating an aurally stunning experience. It's quite broad in terms of tropes, but sticking to terms that are associated with the style we can recall theremin, synthesizer, Sliding Synth sound, echo. Sounds found on an atmospheric soundtrack may use instruments that are soothing, emotive, minimalist, epic, and unobtrusive.

Electronic music in film arguably began with the use of the theremin, as exemplified in the classic extraterrestrial visitation film The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). In Bernard Herrmann’s score, the instrument is set atop a largely orchestral score typical of the era, with a wide vibrato that, at times, makes the sound difficult to distinguish from an open-vowel vocal from a soprano opera singer.

One of the more obtuse but interesting uses of technology in sci-fi film is how quickly we adopted synthesized sounds into our vision of the future since they represent the obvious sound of the future. Still, the use of the instrument begat our fascination with representing the otherworldly (i.e., aliens, UFOs, and other extraterrestrial concepts) with markedly otherworldly sounds.

One of the ways sci-fi scores have kept pace with film scoring at large is in the increasing use of ethnic percussion and instrumentation over the past decade.

Today, of course, synths pervade much of film’s sonic landscape, though frequently still in tandem with classical, romantic orchestral writing.

For this volume of the concentration Sci-Fi Chillstep playlist, we have made a selection of music steeped in the dark atmosphere of the future. It is primarily designed for productive and enjoyable coding. Captivating space music in this mix will be helpful during the programming session, as well as any other kind of work. Tune in, let our cyber mix help you through a difficult day, and enjoy the music.

Animation: Daniel G. (MusicLab Team)

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Genre: Electronic music
Style: Future Garage
Mood: Cyber
Feature: No vocals

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🎧 Tracklist
► 00:00 4lienetic - Eunoia
► 05:44 Aeon Waves - Stay
► 11:11 Blaudiss - Cannot Be Undone
► 14:34 Almost Vanished - Silentium
► 19:58 Himalia - Growing Upwards
► 26:32 Anfield - Belong
► 30:59 4lienetic, Solace, Cash - Eloigne
► 35:03 CMP - Those Days
► 38:52 Konara - Promise Kept
► 41:51 Airlines - Aloft
► 46:55 Panda Coast - Dusk
► 52:00 Lazarus Moment - Piece Of You
► 57:56 Dawncall - Dive
► 1:00:26 Aether, Enzalla - Elysias Heart
► 1:04:04 Alivvve - Eternity
► 1:07:57 AK - Gone

📷 Image author
Devon Fay
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/6ddRn
#DeepWorkMusic #DarkCodingMusic #SciFiChillstep