Background Information
The Quarantine Zone (20 Years Later) is the first track that appears on the soundtrack album of the 2013 video game The Last of Us. Created by American company Naughty Dog and Sony Entertainment, the game is an adventure/horror simulation, in which players guide characters Joel and Ellie through a post zombie-apocalyptic America. The soundtrack for the game was composed by Argentinian Gustavo Santaolalla, who was originally drawn to the project because of the unconventional emotional connection between the characters of the game (PlayStation, 2013).
(Santaollala, 2013)
Arrangement
BPM: 115
Time signature: 4/4
Top bar markers reads: Beginning, Introduction, Verse 1, Bridge, Verse 2, Verse 3, Fade Out
Compared to many other songs, the structure of track can be seen as unconventional, moving away from the common framework of Verse / Chorus / Verse / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus (Brandon, 2014). This is to be expected, as songs from the instrumental or soundtrack genre must sometimes stray from the norm in order to better suit the art form in which it is supporting. They also typically do not have lyrics, which can sometimes make it harder to find familiarity in phrases in a time where the average music listener is used to hearing instruments being accompanied by words. Santaollala makes up for this by repeating phrases several times in The Quarantine Zone, in a way that is similar to use of a verse in a song on the radio. This can be seen in bars 7, 70, and 81, with very small changes in notes and intonation to keep the track interesting but familiar. These ‘verses’ are separated by an introduction before the first verse, and a bridge between the second and third verses. The introduction itself can be broken down into two parts, with the first 4 bars featuring a solo stringed instrument strum, and the second 4 bars launching a second instrumental layer in the form of an electric guitar, resulting in a 8 bar introduction before the electric guitar delves into what will be the most recognisable phrase by the end of the track. The piece ends by this recognisable verse, as well as by a strummed major chord. This is a contrast to the rest of the piece, which is written in the key of E Minor (Santaollala, 2013). The change in tone between major and minor chords creates a noticeable and compelling ending to the song.
The song also seems to centre its main energy or frequencies in the 380-390Hz range, which can be seen in a frequency spectrum analyser below.
(Music Breath, OOO, 2018)
The piece also has a very broad stereo image, presumably because to further highlight the ominous atmosphere and darkness.
Breakdown of Instrumental Elements
The song as a whole is approached with a minimalist ideal, which is continuous with Santaollala’s artistry and style (Rohter, 2008). This simple and understated approach to the soundtrack has earnt reviews claiming that the sound design “complements the emotional reactions perfectly” (McShea, 2013), and “never imposes, but perfectly compliments each scene” (Sterling, 2013).
The track is mostly composed of stringed instruments, mainly guitars and the charango (PlayStation, 2013), a traditional South American stringed instrument that is popular in Argentina (Chris, 2018).
The technique of gradually introducing new instruments and phrases is used throughout the piece gives the idea that the composer uses the soundtrack as a way to patiently build tension within the listener. The bridge of the song also evokes tension, as the previous layers that Santaollala was building in the sections prior to this are torn away, instead again leaving singular and warped electric guitar notes, this time backed by quiet electronic synthesisers that that give this section a haunting similarity to human vocals or echoing darkness.
The instruments have also been edited with a noticeable amount of reverb, further reinforcing this idea of open space, and the fact that the song is written in the key of E Minor also reinforces a foreboding mood, as this key is commonly agreed to evoke feelings of “grief, mournfulness, and restlessness” (Ledger Note, 2016).
Summary
The technique of layering simple phrases and instruments is definitely something that I would want to provide in my own project. I love how the composer uses interesting instruments and a layering technique within the track. If I could, I would also like to emulate how the composer used contrast key signatures and chords. The most impressive thing about this track to me is also how wide the stereo image is and how it characterizes the game.
Works Cited
Brandon, J. (2014, July 30). Songwriting Tip: Understanding the Most Common Song Structures. Retrieved Feb 18, 2018 from www.songwriting.net: http://www.songwriting.net/blog/bid/207339/Songwriting-Tip-Understanding-the-Most-Common-Song-Structures
Chris. (2018). The South American Charango. Retrieved Feb 18, 2018 from Street Musician: http://www.streetmusician.co.uk/charango/
Ledger Note. (2016, June 6). Musical Key Characteristics & Emotions. Retrieved Feb 18, 2018 from Ledger Note: https://ledgernote.com/blog/lessons/musical-key-characteristics-emotions/
McShea, T. (2013, June 5). The Last of Us Review. Retrieved Feb 18, 2018 from Gamespot: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-last-of-us-review/1900-6409197/
Music Breath, OOO. (2018). Spectrum Analyzer.
PlayStation. (2013, May 17). Gustavo Santaolalla: The Music of The Last of Us. Retrieved Feb 18, 2018 from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejdjcun2Jo4
Rohter, L. (2008, Aug 14). His Film Scores Are Spare, His Tango Newfangled. Retrieved Feb 18, 2018 from New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/arts/music/15gus.html
Santaollala, G. (2013). The Last of Us [Recorded by G. Santaollala]. Hollywood, United States: Sony Computer Entertainment.
Sterling, J. (2013, June 6). Review: The Last of Us. Retrieved Feb 18, 2018 from Destructoid: https://www.destructoid.com/review-the-last-of-us-255287.phtml
Comments