Mass Effect 3 - Composer Interview

The Mass Effect 3 composer has been revealed as Clint Mansell, well-known for composing the music to Black Swan. Alrik points out a lengthy interview at The Quietus, mostly about his other work. A snip:

Do you do much work for other outlets like computer games? Mike Patton, for example, has most recently voiced The Darkness.
CM: I'm doing a video game this year actually. Mass Effect 3. Funnily enough, talking about Mike, we've exchanged emails about the possibility of doing a show featuring the Quartet and people they've collaborated with. It'd be a Kronos show, with different rooms for other people to do their thing, then bringing it all together. It's pretty cool-sounding.
I'm definitely interested in different outlets – that's one of the reasons I get involved in short films. It's not so much that I can experiment as it is to be in a situation where nobody's looking over your shoulder. Short films are usually made by young people and they've got ideas I can bounce off. They can take me in a different direction.

More information.

There was music in Black Swan by someone other than Tchaikovsky?

Well, I was also suprised when I learned that Kilar (the guy who made music for Coppola's Dracula) composed the soundtrack for "The Pianist"

The guy is a true master, based on Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, Moon, and Black Swan.

All those movies had amazing soundtracks, and especially The Fountain.

Of course, I wish he had chosen another game to use his talent on, but it can't possibly be the worse for it

That said, I really REALLY liked the music in Mass Effect, but not so much in the sequel.

I still listen to some of the music in ME, some of the tracks are on my spotify list for having a wisky in the bath.

Unchartered worlds is just perfect.

To me, music and sound is a rather important part of the experience.

This is a new composer for me, interesting.

C

I thought the music in the ME games was pretty unremarkable, or should I say, unintrusive, usually just playing in the background while you did your stuff. Only a few tracks somehow emphasised the action or a particular atmosphere (I guess there were more of those in ME2; some eerie tracks were quite good).

That's not to say it was bad. It worked for this game, and the music fit the sci-fi theme, without too much (needless) "epicness".

So I guess that means… I'm not really crazy about what the music in ME3 is going to be like.

Originally Posted by Krzychu
I thought the music in the ME games was pretty unremarkable, or should I say, unintrusive, usually just playing in the background while you did your stuff.

Couldn't disagree more, I thought it was one of the best game soundtracks ever made. Of course I have a huge amount of affection for that kind of synth instrumental music, and the 70s/80s sci-fi in which it was mostly used.

Well, I'm not all that excited for ME3, but this is excellent news. Mansell is an absolute master of his craft. He could turn even the biggest piece of trash into something interesting.

In the Fountain he showed how to make an epic soundtrack without going for too much all-out bombastic instrumentation. If he manages to pull off the same thing here, I think it might really benefit the game.

… As long as they don't replace the map song!