After my hands-on playthrough of action-adventure game South of Midnight last month, it became evident that developer Compulsion Games has crafted something special with this upcoming game.
Set in a fictional rendition of the American South, the game showed significant potential with gameplay split between platforming, clever puzzles, and solid combat. However, what impressed me the most was the unique presentation that included stylized stop-motion-like visuals alongside outstanding audio.
This includes a soundtrack steeped in various American roots genres ranging from blues and country to bluegrass with some grand orchestral flair added as well. Interestingly enough, we also noticed that the music featured lyrics that moved the narrative along in an impactful way.
The musical experience of South of Midnight masterfully intertwines its Southern gothic narrative with rich audio elements, bringing the story of a woman’s search for her mother to life in a way that feels strikingly fresh and immersive.
Making all of that magic happen is composer Olivier Deriviere (A Plague Tale: Innocence, Streets of Rage 4) and Compulsion Games audio director Christopher Fox. I spoke with them both over video conference about their work on the Xbox Series X game that’s also coming to Xbox Game Pass.
A new and beautiful experience
Coming from England, Fox saw his work on South of Midnight as an enlightening experience leading him to explore the deep musical traditions of the American South through his time researching and recording in Nashville, a city he calls synonymous with music. “This whole project was a beautiful learning experience for me,” he explained. “Visiting Nashville and meeting the performers gave me a new appreciation for how deeply music runs through people’s lives there.”
Deriviere echoed that sentiment saying that the city’s overwhelming musical energy left a profound impression on him as well. “You get smashed by the amount of energy there,” he recalled. “Music is everywhere, and it’s humbling to see how passionate people are about it.” Despite being from France, Deriviere’s father also raised him on Creedence Clearwater Revival, Johnny Cash, Louis Armstrong, and Tom Waits among others.
The team worked with a diverse range of performers, including young musicians who seamlessly transitioned between recording sessions and impromptu street performances. This deep connection to music became the backbone of the game’s soundtrack, ensuring that it resonated with the same passion found in real-life Southern music traditions.
“I had to convince people that this was a unique approach worth exploring.”
One of South of Midnight’s most inventive features is how its music functions almost like a Greek chorus, reinforcing the story’s emotional beats. There are arguments that the game could even be considered a musical to an extent.
This ambitious approach, however, posed significant challenges. Fox admits that implementing such an intricate musical structure required gaining the trust of the development team, as it wasn’t a conventional choice in game design.
“Games tend to follow certain formulas, and this wasn’t one of them,” Fox explained. “I had to convince people that this was a unique approach worth exploring.” Once the narrative team aligned with the vision, the lyrics for the songs were crafted to directly reflect the game’s themes. South of Midnight director and writer David Sears played a key role in writing these lyrics, which in turn inspired Deriviere’s compositions.
The process was highly experimental, with Deriviere initially recording his own vocals as a reference for the final pieces. Finding the right voices to match the characters required meticulous casting, ensuring that both the spoken dialogue and musical performances felt cohesive.
Southern Roots mixed with orchestral grandeur
While much of South of Midnight’s music draws from the Southern tradition, the team also recorded sections at the legendary Abbey Road Studios with the London Contemporary Orchestra.
The fusion of these distinct musical worlds created a unique sonic identity for the game set for release on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC on April 8. This undertaking spanned over two and a half years, forging strong creative bonds among the team as there were over 100 live recording sessions split between Nashville, London, and Paris.
One of the most memorable figures involved in the project was John Kurlander, a legendary recording engineer who sadly passed away in early February. According to Deriviere, before Kurlander’s passing, he expressed excitement about the project, stating: “Most of the time, I know how things will sound; not today.” Those words encapsulate the innovative nature of South of Midnight’s music, where traditional Southern sounds were reimagined through orchestral arrangements, giving the game its distinct musical signature.
For Fox, one of the most powerful pieces from the soundtrack is ‘Altamaha-Ha’ which was recently released as a standalone music video. Having grown up in a church choir, Fox has always been deeply affected by choral music, and this track evokes a spine-chilling response every time he hears it. “There are moments in that song where you just feel the shivers down your spine,” he said. “It’s a testament to how the performers took the composition and elevated it beyond our expectations.” The music of South of Midnight is also going to be split into two albums: Original Songs and The Soundtrack — both available on all digital music streaming platforms today (March 20).
Looking back on the years-long process of creating South of Midnight’s music, both Deriviere and Fox express deep gratitude for the experience. The soundtrack is more than just a collection of background music—it’s a core component of the game’s identity, designed to immerse players in its world and evoke a deep emotional response. By blending the raw energy of Nashville with the grandeur of orchestral arrangements and a deeply narrative-driven approach, South of Midnight could set a new standard for video game music.
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