THAT NIGHT, STEEPED BY BLOOD RIVER - TAYLOR SWIETANSKI

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THAT NIGHT, STEEPED BY BLOOD RIVER is the soundtrack to the game of the same name, composed by Taylor Swietanski (who is actually the creator of the game!) and released in 2020.

The soundtrack is good at being simple while not being boring (a characteristic which reminds me of the Minecraft soundtrack). It has relatively sparse instrumentation, mostly underpinned by an electric piano, with bright and cute synths following close by; the laid back instrumentation works well at providing a chill, serene atmosphere for the listener with only a few elements.

What's more, the soundtrack manages to create these feelings in a very short time. Most of the tracks are under 2 minutes (with the exception of "taking turns" and "theme") and the average track on this album barely reaches a minute and a half. Moreover, The entire album clocks in at 20 minutes, which is pretty short for a game soundtrack.

One of my only true issues with the soundtrack is that sometimes you can tell that the claps and bass used are stock from whatever program was used to make them, and these could've used more character tonally. I will also say that "receive" is the weakest track on here because of the repeating, alarm-clock-like sound that's present on the track that I personally find to be annoying.

My favorite tracks from this soundtrack are "wait", "no choice", and "roses".

Overall, while the THAT NIGHT, STEEPED BY BLOOD RIVER soundtrack is not as sonically dense or complex as other video game soundtracks, it is effective at granting the listener this sense of ease and relaxation in a short time span. Consider putting on this album if you need something to chill to.