Friends, have you spent any time in the Mount Holly mansion, centerpiece of the puzzle-adventure Blue Prince? If you haven’t, you really need to. If you have, you might have noticed some eerie, haunting music as you traversed the ever-changing halls and chambers. Without a doubt, the music fits the genre, the environment, the atmosphere, and plot of Blue Prince quite nicely. But are you familiar with the creators of this unique soundtrack?
If not, you’re in good company. I only learned of Dutch duo Trigg & Gusset because of Blue Prince. Oddly enough, those are not the artists’ names. The lead composer appears to be one Bart Knol, who handles most of the instrumental recordings on this soundtrack. However, the musical star and co-composer is Erik van Geer on bass clarinet. If you’ve spent even a moment casually listening to the soundtrack, playing the game, or even watching other people play, you’ve heard that bass clarinet. Van Geer’s slow, mellow jazz lines in the opening “Stories of All Manor” set the stage so we know what we’re getting into. Though this soundtrack is not as motif-laden as, say, Brandon Boone’s Slay the Princess OST, it is just as atmospheric, with intentional limits on instrumentation.
One notable aspect of the Blue Prince OST? No drums. No percussion of any kind, best as I can tell. Not only does this allow for some excellent rubato, it allows the listener to get lost in the gentle, swaying tones without feeling that pulsing, bouncing energy. While I found a handful of striking similarities between Blue Prince and the preeminent escape room puzzler 999, the soundtracks for these two games are diametrically opposed. Both soundtracks fit the identity of their respective games well.
I’ve identified a handful of tracks that elevate the ambient, atmospheric approach to something more akin to an earworm. First is “Under the Black Bridge,” a brisk 3/4 piece with an ostinato synth pattern that comes as close to percussion as we get on this OST (essentially serving as the song’s metronome). Knol handles the synth lead voicing perfectly. Something about this piece reminds me of the title theme for the show Stranger Things, though this piece is not as ominous or threatening. “Under the Black Bridge” is more contemplative, all while maintaining its eerie aura. Again, that lead voice is an earworm, very singalong-able.
A third musician, Jurren Mekking, appears as a guest artist for exactly three tracks. He offers some fancy synth work on “Permanent Ink” and “The Sacred Hour,” as well as some subdued electric guitar work on “Foundation.” Of these tracks, I think “Foundation” is my favorite; Mekking’s guitar isn’t taking the lead. Rather, the guitar provides some layering and soft structure for an ambient synth piece that eventually gives way to a handful of resounding notes from van Geer on bass clarinet. When I listen to “Foundation,” I can’t help but think to myself: there’s ambient, and then there’s clever ambient. I can’t imagine having the dedication and talent to make music in this style work so well.
Once you’ve gotten a taste for this music, I think you’re going to let it stick around for some time. Every little detail becomes noticeable, should you let it. If left as soft background music, you’ll still pick up those bass clarinet lines, and you may find yourself alternating between responses of tranquility and anxiety. It’s just that kind of soundtrack.
As a parting note, you may be wondering, “What can I do if I love the Blue Prince Original Soundtrack but two hours of music isn’t enough for me?” Lucky for you, Trigg & Gusset have been active since 2013. This is their first game soundtrack (to my knowledge). However, their official Bandcamp page offers five full-length albums and some EPs, including their new album Event Horizon, which has some more lively tracks and (wouldn’t you know it) drums! I guess this means I’m recommending the reader check out not only this OST, but the artist’s full catalog! If you want to see what dark, nuanced jazz can do for you, this is the place to look/listen!
