The Atmospheric bonus album collects some of the less immediately noticeable and recognizable music from Mass Effect 2. Some of the tracks here employ segments or themes from well known ME pieces, but they’re not backdrops for major plot developments or thrilling action sequences. For most listeners, they’ll never graduate beyond the role of background music, but that’s not always such a bad thing.
The opener, “What the Future Holds,” provides a dull sort of deep synth for an ominous effect, but it’s not one of the most atmospheric tracks on the album. Like some others, “Charges of Treason” combines familiar themes with a driving synth rhythm to create a priceless futuristic feel. “Shuttle Ride” sounds quite like other ME2 music, which could be seen in an entirely positive light. “Finding Samara” begins slowly, but builds to what nearly sounds like battle music, adding some appreciable dynamism.
“Facial Reconstruction” pumps out impeccable moody spaciness with its undulating synthesizers. This is a short track that doesn’t undergo much change, but it’s my favorite. This is the music that plays in my mind when I’m reading about space travel and alien life. “Following Archangel” has an alluring, gentle quality while being simultaneously eerie, perfect for a dangerous and infamous assassin of unknown (temporarily at least) identity. “Negotiating with Miranda” and “Pure Krogan” are the least engaging tracks on the album; both are rather innocuous in that forgettable sort of way.
I always knew the official ME2 OST left something out, and here’s part of it. I actually prefer the synth-based science-fictiony music to the more orchestral and traditional sound heard during many of ME2’s big events (although the combination of both is often spectacular). The synthesizers create that perfect spacey, futuristic atmosphere, and only Vangelis does it better.
