Music Inspirations

Music Inspirations for Alkebulan

Atmospheric and thematic music to inspire and accompany your dark post-nuclear fantasy world

Essential Atmospheric Artists

Post-Apocalyptic Soundscapes

  • Godspeed You! Black Emperor
    • F♯ A♯ ∞ - Apocalyptic orchestral landscapes, hope amid decay
    • Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven - Epic post-rock narratives
    • Luciferian Towers - Recent work, more hopeful but still haunting
  • Ben Frost
    • By the Throat - Industrial, threatening soundscapes
    • A U R O R A - Electronic/orchestral hybrid, tension and release
    • The Centre Cannot Hold - Orchestral chaos and beauty
  • Tim Hecker
    • Ravedeath, 1972 - Decaying electronic beauty
    • Virgins - Processed acoustic instruments, ghostly atmospheres
    • Konoyo - Gagaku-influenced, ancient/future collision

Dark Ambient & Drone

  • Stars of the Lid
    • And Their Refinement of the Decline - Minimal, gorgeous, melancholic
    • The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid - Perfect for contemplative moments
  • William Basinski
    • The Disintegration Loops - Decay as music, memory dissolution
    • Melancholia - Beautiful destruction, time’s passage
  • Lustmord
    • Heresy - Dark ambient pioneer, industrial cathedral sounds
    • The Place Where the Black Stars Hang - Space horror atmospheres

Genre-Specific Recommendations

Industrial & Post-Industrial

  • Swans
    • To Be Kind - Epic, ritualistic, community-building through sound
    • The Seer - Lengthy explorations of power and transcendence
    • Soundtracks for the Blind - Apocalyptic folk and industrial fusion
  • Neurosis
    • Through Silver in Blood - Sludge metal meets post-rock, environmental themes
    • Times of Grace - Heavy beauty, struggle and redemption
    • Fires Within Fires - Mature work, less aggressive but still powerful
  • Sunn O)))
    • Monoliths & Dimensions - Ritualistic drone metal
    • Life Metal - Surprisingly hopeful for such heavy music
    • Perfect for underground sequences and mystical moments

Neo-Classical & Modern Composition

  • Max Richter
    • The Blue Notebooks - Post-classical with political undertones
    • Memoryhouse - Electronic/classical hybrid, memory themes
    • Sleep - 8-hour composition, meditative and healing
  • Ólafur Arnalds
    • Re:member - Piano and strings with electronic processing
    • Island Songs - Collaborations with Icelandic musicians, community themes
    • Perfect for rebuilding/hope sequences
  • Nils Frahm
    • Spaces - Live recordings, human connection through music
    • All Melody - Experimental classical, ancient instruments with modern techniques
    • Great for Port Zephyr’s cosmopolitan atmosphere

Post-Rock & Cinematic

  • Explosions in the Sky
    • The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place - Uplifting post-rock, perfect for hope moments
    • Friday Night Lights soundtrack - Community and struggle themes
  • Mono
    • Requiem for Hell - Orchestral post-rock, biblical themes
    • Nowhere Now Here - Heavy and beautiful, destruction and renewal
  • This Will Destroy You
    • Young Mountain - Epic emotional journeys
    • Tunnel Blanket - More electronic-influenced, perfect for contamination zones

Specific Campaign Applications

Session Background Music

Exploration & Travel

  • Stars of the Lid - For long journeys, contemplative moments
  • Tim Hecker - For contaminated zones, eerie beauty
  • Ólafur Arnalds - For safe havens, community moments

Combat & Tension

  • Ben Frost - For high-stakes conflict, magical storms
  • Neurosis - For desperate battles, environmental threats
  • Godspeed You! Black Emperor - For epic confrontations, political tension

Urban Environments (Port Zephyr)

  • Nils Frahm - For market scenes, cultural mixing
  • Max Richter - For political intrigue, upper-class environments
  • Explosions in the Sky - For community celebrations, hope moments

Ruins & Ancient Sites

  • William Basinski - For pre-Cataclysm ruins, memory sequences
  • Lustmord - For dangerous ancient technology
  • Sunn O))) - For mystical/religious sites, underground chambers

Character Themes

Remnant Keepers

  • Max Richter - On the Nature of Daylight - Quiet dedication, hidden purpose
  • Godspeed You! Black Emperor - East Hastings - Secret organizations, moral complexity

Imperial Agents

  • Ben Frost - Killshot - Authority, intimidation, state power
  • Swans - Power for Power - Institutional might, hierarchical control

Survivors & Communities

  • Explosions in the Sky - Your Hand in Mine - Human connection, mutual aid
  • Mono - Ashes in the Snow - Resilience, rebuilding after trauma

Contaminated/Mutated Characters

  • Tim Hecker - Chimera - Beautiful corruption, transformation
  • William Basinski - dlp 1.1 - Decay as identity, memory loss

Regional Musical Themes

The Whispering Wastes (Desert)

  • Brian Eno - Ambient 4: On Land - Vast spaces, hidden dangers
  • Stars of the Lid - Apreludes - Endless horizons, contemplation
  • Tim Hecker - Harmony in Ultraviolet - Heat shimmer, mirages

Port Zephyr (Coastal Trading Hub)

  • Nils Frahm - Felt - Intimate piano, human scale
  • Ólafur Arnalds - Near Light - Optimistic but complex
  • Max Richter - Written on the Sky - Cultural sophistication

Amunrai Imperium (Desert Empire)

  • Ben Frost - Theory of Machines - Industrial power, state authority
  • Sunn O))) - Big Church - Monumental architecture, religious authority
  • Swans - The Glowing Man - Imperial grandeur, overwhelming presence

Remnant Zones (Contaminated Areas)

  • William Basinski - The Disintegration Loops - Decay, dangerous beauty
  • Tim Hecker - An Imaginary Country - Altered reality, perceptual distortion
  • Lustmord - Zoetrope - Alien environments, otherworldly danger

Underground Settlements

  • Stars of the Lid - The Lonely People - Intimate communities, protection
  • Nils Frahm - Says - Acoustic warmth, human connection
  • Max Richter - Written on the Sky - Culture preservation, education

Film Soundtrack Inspirations

Direct Parallels

  • Children of Men (John Tavener, King Crimson) - Hope in hopeless world
  • The Road (Nick Cave & Warren Ellis) - Post-apocalyptic survival
  • Mad Max: Fury Road (Junkie XL) - Desert action, resource wars
  • Blade Runner 2049 (Hans Zimmer, Benjamin Wallfisch) - Environmental collapse
  • Chernobyl (Hildur Guðnadóttir) - Invisible contamination, institutional failure

Thematic Matches

  • There Will Be Blood (Jonny Greenwood) - Resource extraction, corruption
  • The Revenant (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alva Noto) - Survival against nature
  • Arrival (Jóhann Jóhannsson) - Communication across cultures, ancient mysteries
  • Sicario (Jóhann Jóhannsson) - Moral complexity, institutional violence
  • Under the Skin (Mica Levi) - Alien beauty, predatory systems

Video Game Soundtracks

Post-Apocalyptic

  • Fallout Series - 1950s Americana meets nuclear wasteland
  • Metro Series - Underground survival, Slavic influences
  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Series - Contaminated zones, ambient horror
  • The Last of Us - Community building after catastrophe
  • Horizon Zero Dawn - Nature reclaiming technology

Fantasy/Political

  • The Witcher 3 - Morally complex fantasy, political intrigue
  • Disco Elysium - Post-communist themes, urban decay
  • Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Complex magic systems, environmental storytelling
  • Crusader Kings - Medieval politics, dynastic struggle

African-Influenced Artists

To honor your world’s cultural inspiration

Contemporary African Artists

  • Tinariwen - Tuareg desert blues, resistance music
  • Ali Farka Touré - Malian blues, ancient/modern fusion
  • Baaba Maal - Senegalese singer, traditional/contemporary mix
  • Amadou & Mariam - Malian duo, “Afro-blues”
  • Bombino - Niger guitarist, desert rock

African Diaspora

  • Mulatu Astatke - Ethiopian jazz, “Ethio-jazz” pioneer
  • Fela Kuti - Nigerian Afrobeat, political resistance music
  • Abdullah Ibrahim - South African jazz, apartheid-era resistance
  • Hugh Masekela - South African trumpeter, exile music

Fusion Artists

  • Konono N°1 - Congolese electronic traditional music
  • BLK JKS - South African experimental rock
  • Shabaka and the Ancestors - London-based South African spiritual jazz

Practical Campaign Applications

Session Playlist Structure

  1. Opening (5-10 minutes): Set mood, establish atmosphere
  2. Exploration (30-45 minutes): Background for travel, investigation
  3. Tension Building (10-15 minutes): Escalating stakes, approaching conflict
  4. Climax (15-20 minutes): Action sequences, major revelations
  5. Resolution (5-10 minutes): Aftermath, character moments, next steps

Volume and Mixing Tips

  • Keep background music at 20-30% volume during dialogue
  • Fade out completely during important dramatic moments
  • Use silence as effectively as sound
  • Have backup tracks ready for unexpected scene changes
  • Test audio levels with your specific setup before sessions

Building Emotional Arcs

  • Hope to Despair: Start with Ólafur Arnalds, move to Tim Hecker
  • Tension to Release: Build with Ben Frost, resolve with Stars of the Lid
  • Individual to Community: Begin with solo piano, add orchestral elements
  • Past to Present: Use degraded/processed sounds transitioning to clear tones

Essential Starter Collection

Most Important Albums (Priority Order)

  1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯ A♯ ∞ (Post-apocalyptic atmosphere)
  2. Max Richter - The Blue Notebooks (Political complexity)
  3. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972 (Contaminated beauty)
  4. Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline (Contemplative travel)
  5. Ben Frost - By the Throat (Tension and conflict)
  6. William Basinski - The Disintegration Loops (Memory and decay)
  7. Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place (Hope and community)
  8. Ólafur Arnalds - Re:member (Rebuilding and renewal)

Budget-Friendly Streaming Approach

  • Most of these artists are available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music
  • Create separate playlists for different moods/regions
  • Download for offline use during sessions
  • Many artists offer free tracks on Bandcamp or SoundCloud

This music will help create the perfect atmosphere for your dark but hopeful post-nuclear fantasy world. The key is matching the emotional journey of your sessions - from contemplative exploration to tense conflict to moments of human connection and hope.