Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes (Original Music from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor) is an album of diegetic music featured in Respawn Entertainment's 2023 video game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The album assembles music tracks players could collect within the game, which could then be played in Pyloon's Saloon when interacting with the droid DD-EC.[5] Each track in the album credited both in-universe musical artists and the out-of-universe music groups who created it. The album was released alongside the game and its official soundtrack on April 28, 2023.[4]
The eclectic album featured five musical artists from around the globe, each contributing three songs in their unique styles. Within Jedi: Survivor itself, each artist was credited as an in-universe musician. Featured artists in Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes included the American indie rock band Joywave, performing as the in-universe group Yubnib Zekk and the Main Characters; the Tel Aviv-based instrumental trio TATRAN, performing as NAAARTAAAT, "TATRAN" spelled backwards with extra A's; the Turkish psychedelic rock band Altın Gün, who performed under the tongue-in-cheek pseudonym Altin Lazer Blaster; the Floridian multi-instrumentalist music producer Kaelin Ellis, whose in-universe persona Mister Mockwell was a different stylization of his previous out-of-universe pseudonym, Mr. Mockwell;[6] and the popular Mongolian folk metal band The HU, who reprised their role from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order as the in-universe band The Agasar.[4]
Track listing[]
- "Ebon Flow" – Yubnib Zekk and the Main Characters (In-universe), Joywave (Out-of-universe)
- "Spiceman" – NAAARTAAAT (In-universe), TATRAN (Out-of-universe)
- "High Waves" – Altin Lazer Blaster (In-universe), Altın Gün (Out-of-universe)
- "Sublime Raid II" – Mister Mockwell (In-universe), Kaelin Ellis (Out-of-universe)
- "Eseerin Vasahina" – The Agasar (In-universe), The HU (Out-of-universe)
- "Shortpaw's Dance" – Altin Lazer Blaster (In-universe), Altın Gün (Out-of-universe)
- "Zanara" – Mister Mockwell (In-universe), Kaelin Ellis (Out-of-universe)
- "Meet Me at the Sabacc Table" – Yubnib Zekk and the Main Characters (In-universe), Joywave (Out-of-universe)
- "Ground Pulse" – NAAARTAAAT (In-universe), TATRAN (Out-of-universe)
- "Hohochu" – The Agasar (In-universe), The HU (Out-of-universe)
- "Rumble Droid" – Altin Lazer Blaster (In-universe), Altın Gün (Out-of-universe)
- "Who Mourns for Taris?" – Yubnib Zekk and the Main Characters (In-universe), Joywave (Out-of-universe)
- "Fields of Dusk" – NAAARTAAAT (In-universe), TATRAN (Out-of-universe)
- "Revisit Waters" – Mister Mockwell (In-universe), Kaelin Ellis (Out-of-universe)
- "Eerin Siinaa" – The Agasar (In-universe), The HU (Out-of-universe)
Development[]
The tracks compiled in Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes were primarily collaborations between the Jedi: Survivor music team, particularly music director Nick Laviers and composers Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab, and the credited artists. They reached out to the eclectic group of musicians who would contribute to Pyloon's Saloon's atmosphere, providing them with a loose Star Wars style guide. Through their early communications over Zoom video calls and later via email, the video game music team collaborated with the independent artists to craft an authentic Star Wars sound that maintained the musical identities of the artists themselves.[1]
The Search for Bands[]
Development of the in-universe music began in the first half of 2020, as the Jedi: Survivor music team crafted the general atmosphere of Pyloon's Saloon. By September of that year, they decided they would hire a kaleidoscope of artists in an attempt to capture a wide array of styles that was very heterogenous. To determine which artists they would reach out to, Laviers asked for input from the entire game development team, including collaborators at Lucasfilm. Taking an open-minded approach to the search, this collaboration with the wider team led to a massive document filled with YouTube video links to artists and songs whose style could potentially fit with the style of the cantina, and the music team carefully analyzed the suggestions.[7]
The exception to the vast search was The HU, who continued working with the developers following their work on Jedi: Fallen Order. In fact, their songs that appeared in Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes were written in early 2020. The music team contemplated whether to feature the tracks in the large 2020 update to Jedi: Fallen Order or not, before ultimately deciding to hang onto the tracks for the sequel. Laviers tinkered with The HU's tracks some during the development of the game, however.[7]
The first new band that was officially brought on was TATRAN. The group was discovered by a member of the game's music team at a music show, where he met the TATRAN drummer, Dan Mayo. The larger team was quite intrigued by TATRAN's music video "Border View," wherein the group's unique, groovy sound shone through.[7]
Next to be hired was the Turkish group Altın Gün, who were initially sourced by the wider game development team. The music team was drawn to their alien blend of music styles that was, furthermore, distinct from TATRAN and The HU and fit Respawn's vision for the cantina. In order to allow for rapping and other vocals within their music, Laviers and his team worked with the band to create a novel language to perform.[7]
The last two artists to be hired were Kaelin Ellis and Joywave. These groups were also brought to the music team's attention by their collaborators within Respawn and Lucasfilm. The music team was drawn to Ellis's more relaxed, chilled vibe, and to Joywave's accessible pop sound. Each of the five artists chosen for the album already had established followings and identities, which was important to the music team. It allowed them to help each group riff off of their established styles in a way that meshed with the other sounds and the overall atmosphere of the cantina.[7]
Of critical importance to the development team was that the music reflected the unique styles of each artist. This meant relinquishing creative control to the musicians, who largely worked autonomously. The artists even had significant creative control over their in-universe personas, album covers, and song titles. The team at Respawn still helped tweak the music to home in on details that made the music feel more authentically Star Wars, though.[1]
From In-game Music to an Album[]
Development of the album itself did not begin until relatively late in the development of Jedi: Survivor, only approaching the head of EA music in November, 2022 about releasing the cantina music separately. Before that point, Laviers, Barton, and Haab were unsure if the diegetic music would be integrated with the orchestral soundtrack or not. The team was excited by the prospect of releasing the in-universe tracks as a separate album, as it allowed for fans to experience the atmosphere of the game in two distinct ways: the more serious orchestral soundtrack to relive story moments, and the more casual listening of Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes to enjoy a party vibe. They also saw a rare opportunity to release in-universe Star Wars music that could be enjoyed online, without needing to boot up a game.[7]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Jedi Survivor's eclectic cantina music was built on Zoom and emails on theloadout.com (archived from the original on October 2, 2023)
- ↑
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - Album Art on Andrew Rennie's profile on ArtStation (August 17, 2023) (backup link)
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lDOnmV
- ↑ 3.0 3.1
Disney Music (@DisneyMusic) on Twitter: "Trust only in the Force .... Star Wars Jedi Survivor is LIVE! Listen to Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes album, out now: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWUgUvAPAFxdh?si=55067ec094164e4b" (backup link)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Spotify: Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes (Original Music from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor) on Spotify.com (archived from the original on January 6, 2024)
- ↑ Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- ↑ Kaelin Ellis: Bio on kaelinellis.com (archived from the original on March 31, 2023)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 How Respawn gave Jedi Survivor the most eclectic Star Wars music yet on theloadout.com (archived from the original on November 29, 2023)
External links[]
Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes (Original Music from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on Amazon.com (backup link) (Digital download)- Spotify: Sounds from the Galactic Skylanes (Original Music from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor) on Spotify.com (archived from the original on January 6, 2024) (Stream)
