Video Game LOFI – Celeste | Vinyl Review By Britt "recommended listening for lazy Sunday afternoons or boozy, woozy evenings" 🍓@nokbient #Vinyl #VideoGameVinyl

Games can mean a lot to people, anyone who has read my Tux and Fanny review will know this. Celeste is a game that several of my close friends hold dear, and often refer to when discussions of ‘the best games ever’ crops up. As such, I was acutely aware of the regard in which Celeste is held, the soundtrack especially – and so I was curious how the music would be treated here by Nokbient.

From Nokbient’s Bandcamp:

Just breathe.

You can do this.

Slow down with ephemeral beats and drifting melodies, and wave-dash lofi melodies from Celeste Mountain directly into your subconscious. Join producer Nokbient as they explore a chill reimagining of Lena Raine's soundtrack to the 2018 indie game phenomenon Celeste by Maddie Makes Games.

"Special thanks to Rob Anderson and Bas van den Eersten for their help on this album. Without your friendship and incredible musical ability, this album wouldn't have happened. You have truly elevated this project to a whole new level, and I can't thank you enough for that. Additional thanks to Lena Raine and the entire Maddy Makes Games team for their incredible work on Celeste, an experience which touched my heart and helped me get through a difficult moment in my life, and one I strived to honor with this album. From the bottom of my heart, thank you everyone. Made with love for those who listen." - Noel Keith (Nokbient)

The cover of the album (artwork courtesy of Drew Wise) shows the titular mountain in black and grey with an extremely effective holographic effect, with flashes of rainbow colour appearing as the record is moved around. It works well with the lore and presentation of the game itself as it gives off whimsical, dream-like vibes. 

Turning over the cover shows the same holographic effect over a large, winged strawberry (I don’t think that I’ve ever written those two words together before), with the album information and track listing below. 

This is a single black vinyl album featuring ten songs in total, five on each side. The inner stickers on the record feature a ragged, rainbow flag on one side, and a colourful heart on the other, the colours used here echo the holographic album cover, so it’s all very thematic and uniform, coolly oozing style.

Track listing

Side A:

First Steps – 

Rustling winds and rich, organic piano begin the record. A light, airy wavering effect lulls through as a melodic line joins the piano. Soon, a pulsing bass drum beat and stick-hits that almost sound like the ticking of a clock act as a companion ‘snare’ to the bass drum, giving things a touch of trip-hop. The key part for me though, is the incredibly beautiful touches of strings that are the flag on the top of this particular mountain. A virtual hug to Save Point for his mastering work here, as these melancholic string slides are absolutely devasting in how luxuriously they’ve been captured, mastered and balanced here. A low-key - but wonderful - opener that grabbed me instantly.

Resurrections – 

A more contemplative start here as single notes echo out, soon joined by rising harp and a muted hip-hop beat. It continues the template of woozy calm that the first song captured, and also features rich string work to fill out the huge and yet subtle sound. So far, this is a very intimate record, with the recording style feeling very close and natural, there’s an incredible sense of warmth here that is astonishingly soothing.

Checking In – 

Glassy keys kick this one off, it feels more upbeat than the preceding tracks and has an ‘80s vibe that is accentuated by one of the best-sounding bass lines I’ve ever encountered, it literally sounds perfect, moving and bubbling along under the main melody, definitely a standout track for me; that blend of sexy bass and shimmering, reverb-laden instrumentation bleeding out over it and away into the cosmos.

Quiet and Falling – 

This instantly reminded me of the underwater music from Donkey Kong Country in the very initial opening notes, having that same groove and dreamy thoughtfulness in the sonics. This also features some great pumping bass that is locked into the drums, a very sexy track. The middle section, where a central melody takes over is astonishingly evocative and powerful. Each track so far has its own personality, but all spring from the same musical tree in that there’s certainly a mood being created, and I like it. I like it a lot.

Madeline and Theo – 

In a call back to the first track on the album, lilting, very intimate piano rings out dustily, as if being played mournfully by a grieving grandfather in a sunlit attic, it’s a track that aches with unspoken emotion that soon morphs into a cathartic release of soundscapes and rock-solid beats. The shimmering organ works perfectly with the rest of the instrumentation and ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ use of acoustic guitar.

Side B:

Reflection – 

A more upbeat intro here, leaning into lounge jazz territory – very much up my strasse – with a pronounced, snappy beat, BIG ol’ piano chords and a shuffling hi-hat beat keeping things sexy. Don’t worry, that awesome bass line is here too, don’t panic about that! The atmospheric sounds create a light air of mystery, adding some narrative depth to the music, elevating it from a great track to a key track. Some of the samples here are absolutely sublime and quite esoteric, good!

Little Goth – 

A much more downtrodden, almost atonal opening note that wavers through downscale piano, the minor key here intimates that all is not well…at all. That said, it’s one of my favourite tracks for its emotional power alone. Laconic drums roll along under gorgeous melodies and minimalist, thick chords that ring out – leading up to a chorus that ups the tempo whilst losing none of the emotive strength. A heavy-duty track, and one that shifts the emotional core of the record, especially when placed as it is straight after Reflection.

Reach for the Summit – 

…and just like that, it’s back to cool, glassy grooves and rumbling bass with jazzy piano! The sense of victory and positivity in this song is the perfect tonic to the mysterious and eerie Little Goth, this is definitely an album that isn’t afraid to lead the listener on a dance around the emotional spectrum.

My Dearest Friends – 

A beautiful ditty played through what sounds like a karimba-esque sample, the aching violin swells, tinkling piano and deep organ is mesmerising, and again highlights the quality of the album production itself. This is a song that cups its hands around childhood innocence, protecting it from harm in a careful embrace.

Exhale – 

Similar in style to My Dearest Friends in the innocent delivery, Exhale ends the album with a BIG bass downscale, layers of piano – including a lovely repeated high note – and slow, meaningful drums, it’s a song that feels the perfect companion to the penultimate track and ends the record on a high, great stuff from start to finish, an album with incredible impact.

SUMMARY
As someone who hasn’t spent much time with Celeste, I was surprised by how much of an emotional impact listening to this had on me, I can imagine that if you had memories of the game, and connected with the story and characters, this would bring you to your knees thought its emotional delivery. Beautiful, warm production and classy in terms of physical presentation, these are ten very important versions of songs from a rightfully loved game, absolutely recommended listening for lazy Sunday afternoons or boozy, woozy evenings.