Minecraft Volume Alpha

Minecraft is a dreamscape, a limitless world whereanything is possible. Minecraft is a tool, a means ofbringing the imagination to life. Minecraft is acommunity, a platform on which inventive minds of allages can share their creations and ideas. Minecraft, ofcourse, is also a game, the most popular and best-sellingvideo game of all time. Created in 2009 by Swedishprogrammer Markus "Notch" Persson, this culturalphenomenon speaks volumes of our current zeitgeist'slove for virtual spaces, but it's unprecedented successcouldn't be pinned on one factor alone. Countless layersof thoughtful artistry flow through Minecraft's singularexperience, not the least of which is it's transportivesoundtrack by C418, the project of German composerand musician Daniel Rosenfeld. Minecraft Volume Alpha,the first installment of a two-part OST, helped breathelife into the game's voxel-based universe. Upon release,fans and critics were universally enamored with C418'sbeatless, nuanced electronic pieces. Popular gaming siteKotaku named it among The Best Game Music of 2011,calling the music "remarkably soothing." The Guardiancompared Rosenfeld's delicate piano and sparseambient motifs to legendary artists Erik Satie and BrianEno. Polygon distilled Volume Alpha to it's essence: "It'snot bound by the retro aesthetic of Minecraft's graphics.It transcends them. The album is an attempt to uplift thecombined game/music experience into the sublime."