«Audrey’s Dance» was an inspiration for one of Lorelei and the Laser Eyes big sequences and soundtrack moments.
It’s impossible to think of Simogo’s inventive library of games without conjuring the works of composer Daniel Olsén in your mind. From the chilling Year Walk, the hyperpop aesthetic of Sayonara Wild Hearts, or the mysterious Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, this catalog of indie titles take root in our minds in part because of how thematically their soundtracks match the gameplay and environment.
To find out how Olsén thinks about his projects, we reached out to him as part of Polygon FM, our theme week celebrating the intersection of music and games.
Polygon: Was there a game soundtrack or song that inspired you to pursue creating game music? Can you set the scene of what that felt like for you, and why the music was so effective?
Daniel Olsén: There wasn’t just one soundtrack that inspired me. I grew up in the era of 8-bit and 16-bit consoles and Commodore 64 — and like many others I was taken away by the NES classics like Super Mario, Zelda, and Mega Man. I think one of the great things about video game music is that when you step away from a game, the one thing you still have with you is the melodies, chords, and rhythms. I didn’t own my own consoles as a kid, but I would always walk around singing my favorite tunes and that would transport me back to the feeling of the games.
