Smalland: Survive The Wilds
Original Video Game Score

The Smalland score is a lushly orchestrated work that captures the essence of a magical, whimsical world through neo-classical composition. Inspired by 1980s grand adventure scores like The Dark Crystal and E.T., it blends nostalgic action-adventure idioms with a fresh, fairytale-like quality. Designed to transport listeners into the world of Smalland, where a tiny elf-like character embarks on a grand journey, the soundtrack avoids medieval fantasy tropes. Instead, it creates a unique sonic identity, using woodwind runs, lush strings, and orchestral color to replace percussion-heavy trends. Leaning on symphonic structures and classical ballet influences, it crafts a fairytale sound. Each track echoes the main motif, using all orchestral colors. The soundtrack is fully interactive, with seamless transitions and increasing intensity during combat, varying by time of day and biome, and featuring special tracks for perilous moments like thunderstorms. Combat music is semi-procedural, using random loopable segments to prevent ear fatigue. Implemented in Wwise, these creative choices enhance the sense of adventure, mystery, and wonder in Smalland.