Braid (New LP)

Thekla and Laced Records invite you to submerge yourself in the musical world of Braid, Anniversary Edition, a remaster and expansion of the iconic puzzle-platformer, first released in 2008.15 tracks have been specially remastered and pressed to heavyweight vinyl, housed in printed inner sleeves that slip into a widespined outer sleeve. Eight tracks used in the 2008 release of Braid are present, with music by Jami Sieber, Shira Kammen, Pam Swan and Cheryl Ann Fulton. These are accompanied by seven brand new electro-ambient remixes created by Martin Stig Andersen (LIMBO, INSIDE, Control) for the Braid, Anniversary Edition game release.Braid’s creator Jonathan Blow had specific criteria for the soundtrack. Instead of bespoke compositions, he chose organic and complex pre-existing pieces that would complement the puzzle gameplay and painterly world. Functionally, the music needed to sound satisfying both in reverse and pitched down in order to make the various time-based mechanics more satisfying to players. Aesthetically, fan-favourite tracks like “”Downstream”” and “”Lullaby Set”” root the player in a natural, mindful setting – albeit a hostile one. A thread that runs through Jami Sieber and Shira Kammen’s compositions in particular is the inspiration taken from the natural world, from a Thai river with elephants wading, to the Grand Canyon.The remasters are the result of thoughtful and often painstaking work to bring the recordings up to date for a contemporary game release, taking into account the way certain instruments reflect the visual aesthetics of Braid’s world and the player’s gameplay state. The Braid, Anniversary Edition remixes by Andersen were created through an artful process of de-composition and redesign, in order to better match the darker tone of Braid’s later stages.