Transcendent dreams demand tangible manifestation, and so we present Ratvader's mesmerising, mystical soundtrack for the psychedelic metroidvania ULTROS on wax.
15 tracks have been specially mastered for vinyl and will be pressed onto heavyweight discs, to be housed in a deluxe gatefold sleeve. Sleeve art is by Niklas “El Huervo” Åkerblad, the visionary artist for ULTROS, and renowned artistic and musical contributor to the iconic Hotline Miami series.
Oscar Rydelius — AKA Ratvader — created a mellifluous, melodic soundtrack that sounds both organically human and alien at the same time. Hypnotic musical build-ups are patiently drawn out. He took the lead from Åkerblad/El Huervo’s mesmerising art, while ensuring ULTROS’ music “leaves room for the eyes.”
The score is peppered with field recordings of nature sounds from the Amazon rainforest and Peruvian instruments like whistling jars and bone flutes, giving some tracks a 1960s and ’70s New Age feeling. Classical instruments like the Cello and Flute, as well as haunting vocals, sail atop dense harmonic tapestries. For parts of the recording during the COVID pandemic, Rydelius and Åkerblad rented cabins on the Swedish island of Gotland (a notable Ingmar Bergman and Tarkovsky filming location) in order to soak up the natural vibes of that environment.
Central to the soul of the soundtrack is Cello player Björn Risberg, whose lyrical playing features prominently. Joining him were multi-flute instrumentalist Adrian Åsling Sellius, violinist Agnes Högberg and vocalist Anna-Maria Lundberg, in addition to El Huervo on multiple tracks.
The vinyl track selection focuses on the world and Sarcophagus of ULTROS. Ratvader personally curated the tracklist so that listeners would spin the vinyl, lay flat on the floor, and enter the world of the game, aiming for “a pleasant and present experience.”
