Miles to Go, Before I Sleep - On Stories: Music as Narrative

About this episode

This episode explores the role of music in storytelling across various media, focusing on specific video games and their soundtracks.

I don't write essays about controversy in culture in media. But this essay will cover the use of music as a component of storytelling in other media, and therefore uses the 2026 videogame Mixtape as a starting point. Also covered are the games The Artful Escape (2021) and Unbeatable (2025), with light discussion regarding story and themes, as a part of a greater revelation. Tracks include: "Babylon" "Thunder Dreams" - Kevin Mcleod"Atmosphere (Instrumental)" - Joy Division"Watermark", "Miss Claire Remembers" - Enya"Dreamers" - Ruth Radelet"Dare" - Stan Bush"The Mountain" - Gorillaz"Heliotrommz Theme" - Johnny Galvatron"Roads" - Portishead"Bookend (Opening)" , "fragments from a forgotten sampler", "nothing. something, and everything" - Clara Maddux and Vasily Nikolaev"King of Pain (instrumental) - Original by The Police, Cover by Jenny Floor Outro is "This Is My Song!' by Carbon Leaf

Topics covered

• music as narrative
• storytelling
• video games
• cultural commentary
• themes in media

Keywords

• music
• storytelling
• video games
• narrative
• cultural commentary

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mixtape, The Artful Escape, Unbeatable

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