Writing with Music & Mood
Setting the stage with a soundtrack
Ahoy Mythopoeians!
What a crazy two weeks it’s been, filled with travel and trade shows. First was ComicsPRO, which I attended for the first time as a guest, taking in the sights and sounds of Auction Night and then getting a tour from my good friend Mark de Vera of Yen Press on how the event functions during the daytime. Following that, I immediately flew to GAMA Expo, which in many ways is the tabletop game equivalent of ComicsPRO, except much larger in size, scope, and reach.
Both industries face upheaval and uncertainty in the face of distributors collapsing and impending tariffs, but this is a writing blog, so I’ll save my thoughts on that for another time and place…
Let’s Talk About Music!
Today I’d like to talk a little about music, and it’s role in my writing process, especially as it pertains to Glow. Since 2016 I’ve had a running playlist for Glow, and recently it’s gone through a number of additions (and only existed in its current form since 2022).
I’m fairly particular about listening to music while working. I don’t like to listen to lyrics - or at least lyrics I can understand - as I find them distracting while in deep work, but in a similiar vein to set and place (writing in a coffee shop) I’ve found that listening to a particular playlist that evokes the sights, sounds, and mood of the world I’m trying to embody has been quite fruitful in helping get the creative juices going. What’s interesting to me, looking back, is how the tracklist has evolved over the years. That said, here’s a deep a dive on some of the tracks on the list, and what they mean to Glow:
Apotheosis - Austin Wintory (Intention Setter)
The first track I ever added to playlist was track 17 from the Journey soundtrack - Apotheosis. Journey is an obvious reference for Glow - it came out around the same time we were putting the project together, exploring many of the same themes we were fascinated with. A strange and mysterious world, filled with wonder and ruins from a bygone age. The title of the track, Apotheosis, holds particular meaning to what I ultimately want to say thematically with Glow. This is a story about fallen empires and their hubris in trying to become Gods.
The symbol of the ouroboros is the symbol of Mythopoeia. Divinity, Understanding, and Magic are important touchstones in my life as I continue to make sense of this strange thing we call life. Apotheosis invokes the feeling of possibility that is so key to the way I think about Glow, and thus it’s placement as the number one track and almost always the first play when I get into drafting.
Wolf Totem - The Hu (The Stonehand Theme)
Ah, the Stonehands. Barbarians of my Heart. The Id of my existence, the desire to be strong, conquer, and build community. These complicated antagonists have a number of tracks dedicated to them, but the first ever added was this banger from the Mongolian metal band The Hu.
I think about the Mongol Horde a lot. It’s fascinating to me how a culture dedicated almost solely to hunting and warfare was able to stamp itself into the fabric of the world. What is it about nomadic peoples that make them so fierce, so unconquerable? Will we ever see such conditions for such a culture to exist again? Space nomads? Or maybe post-humans, reclaiming the Earth after some great war or catastrophe. Maybe, just maybe…
Such was the genesis of the Stonehands. Music like The Hu gets my blood pumping. Battle is Conflict, and Conflict is Meaning.
Norupo - Heilung (Myra’s Theme)
Unofficially, Myra the Witch’s theme, Norupu by Scandinavian experimental folk band Heilung just feels… magical, in the way that magic is at once mysterious, powerful, and a little bit scary. This track certainly fills me with … dread? Power? It makes me feel something. Something ancient and powerful.
Reverse Dance - Andrey Vinogradov (Caszy’s Theme)
Caszy, the dancer, the hunter, conflicted in her rage and desire to protect those around her. At times, the deadliest thing in the Wastes. For her, a song that demands your attention through its grace, complexity, and rhythm. In her quest to save those she cares about, will she damn the ones that have wronged her so? A dance, a reversal, intertwined within.
Sleeper - Amos Roddy (Koken’s Theme)
For Koken, a softer song - almost a lullaby. One that invokes wonder, innocence and maybe a hint of loneliness. I’ve never played Citizen Sleeper (I should change that), but damn if I haven’t listened to both of the soundtracks for hours and hours.
Pythagorean Triples - Lucid Soundscapes (Glow Theme)
Though I began the playlist with Apotheosis, I never felt like that track quite encompassed the foreboding sense of awe and wonder I want to evoke with Glow. It’s always been great as a starting point, but I could never see that track used for a trailer for the series, for instance. Not so with the track above. There’s something strange, ethereal, and mesmerizing to the song… imagine the track playing as the all encompassing Wastes rise in the distance, until we see two shadows…
Music, bringing the good vibes! What songs come to your mind when you think of Glow, or what songs do you find yourself drawn to while working on your creative outlets? Let me know in the comments below!
Ray