THE YOGSCAST: SHADOW OF ISRAPHEL – Daniel Yount

Original Review by Alan Rogers

I was concerned about writing this review when I know nothing of the composer or about the media in which this album seems to be related to. The composer, Daniel Yount, appears to be a teenager but has written several albums as well as individual tracks for various internet-based projects (LittleBIGPodcast anyone?) As founder and chief composer at AudioGrave, his main efforts seem to directed in production music, competing with the likes of Immediate Music and Two Steps From Hell in the world of movie trailer music. And from listening to the music featured on The YogsCast: Shadow of Israphel, he will certainly give the better-known outfits a run for their money.

The YogsCast: Shadow of Israphel appears to be a YouTube-based series that (and this is where I may be embarrassingly wrong) features footage of World of Warcraft-styled games. Whether Yount composes specifically for this footage or his music is tracked into the footage I have no idea, but what I do know is that the music is very listenable and the composer has a knack of composing pieces that are immediately attractive. This 30-minute album plays like a musical resumé, featuring a series of tracks that highlight his ability for composing the grand and epic through to the intimate and emotional. “Winds of Adventure” is pure cinematic trailer music with its pounding percussion and low and higher-register synth strings. But it’s a bit more restrained than the likes of Immediate Music. With this sounding like trailer music it is not long before there is the appearance of massed choir and it’s heard in the second track, “Dark Pharaoh’s Tomb”, which features huge nods to Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana before it heads off at a tangent with the choir and low string ostinatos. The key change towards the end of the cue emphasises even more the trailer music influences. The use of string ostinato, rhythmic percussion and choir appears time and time again throughout the album (e.g., “The Journey”, “Rise of Israphel”).

It’s not all synth strings, percussion and choir though. “Sands of Time” features synth strings, percussion and a bit of ethnic orchestration for that Middle Eastern feel, “Decommissioned” drops the ethic leanings and substitutes it with a synth rock keyboard sound to make things more urban and “Only Human” begins with delicate acoustic guitar tones…before launching back to the synth strings and percussion. And cues such as “Daisy’s Theme” allows the listener to draw breath as the tempo and power lessens and we hear a keyboard and synth woodwind passage. But Yount’s strength is in the more powerful writing and tracks such as “Daisy’s Theme” just make me want to move on to the next, more exciting track.

Yount has a knack of using synths that are pleasing to the ear and in combinations that are immensely listenable. This makes The YogsCast: Shadow of Israphel a collection of cues that are worthy of attention and should be of interest to anyone who are attracted to music used in movie trailers. Also, I love the artwork. Daniel Yount’s score can be downloaded from most usual digital music outlets.

Rating: ***

1. Winds of Adventure (2:00)
2. Dark Pharaoh’s Tomb (3:09)
3. Face of Shadow (1:09)
4. The Journey (2:16)
5. Peculier’s Theme (2:00)
6. Rise of Israphel (1:40)
7. Take A Chance (2:43)
8. Hope of The World (1:46)
9. Daisy’s Theme (2:12)
10. Travelling Theme (2:40)
11. Sands of Time (1:53)
12. Decommissioned (1:24)
13. Only Human (2:31)
14. Ode To Granny (3:19)

Running Time: 30:47

YogsCast Studios (2011)