Interview with Dimitriy Dyachenko - You Are Empty soundtrack composer

Game-OST just connected with Dimitriy Dyachenko, a main guy behind the music of "You Are Empty". Recently this game soundtrack was released by Russian label KeepMoving Records. So everyone, who wants to know more about this fantastic music, should read this very carefully.

When did you start to write music and what did you plan to do at the very beginning? Do you have a musical education?

It took me 17 years to get a classical musical education. When I was in the 1st form I studied in a special music school, then I studied at a State music conservatory by P.Chaikovsky. I began to write music when I was 16.I had dreamt of being a civil pilot since my childhood, and this dream have partially come true - I have to fly a lot, but as a passenger, not a pilot yet.

What bands have influenced you most?

First of all they`re the russian composers - Chaikovski, Shostakovich, Prokofiev and lots of French composers, including modern ones. A lot of things connect me with France, I love French and, actually, it`s really a musical and singing country. I have no doubts that this country has influenced me. And also such bands as Pink Floyd, ToTo, Сhicago, A-Ha, Nine Inch Nails, Def Leppard, Angel’s tears, Deep Forest, Sting, Karunesh. I`m really delighted with the music by Alexey Rybnikov, Alan Silvestri, Hans Zimmer, and lots of others.

What`s your first memory connected with music?
It`s a French movie of 1967 again - «Adventurers». When I first saw it I liked it so much that I played all the music from that movie.

What musical instruments can you play? What equipment and programs do you use for work?

I can play the keyboard instruments professionally, the guitar a little, the wind and percussion instruments.

There`re different non-musical sounds in some compositions. Were they the samples from music libraries or you recorded it somewhere outside the music studio?

Well, it was different. I normally record the sounds very often. You can see me with a «gun» and/or with a recording device whenever and wherever. That`s my job and a hobby at the same time.

Let me tell you a bit about the sounds used in the album. In the first composition there`s a sound of a monster - it was the voice of Victor «Lukash» Marchevsky, the most talented concept artist who died suddenly. The game «You Are Empty» is dedicated to him. Victor also helped to vocalize «The fireman» character. It was fantastic! He took a gas mask, asked to put it on and shout something. We recorded several takes. Excellent work!

The voices of the vocalists in the track «Theatre of Spirit» were recorded and adapted to create the feeling of a flight, the attendance of music in the forgotten theatre. The archival record of one of the «public figures`»performance goes through the whole track «Gorsovet (Council of City)» on a party convention. This record creates the tense atmosphere of the Soviet totalitarianism. At the end of this track you can hear the main theme of the album which is a little modified. In some compositions, including «Heart of Communism» there`s a guitar play, which was performed by Eugene «Frodo» Karpenko, the designer of the levels «You Are Empty». When we were recording this track he was playing the guitar, I was playing the electronic instruments - we forgot about the time. The game doesn`t include all his wonderful levels and compositions.

Whose idea was it to write a waltz?
I don`t remember exactly whose idea it was. I wrote the waltz for a dare for 1 night for a demonstrational promo where another waltz by one of the modern composers was used as an accompanying. I substituted this waltz for mine and since that time it has remained in the game. You can hear the waltz on the very first level «Hospital» where it sounds in one of the wards in the madhouse as a curing therapy, in one cut-scene movie and also in «You Are Empty» final credits.

But let me tell you about the soundtrack itself. The album «Totalitar» was written during the creation of a project for the video game «You Are Empty» in Digital Spray Studios. The Soviet age, the inculcate of ideology and the collapse of the experiment of the superman creation are reflected in the music. Numerous sound effects, ambients and music compositions created by me totally involve you into the process of the game. Their aim is to create the certain atmosphere for different levels: «Railway Station», «Theatre of Spirit», «Reactor-Zone1», «Underground Ambient», «Wandering on Roofs» and others.

The main track of the album is the composition «Heart of Communism». Some tracks sound as independent music compositions, such as «Waltz», «Totalitarianism events», «Around the Time».

Have you ever felt the pressure from producers or you`ve been given the total creative freedom? Has the music initially been planned in such a style (ambient, electronic) or this decision appeared later?

The music style was destined by the idea of the game and there was absolutely no pressure. A good team was formed where each of us tried to understand each other, because we all liked the project and we all worked at the same idea, in one breath.

Cooperation with this team helped realize the idea of the project which was vocalized in full measure. I worked at creation of the sounds, vocalizing the characters, video trailers, the creation of the soundtrack and I`d like to thank the whole team of the project for the atmosphere of cooperation and understanding!


Could you tell about the technical staff of your studio?

Sure. There`re several computers with 2 displays, Laptop, sound card TC Electroinc Konnekt 24, studio monitors Dynaudio Acoustic & AKG K240, synthesizer Korg Triton Extreme, midi-keyboard M-Audio, a couple of microphones and several recording devices. Also there`re program sequencers Sonar & Samplitude, a sound editor Sound Forge, plug-ins Waves, TC-Electronic, Korg Legaсy and other VST/DX-instruments.

Have you listened to the music by other game composers and could you point out you favorites among them?

I can point out Dr Stephen Baysted, Perttu Kivilaakso, and also Jesper Kyd, Mark Morgan, and Tommy Tallarico.

What are your creative plans for the future? Have you thought of recording your solo album?
I have some non-announced projects which I`m doing with my partners. The album is being created - it will be the piano music.

Thank you for the interview!

You are welcome! Good luck!



You can listen to samples and purchase «You Are Empty Original Soundtrack» at KeepMoving Records.

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