Overview

Another successful addition to the Need for Speed franchise, Need for Speed: ProStreet features music from a wide selection of popular artists. Fortunately for us, the Need for Speed ProStreet Official Soundtrack features most of these, in a 19 track journey released online. On the album are the likes of Unkle and CSS, and Junkie XL who also composed the original score for the game, which can be heard on the Need for Speed ProStreet Original Music album.

Body

The first part of the album is taken up mostly by indie rock/post-punk bands. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs get it all underway with their rather laidback punk track "Kiss Kiss." Unkle then follow with the similarly easy-going, but surreal "Restless," which also features in the racing rally game Colin McRae: Dirt 2. Two tracks which really stick out in this set of similar musical styles though are "Draw Japan" by The Horrors and TV on the Radio's "Wolf Like Me." Though "Draw Japan" isn't particularly fun to listen to, it has a unique sound, mostly created by the contrast of the vocals against the track's synth backdrop.

"Wolf Like Me," however, is the best of these. The track has become so successful commercially that it has appeared in multiple TV series', adverts, and games such as Project Gotham Racing 4. Perhaps this reduces its originality here though. What makes it really stand out is the fantastic riff which comes in around 0:17 and the spoken word vocals which overlie this.

Alongside the indie rock and post-punk bands, electronica bands also get a decent representation towards the end of the album. "Neon Knights," from MSTRKRFT (one of my favourite electro house groups) is one of the more striking examples, with its pulsating beats and throbbing melody. CSS take a completely different approach with their track "Odio Odio Odio Sorry C," which takes upon a brash obtrusive sound with the female vocalist literally shouting the words out. Datarock's "I Used to Dance With My Daddy" and Chromeo's electrofunk "Fancy Footwork," are both pretty catchy too, especially with the lyrics.

It's Junkie XL's "More" which I should really point out though, especially with the musician composing the original score for the game. "More" is actually dedicated to (and inspired by) Pacman, and was pushed out as a single release in conjunction with Need for Speed: ProStreet. It has a catchy beat and melody, but features some rather explicit lyrics, and doesn't especially have much to do with Pacman, but it's a nice addition nonetheless.

Summary

With the majority of these artists having music featured in other games (e.g. CSS, Chromeo, Datarock in FIFA 09) it's apparent that they must have that generic, popular gaming sound. My main criticisms are of the lack of memorable tracks on the album and also that some of the game's other licensed tracks aren't featured (e.g. Bloc Party and Digitalism). I think most of you who have already played the game will agree that the tracks all come together to create a unique experience, and I feel that this isn't represented here to its fullest, with the absence of the 15 or so other tracks. The album is certainly respectable — at least in the sense that it doesn't just stick to one specific genre of music — so either way it's still a worthy download from iTunes. Otherwise, if you like the sounds of some of the bands represented on here, then go ahead and take a look at their respective singles or albums noted in the iTunes page.

Overview

The 11th instalment in Electronic Arts' racing series, Need for Speed: ProStreet features an original score from the established electronica musician Junkie XL (Tom Holkenborg). With the composer contributing ten original tracks for the game, it's unsurprising that it would receive its own album release: Need for Speed ProStreet Original Music. Avid players and Junkie XL fans will know that his track "More" (released as a single in conjunction with the game's release) also features in the game. Although it doesn't feature on this album, you'll be able to hear it on Need For Speed ProStreet Official Soundtrack, which features the majority of the game's licensed music from popular artists such as Avenged Sevenfold, CSS, and The Toxic Avenger.

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I'm a huge fan of electronic music in games, and for an established electronica artist to compose the original score for a game is pretty exciting. The album is mostly split up into electronica tracks and electronica and rock fusions. Regarding the latter, the first track on the album is a good example. "Decalomania" takes upon the exact style I had expected from Junkie XL, having listened to his previous works. Starting off with a basic rhythm and inventive sounds, the most pulling part of the track comes in the form of an electrifying undertone at 0:29. The theme begins to develop around this section, with the odd electric guitar interjection here and there.

"Choke" takes upon a similar approach with the use of electric guitar too, with the main melody exhibited by the instrument. Unlike in "Decalomania" though, which slowly moves in the guitar section, we hear the guitar first, before then being invited into an intimidating fully electronic section around 2:20. Even so, as catchy as these themes are, "327 - V8" and "Castellated Nut" are my favourites out of his rock-electro fusions. Though neither of are particularly melodic, they both emanate a certain sound which isn't recreated elsewhere on the album. The nightmarish guitar and aggressive drums in "327 - V8," and the screaming vocals in the fast-paced "Castellated Nut" are extremely gripping, constituting a fantastic addition to the album.

He does stray away this sort of style elsewhere on the album though, at least in the sense where the guitar is no longer so prominent. The rest of the album is made up from gripping beats, driving melodies, and a copious amount of (sometimes... well, mostly bizarre) musical development. "Idler Lever" features my favourite melody on the album, and is one of the least aggressive tracks too. "Halogen Blindness" on the other hand features some of the album's strangest background sounds, with Junkie XL throwing in sound effects left, right, and centre. The track is held together with its beat and simple riff, but mostly it's a collection of strangely inviting noises.

The two tracks which really stand out though are "Bezel" and "Clevis." Much like "327 - V8" and "Castellated Nut," it is their unique sound which captivates me. "Bezel" features even weirder noises than "Halogen Blindness," creating not only an otherworldly effect but also a confused state of mind (make sure to remain concentration on those tight bends). "Clevis," which is slightly more normal than "Bezel," is impacting mainly due to its warping sounds and distracting beats! Each of these tracks are enjoyable, and provide the album with an impressive soundscape.

Summary

From an electronica fan's perspective, this album is great to listen to. It features everything from pumping bass to fantastic melodies, with a touch of developmental genius from Junkie XL. The music fits the game perfectly, and really invigorates the player to race hard and become the game's 'street king'. Of course, not everyone is a fan of this genre, which renders the music a little inaccessible, but personally I admire this original approach in style. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the music on this album is better than what can be heard in the Gran Turismo or Ridge Racer series, but it certainly comes in on par. Certainly, this is an impressive effort, and with Junkie XL creating similarly impressive scores for SSX Blur and Quantum Redshift, we're likely to see more of him in the industry.