Hey there! I really like to discover new music, and music really helps me focus when prepping for a game, or writing stuff. I haven’t seen a thread where people suggest songs, albums, bands that they use to set a Blades in the Dark mood - bet it for a gaming session, or not. So, I’m starting this one.
So, here is my first suggestion: Le Serpent Rouge, by Arcana - the whole album would fit, I think.
A few tracks I’ve used as inspiration/mood setters in games with a similar vibe:
Marcus Fjellstrom, “LM-118”
Tomahawk, “Totem”
NIN, “Run Like Hell”
aYia, “Ruins”
Dated, “No Vacancy”
Sneaker Pimps, “Tranquility Trap”
I’ve also made general dark ambient mixes with atmospheric sounds and dark ambient music here, if that helps. They come in 30-minute and 3-hour mixes.
For eerie ambient music, there are many gems on Cryo Chamber Label.
One of my favourite album which I listened to extensively while writing roles for a Cthulhu LARP is The Humming Tapes, by Cities Last Broadcast.
For me I have one song that I always listen to on my way to BitD game - somehow it gets me in the right mood:
Also, I have some playlists for BitD on Spotify:
Action: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4j1A8ifeAdjOXF9C8srumD?si=92d6050031664ef3
Background: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4tILoGQNmKDYi2LEtykAon?si=0656706b27ed4400
Spooky: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45s2zRMsb6Ru1cwEo9Dnum?si=74e353da178c4cc6
For an ominous cult ritual: Koyaanisqatsi, by Philip Glass. Some other tracks from that album would probably fit quite well.
We (our gaming group) prefer music that gets the adrenaline pumping a bit more for our sessions. Some examples:
Muse - knights of cydonia
Royal republic - back from the dead
Sam Tinnesz- play with fire
Avenged sevenfold - flash of the blade
Outside of scores a bit slower like:
the heavy - the thief
The heavy - short change hero
And stuff like the arcane soundtrack, mixed with more upbeat rock.