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For your ears only: How music brought the new James Bond game to life
🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Culture & Society

For your ears only: How music brought the new James Bond game to life

From BBC News · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Musicians Alexis Smith and Joe Henson, known as The Flight, composed the score for the new James Bond video game, 007 First Light.
  • The duo spent two years creating the music, which blends traditional Bond themes with electronic and avant-garde elements to reflect the game's origin story.
  • The score was recorded in a single half-day session with the London Chamber Orchestra at Abbey Road studios.

The new James Bond video game, 007 First Light, features a musical score crafted over two years by the duo The Flight, comprised of Alexis Smith and Joe Henson. The musicians faced a tight deadline, recording 32 minutes of action-packed music in just one half-day session with the London Chamber Orchestra at the iconic Abbey Road studios.

Save your lips, because they are a finite resource.

— Matt DunkleyConductor Matt Dunkley tests the limits of the London Chamber Orchestra's brass section during a recording session for the new James Bond video game.

Smith and Henderson, who are the sons of actress Una Stubbs, utilized modern software to mock up the score before bringing it to life with professional musicians. "The things you can do with software orchestral instruments nowadays is amazing," said Smith, "but then you come here and you have the best brass players in the world... It's mind-blowing."

The game's music is integral to the James Bond experience, building on the legacy of composers like Monty Norman and John Barry. For 007 First Light, The Flight aimed to adapt the classic spy music template for the game's narrative, which presents an original take on Bond's origin story. The game begins with Bond as a novice Navy aircrewman, requiring a more cinematic and less bombastic score.

It's mostly action music, so if you hate us by the end of it that's totally understandable.

— Alexis SmithComposer Alexis Smith warns the musicians at the start of a recording session for the James Bond video game 007 First Light.

"My favourite bits of the Bond films are always the opening sequence, so I really enjoyed the Iceland mission," Smith commented. "It's set in this dark, craggy, bleak landscape, and we had the permission to be really electronic and avant-garde. That was really nice, to go somewhere people aren't expecting us to go."

The things you can do with software orchestral instruments nowadays is amazing. We absolutely need that as we're mocking things up, but then you come here and you have the best brass players in the world... It's mind-blowing.

— Alexis SmithComposer Alexis Smith discusses the process of scoring the new James Bond video game.

As the game progresses and Bond joins MI6, more familiar Bond motifs are incorporated. The Flight received permission to use classic movie themes, including John Barry's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" theme, to connect the game to the established Bond universe.

Take that to the bank.

— Joe HendersonJoe Henson reacts after the first run-through of a musical piece for the James Bond video game.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by BBC News. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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