WOW! Stewart Copeland has had a long and varied career – being the founder and drummer of The Police, composing film and television soundtracks, recording globally sourced solo albums, and writing operas and orchestral symphonies – but his work for the Spyro videogame series is perhaps one of his best and most beloved accomplishments. Just by virtue of the game’s massive worldwide popularity, this is obviously Copeland’s widest exposure since The Police, and his brilliant work here is worthy of that opportune spotlight.
The soundtrack was released officially for the first time in 2022 a year prior to the game’s 25th anniversary, enabling people like me who are not videogame fans or enthusiasts to fully immerse themselves in the immense, thrilling, and engrossing sonic environments of the score.
The tracks contain elements of all of Copeland’s work up to that point and then some. Copeland’s compositional quirkiness shines through alongside mainstream themes that are grand and epic in scope.
All of the tunes are composed and generated entirely with keyboards and synthesizer samples. Naturally, the drum and percussion sounds are intense and give the album a kinetically propulsive edge.
Copeland’s Spyro music is to videogames what Jan Hammer’s Miami Vice music is to television and as such is a kindred spirit to that latter work.
For those not familiar with Stewart Copeland’s talents beyond The Police, Spyro is probably the best introduction to all of his wondrous musical idiosyncrasies.
--Raj Manoharan
