Detroit Become Human Main Theme – Geek Music

4/15/20231 min read

This track is from the game Detroit: Incarnate Word, which gained notoriety in 2019, and is the opening music for the weekly program. The song lays the groundwork for the later development of the game in terms of setting, meaning, etc., and has an extremely powerful impact on both first-time players and masters who repeatedly play through the different branches of the game, either emotionally and thoughtfully, or sobering and reminiscent of the past.

The melody is in the key of E minor, which immediately creates a sense of heaviness. The slightly muffled piano and strings at the beginning create a depressing atmosphere, and after a slight repetition, the high notes of the piano cut in. This doesn't bring any hint of relief, and the quiet sound treatment makes it feel like these high notes are fleeting light, hope. Slowly the main theme can be heard in the soprano voices, simple but extraordinary, with a background that changes from time to time, with slightly touching and contradictory harmonies, creating an impermeable tension, a momentary lyrical mood of dimness. The strings in the background are ingenious, sometimes sudden enhancement creates a sense of blockbuster, and at times will replace the soprano piano to play the main theme, slowly advancing to the soprano. There are no obvious climaxes throughout the piece, as layer upon layer is stacked, with the different voices slowly budding, blooming, and then finally stacking back up to a beat. Finally, a quick pop showcases the desperation that runs through the game, speaking to the despair and unsatisfactory nature of being in this anti-utopian world.

Featuring music by Philip Sheppard, composed and arranged by Geek Music, this song gives the game a sudden depth that lingers in the mind for a long time, with simple accompaniment and harmonies that create a melody with its own meaning.