Deconstructeam has built a reputation not only for the narrative strength and distinct aesthetics of their games, but also for the raw power of fingerspit’s soundtracks. Highly anticipated for release this year, the studio's latest title—developed alongside Selkie Harbour, who previously teamed up with Deconstructeam on the unforgettable Many Nights A Whisper—recently caught everyone's attention with an incredibly promising demo. And now, we have the soundtrack to go with it.
Released exclusively on Bandcamp late last week, this initial 8-track EP for Virtue and a Sledgehammer offers a fascinating glimpse into the direction fingerspit is taking for the game's OST. Despite the violence implied by the title, the music is deeply ambient, atmospheric, and carries an almost liminal quality. It is a far cry from the sweeping post-rock crescendos of her previous work, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood.
I won't sugarcoat it: this album is less immediate, but it beautifully unveils its many layers with each repeat listen. Fingerspit has never been afraid to take her time, readily stretching tracks to nearly eight minutes. It is hardly surprising for an artist who counts bands like Bark Psychosis among her influences.
I was lucky enough to interview her back when The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood dropped in 2023. Let this new release serve as a reminder that I desperately need to republish that chat here! In the meantime, you can read the original interview in French right here.
In other news, fingerspit also composed the soundtrack for the latest Minecraft update. And, believe me, it's really, really good.
Virtue and a Sledgehammer is slated for release on PC later this year.
Find all listening links for Virtue and a Sledgehammer False Awakening (Demo Soundtrack) by fingerspit on its dedicated page:
→ https://nwpl.ing/virtue-and-a-sledgehammer-demo
