Despelote’s soundscape transports you to Ecuador and childhood football magic

As part of CDM’s year-end coverage, I’m rounding up some of the best music and sound design in games. There’s nowhere better to start than Despelote, a beautifully designed and directed game that will move you by putting you in the shoes of a kid in 2001 Quito, Ecuador. It’s a master study in weaving sound and music in a way that both triggers sense memories and transports you inside a life experience.

Freesound, massive shared sounds library, turns 20 with talks and listening

Who says the internet is dead? Not Freesound, the massive, community-run, fully free and open library of sounds from birdsong to samples. This incredible repository turns 20 years old today, and they’re celebrating with talks and a listening session. That includes organizer discussions of how to cope with AI and keep users’ needs central, and […]

Peter Kirn - October 28, 2025

How Elizabeth Parker wove the score of 1984’s The Living Planet

Electronic scores can evoke the dramatic wonder of nature, as composer Elizabeth Parker demonstrated in her score for the 1984 BBC David Attenborough classic The Living Planet. Here’s a look behind the scenes, as Parker imagines that soundscape with everything from a PPG Wave to a ketchup bottle. If you need a little extra imaginative inspiration back to the Earth, you’ll love listening to her talk about how she works.

Peter Kirn - August 28, 2025

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