Chris Christodoulou - Once in a Lullaby | ROR2: Survivors of the Void (2022) 

Woolie: "your not supposed to stay on a stage for more than 5 mins!!" Chris: "I beg to fucking differ *hands over Once In A Lullaby*"

how the heck am I supposed to fight voidtouched clay templars when my eyes are full of tears

Quite possibly my favorite track off this album and definitely the song that will play as I'm lying in my bed having an existential crisis

Quoting of 'Over the Rainbow' struck me as odd, at first - such a innocent seeming song in contrast with the cosmic dread of the previous titles. But then, the listener would grow numb if all the songs were aggressive or alienating - so in the middle of the album we place a song of tranquility and hope. There would be nothing to dread if we were hopeless, after all. The way 'Over the Rainbow' fits in with the themes of the album would be humanity's yearning for purpose. We know that the world is apathetic and cold, but we want to feel like there is a reason for our existence and thus we dream of a place over the rainbow where everyone and everything cares. That dream is what the previous songs and the sources of their titles are challenging. But another interesting thing about the songs and their referenced works is their tendency to ask questions, rhetorical or otherwise, to highlight our ignorance. Two of the titles are outright questions and the opening title is 'A Placid Island of Ignorance'. So when Dorothy sings of a place over the rainbow she's aware that her dreams won't be fulfilled HERE, but has convinced herself that despite the circumstances there is still hope that they might be fulfilled elsewhere. The reason this fits so neatly with the rest of the material is that Dorothy asks WHY she can't reach that place over the rainbow - and works like The Call of Cthulhu or Job 38 tell us that if we continue this thread of questioning we will land upon daunting conclusions. The placement of the song in the middle of the album reflects that even though we understand the hopelessness of our situation we keep pushing on. It is what gets us through hardships and is literally what is happening in the game. That sentiment is also what generates the soothing nature of this song - there is hope on this placid island of ignorance. So your choice of title works on many levels and remains fun to engage with and deconstruct. The music also feels like it compliments these ideas although I don't have enough musical know-how or vocabulary to pinpoint why, beyond that it 'sounds dreamy'.

If the woodwinds are only allowed one song, then oh my *god* am I glad it's this one. This song makes me feel things I didn't even think were possible.

it's crazy to think that Chris is a real person that exists

This is it. The track I heard during the Railgunner dev thoughts. It's been in my head ever since. I finally know it's name. And his music was electric.

This is _The Rain formerly known as Purple_ of the Void DLC: Chill but yet epic. Truly amazing

Thanks. 'Thanks' is as much as something I could say that would even make sense. I don't want to be too dramatic, but this music is beyond words. Hope you will continue, because I know that never once a music from you would disappoint even a bit. Have a very great journey. I hope that you can live properly of your art

"Try not to stay more than 5 minutes per stage" Bitch imma stay until the end of the song, if it kills me so be it Edit: It killed me... The music, that is

If Once In A Lullaby has a billion fans, I'm its number one fan. If Once In A Lullaby has one fan, it's me. If Once In A Lullaby has no fans, I'm dead

Came here to celebrate the release of SoTV on console. We made it, fellas.

Ohhh this is the OOoOoOOaaaaa oooa song that plays at aphilian sanctuary i love it

God damn just when I think there wouldn't be another track as god tier as The Rain Formerly Known as Purple you pump this out. I hope your tracks will be remembered as part of video game's hall of fame.

I hope we get a RoR2 expansion DLC every year so we can keep getting Chris' music

Love the quiet 8-bit snares and slightly overdriven guitar. Reminds me of RoR1 again...

man… ive just been feeling like shit recently. straight up. schools been bringing me down, i cant keep up, and i keep refusing to change anything relating to my lifestyle and self control. if im not at school or at work, im wasting away playing games in my bedroom… its strange how much a group of digital lines of code being displayed on a screen alters our lives, and changes how we think/what we think about. a “little escape from the reality” as i like to call it. im very grateful for this soundtrack, chris. its more than video game music. its art. thank you for letting my ears experience pure bliss.

2 days ago, my pet rabbit died. I road home ,after burying him, listening to this song. I remembered all the love and the good times and got it all out. Sadness, regret, rage etc. This song will forever symbolize my love for my friend. Thanks Chris for helping my heart. Thank you Apollo. My dear friend, Goodbye.

Fuck man, this feels like Coalescence, AND ITS A REGULAR STAGE TRACK. Seriously Chris, your work has just been getting better over time, and this song just slaps so hard. Thank you so much for composing these games, and for making the music you do. You are an inspiration to creatives in this community, and I am so excited to hear this on Petrichor 5.

This is personally one of my favourites. I keep coming back to this one specifically because it gives that sentimental memory/nostalgia vibes. The build up is truly outstanding!

This is a godlike mix of melancholy, action and cosmic style music, 10/10. Cant wait to hear it playing on my xbox...on june or so...

crying listening to this after hearing about the ip being sold to fucking gearbox

Glad to see I'm not the only one with an emotional connection to this song. The first time I heard this song, was the same day I woke up to a message of a close friend of 4 years. The message wasn't from her, it was from her boyfriend. It was a goodbye message, she no longer wanted me in her life for whatever reason. 4 years of staying up to make sure my close friend was okay when she needed it, and it ended not with a bang, but with a whimper. There was no goodbye from her herself. I had no chance to say goodbye myself. Everytime I hear this song, it reminds me of what I've been through. The hurt, the pain, and everything else. But along with those bad things, I know that if I push ahead, there is always something better for me at the end of it all, and even if that better thing leaves me, too, I'll keep going until I find something better, something or someone that won't leave me, a future I deserve. Chris, this is the second time your music has struck me, and helped me greatly, coming along at just the right time in my life when I feel like nothing is worth it anyway, that the effort isn't worth it anymore. The first was Coalescence, and you've done it yet again with this. Thank you.

I legit haven't been able to stop thinking about this one since I heard it early this month. Always love the somber yet strong progression in your stage tracks.

I had a rough day today, worse than I've ever felt. It seems kinda moody to put into text, but... I've had this on loop while I look out my window to the rain and thunder for the past hour and a half now, and I feel.... good doesn't quite work, but better. Content. It has helped, and I can't bring myself to even change the song. I wanted to thank you, even if you never see this, Chris. Truly, this song now holds a special place in my heart.

I've been thoroughly depressed for quite a while now. Been struggling to find reasons to keep going. Maybe I'm just an emotional mess right now or something, but just listening to this as I drove through the rain brought me to actual tears of joy, something I've never experienced before. It gave me a sense of hope I've not felt in a long time. Mainly just writing this to document how I felt since I often have troubling recalling how I felt in the past. I cannot thank you enough for all the joy your music has brought me over the years, and continues to bring me. It seems little joys like this are a perfectly acceptable reason to keep running. Thank you Chris.

every piece of music has a story to tell, and every time i hear this piece, i can't help but marvel at the journey it takes me on. thank you for sharing your stories with us, chris, they're ones i'll never forget.

Last year a close friend of mine died, and this song was the thing that help me grief and cry my heart out. I love the music you do, and this one is now tied to that day when I learned my friend died. Thank you for every moments in time your music has engraved for me.

I never get tired of listening to your music no matter how many 100s of runs I do. I wish I could get a piece of your cortex and implant it onto my own so that I could get that insight into the melancholy of existence that pervades your music

Это шикарно настолько, что я не могу передать это словами.

If this isn't played at my funeral I'm not dying.

I've listened to this song probably thirty times or more since I heard it for the first time on the preview stream. I had to go to a specific timestamp in an unlisted video to find it every time. I think this might be my favorite song from the entire soundtrack. Something about it just oozes pure "essence of vibe". I've cried listening to this song a few times. I've got things to be sad about, but it's not like this song brings them to mind. Something about those notes at the halfway point just brings up emotion in me. I love this song, and I'm not exactly sure why. With other songs in the soundtrack, I know why I like them- Raindrop That Fell To The Sky for its 5/4 time and absurd length, con lentitud poderosa for its.... "epicness" (for lack of a better word), Rain Formerly Known as Purple for its guitar solos (and, well, everything else about it) The fact that I don't know why this song is my favorite is pretty funny to me, because it's yet another example of how the Risk Of Rain 2 soundtrack is so wonderful. Every song in the OST just feels unique, not just from each other but from anything else I've ever heard before. The best word I think I could use is ethereal. I left a similar comment to this on Raindrop That Fell To The Sky, but I had to leave one here. This is final-stage tier resonant. This is final-boss tier powerful. And yet, it's one of the most peaceful tracks in the soundtrack. I understand that I've got limited tastes and listen to almost exclusively VGM. But goddamn, Chris, what do you expect me to do when it hits me this hard? There's been hints that this may be the last music created for RoR2. I'd get it, for sure. It's been a journey that was depressing and stressful and difficult, and there's been a lot of stuff that can't really be topped anymore. If this is the case, I want to say thank you, Chris. Thank you for creating such unique things. I'll see ya... once in a lullaby. (P.S. The 30-second section at the end is incredible. This is the first time I'm hearing it.)

You've struck something far better than gold with this one. Listening to the climax of the piece for the first time was akin to a religious experience.

The feeling of fighting through despair with your hopes up until the end is something I've yearned to hear again in music since I listened to Soldiers of the Wasteland as a teen. The way the first guitar suddenly comes and "calls" for all the other sounds to stand and play their part is more powerful than a thousand words.

While not the most energizing track for a game in the ROR2 style of gameplay. This track is so hauntingly beautiful and simultaneously hopeful. Like this sort of "it's dark and fearful but someday it will get better..."

i enjoy the existentiality. it sounds like combining coalesence with moisture deficit. i enjoyed the first game's soundtrack a lot, so this is nice.

I usually don't use the word beautiful to describe things but damn - this song is beautiful. Seeing the Aphelian Sanctuary and hearing this for the first time was more than enough to make me completely forget that I was on a timer - and honestly, I don't even care if it led to me getting my shit prematurely pushed in. Seriously though, amazing work. I really look forward to hearing whatever comes next!

This is it, the track that made me pre-order the OST on Bandcamp - fantastic work as always thanks Chris I have a rule on certain stages such as Sky medow and sirens call that we don't hit the boss until we've heard the song all the way through. Aphelian Sanctuary will definitely become one of those stages

Since others are documenting their experiences with this song, I’ll write mine here. Every second, every minute, every hour and every day I feel this weight on my chest. It’s become a normal part of everyday life to me. That feeling is lifted from my body every time I listen to this song, and that sense of relief, calmness wafts through me. I’m not usually one to cry or tear up over a song, but the relief this song gives me to whatever that weight is, causes me to tear up. This song is a truly calming and beautiful piece that it helps relieve me of my weight. It truly feels like a lullaby.

it's basically "hey check out this cool riff I found, and here it is again on all my favorite instruments", but it really pays homage to like, 4 different eras of music and married em together in a comradery of emotion, loneliness, mystery, and trepid rest the voice of the simple flout made manifest in its truest form: 8bit saw wave

WE AINT MAKING IT TO THE BAZAAR WITH THIS ONE🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥🔥 (the altar is too high up)

I’m listening to this as I prepare to go to a funeral, something I wasn’t expecting to do today, but this song really made me feel the right mix of emotions I needed right now. Incredibly excited for the DLC, your work is fantastic as always

Probably my favorite, chris back at it again What really gets me is the siren song of, oboe or clarinet, I think?, gives me chills each time, and as it transitions to guitar slowly, all to finish back with the clarinet or oboe. Such a good song, thank you Chris

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a guitar cry before but… it’s beautiful.

You can't casually drop this in an intense action packed game and get away with it.

Chris, thank you. This song has grown to become one of my favorites of all time as I feel it encompasses what my life has been lately. It's felt dreadful, depressing and awful. And I have no reason to be sad, I have a good and easy life. So I try not to voice my feelings too often, and this just seems to resonate within me. It feels like this song knows what I have stuck in my head and it allows me to bring out my feelings when I listen to this alone. That way I don't have to worry anyone with my feelings. It's comforting, but it hurts. And I need this in my life. You are beyond talented and I wish for nothing less than incredible success on your masterpieces for the rest of your life.

Chris you might not ever see this but i wanted to say thank you for making absolute bangers, i was going through some turmoil for the past month or so and risk of rain and your music got me through it. It eased my mind man and i just wanted to say thank you. Love ya man, much love from hawaii

Please tell me you are putting out a vinyl for this album

As if my birthday couldn't get any better, I hear the infamous guitar and bass kick in. Soothing as fuck

Aphelian Sanctuary takes longer to clear than any other stage, this song being the reason 🎶

one after another, chris your works are a continuous and consistent banger train

These new songs are really hitting me with an “end of the world” vibe, which kind of makes sense? Maybe? Either way, phenomenal job.

that time change to 7/4 at 2:37 is so smooth that i barely even noticed it until now, having listened around 20 times

I need an extra heart to contain all the beauty coming from this song

i usually struggle with dealing with noise quite a bit and i find it overwhelming, but for some reason, music doesnt do that. i like putting on music to drown out all the background noise its nice

My favorite thing in music are polyrhythms, odd time signatures, and syncopated beats. In other words, your OST is my ambrosia

being able to hear the voices in this song after listening to the commentary makes it so much better :')

this song makes me wanna burst with tears every time I listen to it

The clarinet or oboe on this song sounds amazing!

My Top 10 Spotify Artists on Dating Apps: Top Listened Chris Christodoulou She: *Swipes left* Me: Anyday now

I love how it switches to 7/4 midway through

This fits Aphelian Sanctuary so well! Its amazing standalone but I feel like with the atmosphere of that it will just be perfect. Great job once again Chris!

I love that every song is an allusion to something else, almost like what the Void does- it turns whatever it influences, turns it into something else.

Ironic that this one is called, Once in a Lullaby because I've been listening to this since release every night to put me to sleep, it brings me so much peace fo some reason I'll always love your music Chris, keep doing an amazing job

HERE IT IS WOOO I LOVED THIS ON THE PRE STREAM thank you chris for all of your wonderful music (and ill have to check out where some of the quotes come from!) edit: big fan of 3:50 and onwards especially, but dang the entire track just... ah it builds up so well!

Damn. I listened to this piece once and immediately fell in love with it. I love the way it is very Risk-of-Rain-y in the beginning (incorporating the title music), but starts to transform into something completely different by the end that even makes me think of Celtic folk music. I love the way the usual Risk of Rain sound palette is enriched by the acoustic instruments. I cannot get over how comforting it feels, especially towards the end. It ties in quite nicely with the choice of title: The other titles in this album are all much more serious (often taken from a horror story context) and emphasize how small and insignificant humanity is, but Over the Rainbow is a complete break from that; more hopeful and dreamlike, just like this song.

This is indeed a frontrunner for best song in the ost, so mystical an ceremonial

This gives me such big coalescence/con lentitud vibes. It doesn't have the same alien punch of the normal areas or the tension of the boss fights but a feeling longing or nostalgia instead

I think a part of listening to Chris' music, for me at least, is that palpable nostalgia. Not just for ror1 and 2, but the songs themselves. This song makes me feel like I've listened to it a hundred times already, a classic from my youth. Great work as always.

Your music never cease to amaze me, I couldn't imagine RoR 1 or 2 without you. And some people play with the music off, heresy, treason I say!

When 4:04 hits... It's so majestic. This song is beautiful. Thank you, Chris

Genuinely, this game has an a-fucking-mazing OST and this gotta be my favorite track You're damn amazing Chris

Usually when I either listen to a song I really like or I find a song I eventually really like I have this sort of intense swelling of emotions that makes me wanna tear up. You could probably guess that this song immediately almost made me wanna cry, just an awesome piece in a perfect setting and with such powerful emotion behind it. Fantastic!

We vibin once more, god like, Chris Edit: wow. 2:40 and beyond is super good. I love your music so much, Chris. Edit 2: DUDE, 4:04 IS AMAZING. ASCENDING TO HEAVEN ATM

Hell yeah man. The guitar and drums hits me right in the DEADBOLT shaped hole in my heart, love to hear it Chris

This song takes you on a journey. It is haunting, nostalgic, hopeful, yearning, and mournful at the same time. Possibly my favorite soundtrack you've made so far, and that's a very tall order

This song man... I haven't really formed an emotional bond with too many songs, but this went above and beyond. I'm going through a bit of a rough patch in my life, and this song's somber yet hopeful sound has been helping me push on through my struggles. I never expected a song from a roguelite looter shooter to hit this hard but sometimes the best things in life come from unexpected places.

Easily my favorite song in the game. When I first encountered this song I was blown away. It is just amazingly good!

*casually risks a god run just to hear this song loop once*

Hey Chris, will you do an album commentary like you did for Ror and Ror2? Also I’m so glad the hopoo guys keep working with you, your work is always on point. Could you describe a bit how the conversation for sotv soundtrack went with the devs?

This is AWESOME. It almost feels like the "…con lentitud poderosa" of the DLC. And I was thinking you couldn't out-do yourself even more than you did for every song you've made. Chris, your music really is electric!

I kinda got burnt out on RoR2 by the time Survivors of the Void came out, but both revisiting this game with friends & hearing tracks like this for the first time made the revisit so worth it.

A small detail I really love is right at the very end when the Oboe comes back as it fades out for the last few notes you can hear the Oboe player pressing the buttons on the instrument, I really appreciate being able to hear the details of the musicianship in a song, like when you can hear string slides on a guitar.

Chris Christodoulou, you sir, are an absolute genius of sound. I have no idea how you do it, but every song you make is a masterpiece. And this particular work of art, in my opinion, is your best one yet. Thanks for such beautiful music.

The synths make it feel like a usual Risk of Rain song but the woodwinds and the chorus make it feel a bit like a Ghibli theme, and the two fit together so well.

I really hope we can get an album commentary for the SotV soundtrack as well :3

This song genuinely feels like where its name comes from, that being over a rainbow, after the rain, having just gotten out, still drenched, but hopefully to be getting dryer. I love this song so much.

bro I've listened to the playlist everyday with my coc in my hand waiting for the actual game dlc to come to console. glad the new songs werent somehow limited to pc owners of the dlc (brug idk, im going insane waiting for this dam dlc)

if i had three wishes each of them would be to hear this song for the first time again

Chris, there's so much emotion in your music. It's beautiful, thank you again.

Don't know what took over me, but I heard this song divorced from the game, cried, and then got motivated enough to actually learn the guitar parts after not learning anything on my guitar for actual years Thanks Chris, your music is one of my greatest influences, even if I'm only realizing it now lol

One of my favorite songs to listen to as I instantly die from a void reaver's death explosion clipping my character's heel two hours into a run.

It might just be me, but this track feels extremely final, like a grandiose end to a story that inevitably had to come to a close no matter how much we want it to keep going.

Please forgive me "Rain formally known as purple" I have a new favorite song but you can be 2nd favorite. The music is like 33% of the game's greatness IMHO!

This feels like when after a long journey - you're finally going home. There's still some road ahead and it might be tough, but you'll make it there, wherever it is. I remember making similar comment some time ago, but for some reason couldn't find it. Guess this is a parallel universe and I gotta get going.

The Aphelian Sanctuary strikes me as such a sad place. A temple alcove hidden away to meditate and ponder that has been left to crumble away under the twilight sun. The remains of a distant memory.

it’s amazing how this man can just put out one track after another, somehow add something new to each one and still make it a banger, much love for everything you’ve done, thank you

My favorite song of ror2, its fucking perfect

Just came here to say that while I was playing on the stage this played in with my friend, we both immediately heard similarities to the music used for Twilight Town in Kingdom Hearts II, both in melody and in instrument choice for the middle. Considering that's one of my favorite tracks from that game, and this track captures some of that energy with a more upbeat sound, this is definitely one of my favorite main stage tracks to hear.

This song has been in and out of my thoughts for the past year, and it killed me that I wasn't able to figure out where I had heard this melody from. The amount of relief and joy that I'm feeling right now is immeasurable.