Sync & me...

Another "I've been thinking..." post - this time syncs across different media and the impact they've had on me, personally. The list could become fairly substantial so I thought I'd focus on 4 types, with one track for each.

Video Game: Aside from the mind-penetrating, specifically composed Mario Brothers theme tune from the original Nintendo game, the standout sync moment from my computer game-related past was The Prodigy - "Firestarter" on Wipeout for Playstation. I could play to that song over and over again because, for me, the motion and momentum of the track perfectly complimented the speed of the gameplay.

Advert: Another computer game, this time Tomb Raider Underworld, which used the simultaneously melancholic and euphoric trip-hop anthem Lamb - "Gorecki" in tandem with visuals from the game. More of a pensive track that builds momentum for a strategy-focused adventure mystery.

Film: The 2005 Grammy Award-winning soundtrack to the movie "Garden State" featured, amidst for me a genuinely standout selection, Zero 7 - "In The Waiting Line". The combination of the interwoven slow-motion, blurred and fast-forward visuals with the overall hazy feel and specific lyrics of the song - "Do you believe in what you see? There doesn't seem to be anybody else who agrees with me" - fit perfectly with the intoxication of the scene and the isolation felt by Zach Braff's character.

TV: You possibly have to be a fan of Joss Whedon's cult TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer to appreciate the impact of this but in Season 1 episode, The Pack, Far - "Job's Eyes" is playing when hyena-possessed Xander emerges from the dark corners of the schoolyard with his band of similarly-possessed reprobates. The key here is the surprise element - unexpected darkness providing a soundtrack to bashful, harmless geek Xander Harris, instantly transforming him into a dangerous predator.

Clearly there are more - but I'll stop there. The point is, there isn't just one obvious element that's always done the trick, but a combination, that varies depending on the format...

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