Fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons has been inspiring creative minds for nearly 50 years and is still going strong. To celebrate the new D&D game Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, they've released a 19-track companion album, Spelljam, that's out now via Kill Rock Stars.
The Spelljam compilation was executive produced and curated by The Decemberists' Chris Funk, and includes original songs inspired by Spelljammer adventure "Light of Xaryxis" by OSEES (who have been inspired by D&D before), Lucius, Black Marble, Shabazz Palaces, Deru & Arooj Aftab, Reggie Watts, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Y La Bamba, TEKE::TEKE, Califone, Nolan Potter's Nightmare Band, Red Fang and more.
“Helping facilitate bringing this world to life through music and the amazing artists' visions that were selected was an honor of a lifetime," says Funk. "I am of the opinion when people think of Dungeons & Dragons that there is a preconceived underscore of what these worlds might sound like. With this bold return to Spelljammer we were excited to push the boundaries deep into Wildspace, working with artists from diverse musical backgrounds that could challenge what music in the multiverse of the world’s greatest roleplaying game might sound like. Each artist was given a character or plot prompt from the storyline, then challenged to write an original composition based on Light of Xaryxis. We hope you enjoy the result!”
Listen to Spelljams, and learn more about the game, below.