Editing Minecraft – Volume Beta

{{Short description|Second soundtrack album to the video game Minecraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Minecraft – Volume Beta
| type         = soundtrack
| artist       = [[C418]]
| cover        = Minecraft - Volume Beta.jpeg
| alt          = A dark model of a block of grass from Minecraft, surrounded on the edges by a much larger black and orange cube, with a black background.
| released     = 9 November 2013
| genre        = {{hlist|[[Electronic music|Electronic]]<ref>{{cite web |title=C418 – Minecraft Volume Beta |url=https://boomkat.com/products/minecraft-volume-beta |website=Boomkat |access-date=21 September 2022}}</ref>|[[Ambient music|ambient]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moeser |first1=Jack |title='Minecraft' gave us the soundtrack to a generation |url=https://www.michigandaily.com/arts/b-side/minecraft-gave-us-the-soundtrack-to-a-generation/ |website=The Michigan Daily |date=6 February 2022 |access-date=21 September 2022}}</ref>}}
| length       = 140:48 (digital)<br />81:39 (vinyl)
| label        = {{hlist|[[Independent music|Independent]]|[[Ghostly International|Ghostly]]}}
| prev_title   = One
| prev_year    = 2012
| year         = 2013
| next_title   = 0x10c
| next_year    = 2014
| misc         = {{Extra chronology
 | artist     = [[Music of Minecraft|''Minecraft'' soundtrack]]
 | type       = soundtrack
 | prev_title = [[Minecraft – Volume Alpha]]
 | prev_year  = 2011
 | title      = Minecraft – Volume Beta
 | year       = 2013
 | next_title = Minecraft: Battle & Tumble (Original Soundtrack) 
 | next_year  = 2016
}}
}}

'''''Minecraft – Volume Beta''''' is the fifth studio album and second [[soundtrack album]] by German electronic musician Daniel Rosenfeld, known by his pseudonym [[C418]]. It was digitally released [[Independent music|independently]] on 9 November 2013 as the [[Music of Minecraft|second installment of the soundtrack]] for the video game ''[[Minecraft]]'', and has been physically released by record label [[Ghostly International|Ghostly]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patston |first=Manning |date=2020-06-18 |title=Minecraft fans alert: C418's legendary soundtrack is getting a physical release |url=https://happymag.tv/minecraft-fans-alert-c418s-legendary-soundtrack-is-getting-a-physical-release/ |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=Happy Mag |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Rosenfeld |first=Daniel |title=Minecraft Volume Beta |url=https://c418.org/albums/minecraft-volume-beta/ |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=C418 |language=en-US}}</ref> The album peaked at number 14 on the ''[[Billboard charts|Billboard]]'' [[Dance/Electronic Albums|Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart]] in 2013.<ref name="TDEA">{{Cite magazine |title=C418 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/c418/chart-history/elp/ |access-date=2022-12-14 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>

Like the album's predecessor ''[[Minecraft – Volume Alpha]]'', ''Volume Beta'' comprises most of the music featured in the game, as well as other music included in trailers and instrumentals that were not included in the game's final release.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Minecraft – Volume Beta, by C418 |url=https://c418.bandcamp.com/album/minecraft-volume-beta |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=C418 |language=en}}</ref>

== Composition and release ==
In 2011, Rosenfeld released ''[[Minecraft – Volume Alpha]]''.<ref>{{Citation |title=C418 – ''Minecraft Volume Alpha'' Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0002859604 |language=en |access-date=2022-09-20}}</ref> For the next release, the artist was again given complete creative control on the soundtrack that would be implemented as part of ''Minecraft''<nowiki/>'s November 2013 ''Music Update''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Nathan |date=16 November 2013 |title=If you restart Minecraft, it'll become a whole bunch more awesome thanks to C418's latest works :) |url=https://twitter.com/dinnerbone/status/401461231284129792 |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>

The mostly [[Ambient music|ambient album]] has a generally darker tone than its precursor.<ref name=":0" /> Rosenfeld admits that the record is "extremely varied", being "much more [[percussive]], melodic, and [[Progressive music|progressive]]" than ''Volume Alpha''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Callwood |first=Brett |date=2020-07-01 |title=C418 Offers Block-Rocking Beats |url=https://www.laweekly.com/c418-offers-block-rocking-beats/ |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=LA Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref> The average song on ''Volume Beta'' is far longer than its predecessor<ref name=":7" /> – at the time of the album's release, it was Rosenfeld's longest ever work.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who Is Minecraft's C418? |url=https://www.lifewire.com/who-is-minecrafts-c418-4082284 |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=Lifewire |language=en}}</ref>

''Volume Beta'' also contains the music of nine collectable discs within ''Minecraft''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minecraft Soundtrack Review from Katy and Ian |url=https://nsula.gg/minecraft-soundtrack-review/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=NSULA Gamers' Guild}}</ref> A stark sonic departure from the rest of the soundtrack, these discs often rely on [[synthesiser]]s and percussion instruments.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-11 |title=How To Get All Music Discs Minecraft & Full Rank From Best To Worst |url=https://gurugamer.com/pc-console/all-music-discs-minecraft-19143 |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=GuruGamer.com |language=en-IN}}</ref>

In August 2020, record label Ghostly released the first physical versions of the album, in [[Compact disc|CD]] and [[LP record|LP]] formats.<ref>{{Citation |title=C418 – Minecraft Volume Beta |date=14 August 2020 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/15791461-C418-Minecraft-Volume-Beta |language=en |access-date=2022-09-23}}</ref> The album's artwork features an extremely dark 3D model of a block of grass from ''Minecraft'', surrounded on the edges by a larger black and orange cube. On some vinyl pressings, [[lenticular printing]] is used to give depth to the blocks in the image and highlight the inner grass block.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ghostly |date=18 June 2020 |title=Announcing the first-ever pressing of C418's Minecraft Volume Beta... |url=https://twitter.com/ghostly/status/1273261013782138880 |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>

== Critical reception ==
Online publication ''[[Digital Trends]]'' praised the album for moving "beyond pieces that are simply 'peaceful' or 'sad' and creates tracks like 'Taswell' and 'Kyoto' that feel like distinct performances".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gurwin |first=Gabe |date=2021-10-24 |title=The Best Video Game Soundtracks of All Time |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/best-video-game-soundtracks/ |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=Digital Trends |language=en}}</ref> Richard McDonald of music blog ''Original Sound Version'' called the album "an amazing achievement".<ref>{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Richard |date=28 May 2014 |title=Minecraft - Volume Beta (Review) |url=http://www.originalsoundversion.com/minecraft-volume-beta-review/ |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=Original Sound Version |language=en-US}}</ref> The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' wrote that the album "showcases C418’s ability to make grander, more sonically diverse ambience".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tsai |first=Raymond |date=2019-05-17 |title=Review: German musician known for Minecraft soundtrack C418's latest, 'Sweden' |url=https://highschool.latimes.com/south-torrance-high-school/review-german-musician-known-for-minecraft-soundtrack-c418s-latest-sweden/ |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=HS Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Track listing ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
'''Digital download (140:48)'''

# "Ki" – 1:32
# "Alpha" – 10:03
# "Dead Voxel" – 4:56
# "Blind Spots" – 5:32
# "Flake" – 2:50
# "Moog City 2" – 3:00
# "Concrete Halls" – 4:14
# "Biome Fest" – 6:18
# "Mutation" – 3:05
# "Haunt Muskie" – 6:01
# "Warmth" – 3:59
# "Floating Trees" – 4:04
# "Aria Math" – 5:10
# "Kyoto" – 4:09
# "Ballad of the Cats" – 4:35
# "Taswell" – 8:35
# "Beginning 2" – 2:56
# "Dreiton" – 8:17
# "The End" – 15:04
# "Chirp" – 3:06
# "Wait" – 3:54
# "Mellohi" – 1:38
# "Stal" – 2:32
# "Strad" – 3:08
# "Eleven" – 1:11{{efn-la|name=eleven|Although there is a music disc titled "11" found in game, the track "Eleven" is different from the in-game music disc. On the track, the start of the music disc can be heard, but this is then interrupted by a record scratching sound; the track then switches to a calm piano piece not found in the game.}}
# "Ward" – 4:10
# "Mall" – 3:18
# "Blocks" – 5:43
# "Far" – 3:12
# "Intro" – 4:36{{col-break}}
'''LP (81:39)'''

'''Side A'''

# "Ki" – 1:32
# "Alpha" – 10:03
# "Blind Spots" – 5:32
# "Mutation" – 3:05

'''Side B'''

# "Biome Fest" – 6:18
# "Aria Math" – 5:10
# "Taswell" – 8:35

'''Side C'''

# "Beginning 2" – 2:56
# "Moog City 2" – 3:00
# "The End" – 15:04

'''Side D'''

# "Kyoto" – 4:09
# "Chirp" – 3:06
# "Mellohi" – 1:38
# "Stal" – 2:32
# "Eleven" – 1:11{{efn-la|name=eleven}}
# "Far" – 3:12
# "Intro" – 4:36{{col-end}}

== Charts ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+2013 chart performance for ''Minecraft – Volume Beta''
!Chart (2013)
!Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|US [[Dance/Electronic Albums|Top Dance/Electronic Albums]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref name="TDEA" />
|14
|}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2023 chart performance for ''Minecraft – Volume Beta''
! scope="col"| Chart (2023)
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 3 July 2023|magazine=The ARIA Report|publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]]|issue=1739|page=6|date=3 July 2023}}</ref>
| 68
|}

== Release history ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Release history for ''Minecraft – Volume Beta''
!Region
!Year
!Format
!Catalogue
!Label
!Ref.
|-
!scope="row"|Various
|2013
|Digital download, streaming
|–
|Independent
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States, Europe
|rowspan="2"|2020
|2×LP
|GI-360LP
|rowspan="2"|Ghostly
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minecraft Volume Beta |url=https://ghostly.com/products/minecraft-volume-beta |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=ghostly.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2×CD
|GI-360
|<ref>{{Citation |title=C418 - Minecraft - Volume Beta |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/955222-C418-Minecraft-Volume-Beta |language=en |access-date=2022-09-21}}</ref>
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist-la}}

{{Minecraft}}

[[Category:2013 soundtrack albums]]
[[Category:Minecraft]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minecraft - Volume Beta}}