Minecraft – Volume Beta

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 independently on 9 November 2013 as the second installment of the soundtrack for the video game Minecraft, and has been physically released by record label Ghostly.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref> The album peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart in 2013.<ref name="TDEA">Template:Cite magazine</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">Template:Cite web</ref>

Composition and release

In 2011, Rosenfeld released Minecraft – Volume Alpha.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> For the next release, the artist was again given complete creative control on the soundtrack that would be implemented as part of Minecraft's November 2013 Music Update.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The mostly 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" than Volume Alpha.<ref>Template:Cite web</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>Template:Cite web</ref>

Volume Beta also contains the music of nine collectable discs within Minecraft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A stark sonic departure from the rest of the soundtrack, these discs often rely on synthesisers and percussion instruments.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In August 2020, record label Ghostly released the first physical versions of the album, in CD and LP formats.<ref>Template:Citation</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>Template:Cite web</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>Template:Cite web</ref> Richard McDonald of music blog Original Sound Version called the album "an amazing achievement".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Los Angeles Times wrote that the album "showcases C418’s ability to make grander, more sonically diverse ambience".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Track listing

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break Digital download (140:48)

1. "Ki" – 1:32
2. "Alpha" – 10:03
3. "Dead Voxel" – 4:56
4. "Blind Spots" – 5:32
5. "Flake" – 2:50
6. "Moog City 2" – 3:00
7. "Concrete Halls" – 4:14
8. "Biome Fest" – 6:18
9. "Mutation" – 3:05
10. "Haunt Muskie" – 6:01
11. "Warmth" – 3:59
12. "Floating Trees" – 4:04
13. "Aria Math" – 5:10
14. "Kyoto" – 4:09
15. "Ballad of the Cats" – 4:35
16. "Taswell" – 8:35
17. "Beginning 2" – 2:56
18. "Dreiton" – 8:17
19. "The End" – 15:04
20. "Chirp" – 3:06
21. "Wait" – 3:54
22. "Mellohi" – 1:38
23. "Stal" – 2:32
24. "Strad" – 3:08
25. "Eleven" – 1:11Template:Efn-la
26. "Ward" – 4:10
27. "Mall" – 3:18
28. "Blocks" – 5:43
29. "Far" – 3:12
30. "Intro" – 4:36Template:Col-break

LP (81:39)

Side A

1. "Ki" – 1:32
2. "Alpha" – 10:03
3. "Blind Spots" – 5:32
4. "Mutation" – 3:05

Side B

1. "Biome Fest" – 6:18
2. "Aria Math" – 5:10
3. "Taswell" – 8:35

Side C

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

Side D

1. "Kyoto" – 4:09
2. "Chirp" – 3:06
3. "Mellohi" – 1:38
4. "Stal" – 2:32
5. "Eleven" – 1:11Template:Efn-la
6. "Far" – 3:12
7. "Intro" – 4:36Template:Col-end

Charts

2013 chart performance for Minecraft – Volume Beta

Chart (2013)	Peak position
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)<ref name="TDEA" />	14

2023 chart performance for Minecraft – Volume Beta

Chart (2023)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	68

Release history

Release history for Minecraft – Volume Beta

Region	Year	Format	Catalogue	Label	Ref.
Various	2013	Digital download, streaming	–	Independent	<ref name=":0" />
United States, Europe	2020	2×LP	GI-360LP	Ghostly	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
		2×CD	GI-360		<ref>Template:Citation</ref>