Eirik Suhrke
{{Short description|Norwegian indie composer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Eirik Surhke
| image =
| caption = Suhrke at PAX 2009.
| occupation = {{hlist|Composer|sound designer|game developer}}
| years_active = 2006 - present
}}
Eirik Suhrke is a Norwegian freelance composer and video game designer known for his video game soundtracks and original chiptune music under the alias of Phlogiston. He has composed for Spelunky, Hotline Miami, and Vlambeer games including Ridiculous Fishing and Super Crate Box. He has also directed and designed games, being one of the main contributors to UFO 50, Mossmouth's 2024 retro-styled game collection.
He is a long-time collaborator of independent game designers Derek Yu and Ojiro Fumoto.
Early life
Suhrke grew up in Oslo, Norway. He started playing the bass guitar at age five and started making VGM inspired music in 2000. He credits Nobuo Uematsu as an early influence.
Career
Suhrke was educated as a sound engineer and taught himself music composition. He primarily works on video games in music and sound design. His compositions for games first began as a hobby in his early teens, for RPG Maker indie games and other projects he found on online forums.{{r|2013 int}} He started making and releasing chiptune music under the alias of Phlogistan.{{cite web|title=Explore Me, Kind Sir: Eirik “Phlogiston” Suhrke Interview |author=Sorlie, Audun |date=3 July 2012 |access-date=14 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310154155/https://www.originalsoundversion.com/explore-me-kind-sir-eirik-phlogiston-suhrke-interview/ |archive-date=10 March 2014 |url-status=live| website=Original Sound Version |url=https://www.originalsoundversion.com/explore-me-kind-sir-eirik-phlogiston-suhrke-interview/}} In 2006, he co-founded the netlabel PAUSE (stylized as II) together with chiptune musician and videogame composer Disasterpeace.{{r|2011 int}}
Suhrke composed the music and sound on the Xbox Live Arcade version of Spelunky which released in 2012.{{r|2013 int}} The mid-tempo jazz album was inspired by early 1990s video games{{r|Polygon: pay}} and was composed over two years using a 1986 synthesizer, audio software from the early 1990s, and live instrumentation.{{r|2011 int}} He also worked on Vlambeer's Ridiculous Fishing and Super Crate Box, and composed a track for Hotline Miami.{{r|2013 int}}
In 2015 Suhrke was approached by Ojiro Fumoto to compose the soundtrack for Downwell. According to Suhrke, Fumoto initially requested the score to sound "bright and motivating" and to take inspiration from Mega Man 2. The soundtrack was later released on vinyl.{{Cite web|author= Dotson, Carter |title='Downwell' Soundtrack to be Released on Vinyl |work=TouchArcade |date=4 August 2016 |url=http://toucharcade.com/2016/08/04/downwell-soundtrack-to-be-released-on-vinyl/ |accessdate=7 June 2016 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001115/http://toucharcade.com/2016/08/04/downwell-soundtrack-to-be-released-on-vinyl/ |archivedate=2017-02-02 }}
Suhrke is a collaborator on UFO 50, an anthology of retro-style games.{{Cite web |last=Matulef, Jeffrey |date=August 7, 2017 |title=Spelunky, Downwell and more indie devs announce 8-bit game anthology UFO 50 |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/spelunky-downwell-and-more-indie-devs-announce-retro-game-anthology-ufo-50 |website=Eurogamer}} He is the lead composer of the entire collection{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/how-far-can-you-push-this-one-idea-the-ufo-50-team-discusses-the-making-of-the-most-bonkers-and-beautifully-weird-gaming-achievement-of-2024/ |title='How far can you push this one idea?': The UFO 50 team discusses the making of the most bonkers and beautifully weird gaming achievement of 2024 |author=Prescott, Shaun |date=27 September 2024 |access-date=14 March 2025 |website=PC Gamer}} as well as the designer of Barbuta,{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/theres-a-lot-of-psychological-hurdles-why-mossmouth-charged-dollar25-for-50-games/ |title='There's a lot of psychological hurdles': Why Mossmouth charged $25 for 50 games |author=Prescott, Shaun |date=27 September 2024 |access-date=14 March 2025 |website=PC Gamer}} Mooncat,{{efn|name=mcLD|Expanded version of Suhrke's entry for Ludum Dare 34, ...and the mooncats (2015).{{Cite web |date=December 13, 2015 |title=..and the mooncats by aarkipel |url=https://aarkipel.itch.io/and-the-mooncats |access-date=November 10, 2024 |website=itch.io}}}} The Big Bell Race, Warptank, Onion Delivery, Caramel Caramel, Divers, Pingolf, Rakshasa, Elfazar's Hat and the Campanella trilogy.{{Cite podcast |url=https://gamemakersnotebook.libsyn.com/brainstorming-50-games-in-1-for-ufo-50 |title=The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook: Brainstorming 50 Games in 1 for UFO 50 |website=Game Maker's Notebook |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |last=Kusters |first=Trent |date=November 11, 2024 |time=1:21:55 |access-date=14 April 2025}}{{cite magazine |title=Coming In To Land|magazine=Edge |publisher=Future |issue=397 |pages=52–69 |date=June 2024}}
Critical reception
Earnest Cavalli of Engadget described Suhrke's work as among "the finest indie gaming soundtracks in recent memory" in 2013.{{r|Engadget: recent memory}}
Ludography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Publisher ! scope="col" | Composer ! scope="col" | Sound Designer ! scope="col" | Game Designer ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref(s)|references}} |
| scope=row |2006
|Mr. Blocko |Perfect Run |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} | |
|---|
| scope=row rowspan=2|2010
|Warlock Bentspine |Lazrool |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} | |{{cite web|url=https://www.tigsource.com/2010/08/18/warlock-bentspine/ |title=Warlock Bentspine |author=Yu, Derek |date=18 August 2010 |access-date=14 March 2025 |website=TIGSource}} |
| Super Crate Box
|{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} | |
| scope=row |2012
|{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |Xbox Live Arcade version |
| scope=row rowspan=2 |2015
|{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} | |
| Gunbrick
|{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |Mobile version | |
| scope=row |2020
|Mossmouth |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} | |
| scope=row |2024
|Mossmouth |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | |{{cite web|title=UFO 50 |url=https://50games.fun/ |access-date=13 April 2024 |website=UFO 50}} |
Discography
Includes work released under the aliases of Phlogiston (†) and Pajjama (‡) as well as Suhrke's full name.
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref(s)|references}} |
| rowspan=2|2007
|Mode: 3 † |EP |{{cite web|url=https://www.8bitpeoples.com/products/520256-phlogiston-mode-3 |title=Phlogiston: Mode 3 |website=8bitpeoples}} |
| Croqel †
|Pause | |
| rowspan=2|2009
|Nectar † |Pause | |
| Game music 1 †
|Pause | |
| rowspan=2|2010
|Warlock Bentspine † |Pause |Video game soundtrack |
| Super Crate Box †
|Pause |Video game soundtrack |
| 2011
|Geif † |Pause | |
| rowspan=3|2012
|Super Crate Box Special † |Pause | |
| Spelunky
|Pause |Video game soundtrack |
| Starch ‡
|Self-released (digital) Orange Milk Records (tape) | |
| rowspan=3|2013
|Jane Papaya ‡ |Self-released (digital) | |
| Ridiculous Fishing
|Pause |Video game soundtrack |
| Game music 2
|Self-released (digital) | |
| rowspan=3|2014
|Game music 3 |Self-released (digital) | |
| Karakasa ‡
|Self-released (digital) | |
| Friends in caves
|Self-released (digital) | |
| rowspan=2|2015
|Gunbrick |Self-released (digital) |Video game soundtrack | |
| Downwell
|Self-released (digital) Black Screen Records (vinyl) |Video game soundtrack |
| 2016
|skopulac |Self-release (digital) |Video game soundtrack | |
| 2017
|womb ‡ |Self-released (digital) | |
| 2020
|Spelunky 2 |Self-released |Video game soundtrack |{{cite web|title=The Endless, Far-Flung Delights of Eirik Suhrke’s “Spelunky 2” Soundtrack |url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/high-scores/eirik-suhrke-spelunky-2-interview |author=Jarman, Cassey |date=28 October 2020 |access-date=14 March 2025 |website=Bandcamp Daily}} |
| rowspan=2|2024
|UFO 50 |Self-released (digital) |Video game soundtrack |
| Miasma Tower
|Self-released (digital) |Video game soundtrack | |
References
=Notes=
{{Notelist}}
=Sources=
{{reflist|refs=
* {{Cite web |last1=Cavalli |first1=Earnest |title=Spelunky, Ridiculous Fishing, more soundtracks now 'pay what you want' |work=Engadget |date=2013-12-23 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2013/12/23/spelunky-ridiculous-fishing-more-soundtracks-now-pay-what-you/ |accessdate=2017-06-07 |df=mdy-all }}
{{Cite web|last1=Pitcher |first1=Jenna |title=Spelunky, Ridiculous Fishing composer offering 'pay what you want' for albums |work=Polygon |date=2013-12-24 |url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/24/5240672/spelunky-ridiculous-fishing-composer-offering-pay-what-you-want-for |accessdate=2017-06-07 |df=mdy-all |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051214/http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/24/5240672/spelunky-ridiculous-fishing-composer-offering-pay-what-you-want-for |archivedate=2016-03-04 }}
}}
Category:Indie game developers
Category:Norwegian video game composers