Kelsey Dower Reveals Orchestral Interpretation of “Boundless”

Kelsey Dower has just released her latest single, “Boundless,” as an entirely orchestral piece from her upcoming album Rebirth. By removing vocals and distortion, the instrumental arrangement foregrounds cinematic structure and dynamic orchestration. This release from Dower showcases her skills as a composer and her increasing interest in creating music for games, animations, and movies.

“Boundless” is infused with the emotional framework of late-stage battle scenes and turning points characteristic of role-playing games. Without the vocal narrative to guide the listener through the story, the orchestra takes complete control. The strings swell with a sense of urgency before settling into quieter moments that seem to hang in the balance. There is a constant ebb and flow between light and darkness.

The contrast between theatrical uplift and dark playfulness works well. The brighter melodic moments have a Trans Siberian Orchestra feel, while the tonal contrasts that lurk beneath the surface have the imaginative quality of a Danny Elfman film score. This is what makes “Boundless” so distinctive. Every swell and release of Dower’s music shows her feel for pacing and contrast.

About the arrangement, Dower shares:

“When I did this version of ‘Boundless,’ it felt vulnerable to me in a way that was different from the original metal version. Just like with the original version, I was inspired by battle scenes from games like Final Fantasy 15 and Kingdom Hearts 2, especially the later fights in KH2! I want people to listen to this and hear more of my compositional skills, which is why this is a little different. I wanted to demonstrate how I approach dynamic orchestration and narrative arc through music, so I made it a goal to have this orchestral non-vocal version of Boundless bring out the kind of cinematic scoring I want to bring to game, anime, and film projects.”

With “Boundless,” Dower places herself as both artist and architect. The song represents her dedication to the development of cinematic storytelling in orchestration and how her work transcends the conventional parameters of metal performance. As Rebirth draws near, “Boundless” gives the listener a glimpse into the scope of the album and introduces the gaming and anime community to a composer whose vision goes well beyond the studio.

Kelsey Dower ‘Rebirth’ album artwork