Some projects come along that don't fit neatly into any category. The Pancrator Principle was one of them.

In May 2023, author Chris Mathias reached out with an idea that was unlike anything we had been asked to do before. He was writing a sci-fi novel – a NeoFiction trilogy set in a dystopian 2069 where artificial intelligence controls Europe, a corrupt council rules with an iron fist, and a teenage girl named Nyssa fights for survival in the sewers of Berlin. The story was dark, cinematic and deeply human.

Chris had a bold vision: every major character and key scene in the book would have its own original song. Not background music. Not a playlist. A fully produced, vocal soundtrack – woven directly into the reading experience via streaming links embedded in the novel itself.

The AI-generated illustrations would bring the world to life visually. But the music, he insisted, had to be real.


Reading the Book First

Before a single note was written, my songwriting collaborator Niklas Esser and I sat down and read the manuscript. Both of us. Cover to cover.

This wasn't just research – it was essential. To score a novel, you have to understand its emotional architecture. Who are the characters? What drives them? Where does the tension build and where does it break?

Once we had the story in our bones, we built a foundation. We pulled sound references, assembled a soundboard and mapped out the emotional landscape of each character and scene that needed music.


Building the Sound of 2069

The sonic world of The Pancrator Principle had to feel like the story itself – futuristic but fragile, powerful but deeply human.

We landed on a hybrid orchestral approach, layering cinematic strings and expansive pads with elements drawn from electronic music and cyberpunk aesthetics. But we didn't want the music to feel cold or mechanical. The emotional core of the story – Nyssa's vulnerability, her search for identity and belonging – demanded something warmer. Strings. Space. Breath.

We also made a deliberate decision early on: every single track would feature vocals and lyrics. No instrumentals as the lead pieces. Each song had to stand on its own as a piece of music while simultaneously serving the story it represented.

To give the album further depth, we brought in both male and female vocalists and kept one eye on contemporary pop sensibilities – making sure the music felt timeless rather than purely cinematic.

The lyrics were written by my collaborator Niklas Esser, who had read the manuscript alongside me and understood the emotional depth of each character and scene.


Release and Reception

On October 12th, 2023, the album – along with its instrumentals – was released on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and more. Our good friend Kai, from the YouTube channel Epic Music World, promoted several tracks to his audience.

The result? Over 1 million streams for a debut project in one of the rarest formats in music production.

For a first-of-its-kind collaboration between a novelist and a music studio – that's not bad at all. 😊


Why This Project Matters

The Pancrator Principle showed us something we already believed but had never seen proven quite so clearly: music doesn't need a screen to be cinematic. A novel, the right story and the right sound can create an immersive experience that pulls readers deeper into a world than words alone ever could.

Chris Mathias is currently working on the next installments of the trilogy. We'll be there for every chapter.


Curious about the music? Search for The Pancrator Principle on your favorite streaming platform – or get in touch if you have a project that needs its own soundtrack.