Sam Hulick

Sam Hulick is a BAFTA award nominated and multiple award-winning composer, best known for creating the signature music for BioWare’s epic sci-fi franchise Mass Effect and the dramatic score for Tripwire Interactive’s groundbreaking Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad. With a penchant for injecting powerful emotions and memorable themes, Sam’s original scores range from sweeping sci-fi and orchestral bombast to fantasy landscapes.

Graduating from Indiana University as a computer programmer, Sam sought to combine his passion for writing imaginative music and interactive media. In 2003 he won the Game Audio Network Guild award for young composers. His first foray into the profession of scoring music for video games was Capcom’s Maximo vs Army of Zin (2003).

Sam’s career propelled to new heights when he was approached to co-write the score for Mass Effect (2007) with Jack Wall. Sam penned various memorable compositions such as the iconic “Mass Effect Theme,” as well as “From the Wreckage,” “Sovereign’s Theme,” “Victory,” “Uplink,” and many more. The ‘80s inspired electronic score was lauded by critics as “One of the most memorable and unique soundtracks in gaming,” (Game Informer) and won Best Original Score awards from IGN, GameSpy and GameSpot.

For Mass Effect 2 (2010), Sam was again tapped for his adept skill of inventive blending of analog synths with orchestral instrumentation. The soundtrack featured a suitably darker and more cinematic musical experience to complement the sequel’s heavier subject matter. Mass Effect 2 received British Academy (BAFTA) and Spike TV VGA nominations for Best Original Score.

After enjoying the collaborative process on the Mass Effect franchise, Sam branched out as a solo composer, composing ninety minutes of classical-influenced orchestral score for Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad (2011). Sam composed the evocative, emotional and haunting music that sets the mood for one of the most brutal battles in all of human history – the battle for Stalingrad. Red Orchestra 2 features a unique dynamic music system that adapts the emotional mood of the soundtrack to match the morale of the player based on the flow of the battle. To highlight the differences between the two warring powers Sam wrote a completely unique soundtrack for both the German and Russian perspectives.

In 2012 Sam returns to the sci-fi genre, contributing original music for the highly anticipated Mass Effect 3. The soundtrack features gripping musical arrangements that set the captivating tone for Commander Shepard’s struggle to take Earth back from an ancient alien race known as the Reapers.

Sam resides in Chicago and is currently writing his debut artist album.