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PHASE 133: Cold Opens album cover
Album

PHASE 133: Cold Opens

NEXT202610 songs

PHASE 133 is a dark and suspenseful collection of true crime cues filled with tense strings and keys, ideal for setting the stage for a dark story.

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Tracks

    1. Chilling StoryToy piano plays with haunting strings that builds into dramatic cello for murder and crime.Orchestral · 160 BPM · Bm2:04
    4 versions: Bell · Cello · No Cello · Strings Only
    1. Bell2:04
    2. Cello2:04
    3. No Cello2:04
    4. Strings Only2:04
    1. A Cautionary TaleDeep and somber strings build tension for the beginning of the story of murder.Orchestral · 84 BPM · Gm1:30
    5 versions: Drone · No Piano · Piano and Drone · Piano and Strings · Piano
    1. Drone1:30
    2. No Piano1:30
    3. Piano and Drone1:30
    4. Piano and Strings1:30
    5. Piano1:30
    1. Dots to ConnectOminous and pensive guitar plucks with dark and suspenseful strings for edgy crime.Orchestral · 100 BPM · Gm2:34
    5 versions: Bass Synth and Percussion · Guitar and Strings · No Guitar and Horns · No Bass and Guitar · No Guitar
    1. Bass Synth and Percussion2:40
    2. Guitar and Strings2:40
    3. No Guitar and Horns2:40
    4. No Bass and Guitar2:40
    5. No Guitar2:40
    1. Let's Start From The BeginningSomber and contemplative rhodes builds with suspenseful strings into a dramatic finish.Orchestral · 80 BPM · Am2:03
    5 versions: All Strings · Drone Pad Percussion · INST · Pulse and Pad · Rhodes
    1. All Strings2:03
    2. Drone Pad Percussion3:15
    3. INST2:03
    4. Pulse and Pad2:03
    5. Rhodes2:03
    1. Hazy DetailsPensive and somber pads build with cinematic feeling for dark tragedies.Orchestral · 30 BPM · Am1:50
    4 versions: Drone · Melody and Strings · Melody · No Melody
    1. Drone1:50
    2. Melody and Strings1:50
    3. Melody1:50
    4. No Melody1:50
    1. Shadow BriefingShimmering bells and piano build with tense percussion hits and dramatic strings for murder.Orchestral · 114 BPM · Dm1:54
    5 versions: No Bass, Horns, or Rhythmic Percussion · No Melody and Counter Melody · No Melody · Pads, Percussion, and Bass Only · Piano, Strings, and Percussion Only
    1. No Bass, Horns, or Rhythmic Percussion1:54
    2. No Melody and Counter Melody1:54
    3. No Melody1:54
    4. Pads, Percussion, and Bass Only1:54
    5. Piano, Strings, and Percussion Only1:54
    1. Tale of MisfortuneSomber piano builds into emotional harp, then dramatic string stabs for dark crime.Orchestral · 160 BPM · Gm1:50
    5 versions: Key and Drone · Key Only · Piano · Pulse Drone Percussion · Tension Strings
    1. Key and Drone1:50
    2. Key Only1:50
    3. Piano1:50
    4. Pulse Drone Percussion1:50
    5. Tension Strings1:50
    1. Bleak BaritoneAmbient blues guitar plucks under contemplative pads and serious tones.Orchestral · 84 BPM · Dm2:10
    4 versions: Drones and Hits · Drone · Guitars · No Guitar
    1. Drones and Hits2:10
    2. Drone2:10
    3. Guitars2:10
    4. No Guitar2:10
    1. Hidden ConnectionsPensive pulses build with suspenseful strings and piano for an exposition for crime.Orchestral · 120 BPM · Cm2:07
    5 versions: Keys and Strings · No Bass or Horns · No Keys · No Strings or Keys · Strings, Percussion, and Synth
    1. Keys and Strings2:07
    2. No Bass or Horns2:07
    3. No Keys2:07
    4. No Strings or Keys2:07
    5. Strings, Percussion, and Synth2:07
    1. First on the SceneContemplative and moody pads build with somber tones following a tragedy.Orchestral · 30 BPM · Dm1:39
    5 versions: Bass and Drone · Bass Drone and Piano · Drone and Piano · No Strings · Piano
    1. Bass and Drone1:39
    2. Bass Drone and Piano1:39
    3. Drone and Piano1:39
    4. No Strings1:39
    5. Piano1:39

About this album

PHASE 133: Cold Opens is a 10-song album from NEXT, released in 2026. It's orchestral, built on strings, piano and pads. The songs run 80 to 160 BPM, in keys like Gm, Dm and Am, and they're all instrumental. It's a natural fit for documentary, crime and true crime. Every song comes with an instrumental, stems (strings, drones and piano) and alternate mixes, so it cuts to length without a re-edit.

Genre
Orchestral
Instruments
Strings, Piano, Pads, Synths, Percussion, Electric Guitar
Tempo
80–160 BPM
Key
Gm, Dm, Am
Vocals
Instrumental
Versions
47 alternate versions
Composers
Drew Lerdal, Drew J Lerdal (ASCAP) 100%, Gavin Linnihan, Gavin Franzen Linnihan (ASCAP) 100%, Tom Johnson, Tom Johnson (BMI) 100%

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