Minecraft – Volume Beta

In 2011, Rosenfeld released Minecraft – Volume Alpha.[7] For the next release, the artist was again given complete creative control on the soundtrack that would be implemented as part of Minecraft's November 2013 Music Update.[8]

The mostly ambient album has a generally darker tone than its precursor.[6] Rosenfeld admits that the record is "extremely varied", being "much more percussive, melodic, and progressive" than Volume Alpha.[9] The average song on Volume Beta is far longer than its predecessor[4] – at the time of the album's release, it was Rosenfeld's longest ever work.[10]

Volume Beta also contains the music of nine collectable discs within Minecraft.[11] A stark sonic departure from the rest of the soundtrack, these discs often rely on synthesisers and percussion instruments.[12]

In August 2020, record label Ghostly released the first physical versions of the album, in CD and LP formats.[13] The album's artwork features an extremely dark 3D model of a block of grass from Minecraft, surrounded on the edges by a larger black and orange cube. On some vinyl pressings, lenticular printing is used to give depth to the blocks in the image and highlight the inner grass block.[14]

Online publication Digital Trends praised the album for moving "beyond pieces that are simply 'peaceful' or 'sad' and creates tracks like 'Taswell' and 'Kyoto' that feel like distinct performances".[15] Richard McDonald of music blog Original Sound Version called the album "an amazing achievement".[16] The Los Angeles Times wrote that the album "showcases C418’s ability to make grander, more sonically diverse ambience".[17]