I’m a huge fan of television and movie music, so a couple of years ago I surfed YouTube in search of the theme from the show, Cold Case. I had become a fan of the reruns and the song used for the opening credits. My hope was to find a video of the song, uploaded by another fan, that I could add to my list of favorites. What I discovered was even better.

E.S. Posthumus is the name of the group responsible for the ethereal music used as the Cold Case theme. The actual title of the song is “Nara,” and it is featured on the 2001 album, Unearthed.

Helmut and Franz Von Lichten are the brilliant creators behind the music. The group hasn’t been active since 2010 due to the passing of Franz Von Lichten, but what they left behind is remarkable.

Their music has been listed in the genres orchestral, ambient, modern classical, and symphonic rock. All are accurate. If you’ve never experienced E.S. Posthumus, I recommend starting with their first album, Unearthed. The tracks are titled after ancient cities no longer in existence and have been featured in movie trailers and television shows.

Cartographer, their second album, is a two-disc collection featuring vocals by Luna Sans. All pieces are stories telling a fantasy tale about the imagined creators behind the ancient “Piri Reis” map discovered in Constantinople. The made up language sung by Sans is beautiful and haunting.

The third and final album, Makara, seemed the most different to me with pieces that are intense and power driven. I find it great for driving or housework because of the high energy quality whereas Unearthed and Cartographer are more suited to writing for all for the inspiration they lend.

Whichever album you start with, I highly recommend listening to all three. They are timeless classics one will return to again and again.