Archive for the ‘video game music’ Category

Angelus: Great Game Music From A Game You Never Played

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

In case you missed it, and I don’t know how that could happen since I’ve been talking about it all damn week, I was recently a guest on Retronauts, the best damn retro gaming podcast on Earth. Now, I don’t want to make it like they called me out to be a co-host because of my awesome knowledge on video games, truth be told, I got to co-host because I donated a lot of money to their Kickstarter. However, I think I held my own pretty well on the podcast, and most comments I’ve read about the episode seem to be of the “that guy was surprisingly decent” variety (and one asshole talking smack about my speech problem. Fuck that dude). So check out the episode if you haven’t already, and leave a nice comment if you feel so inclined!

And once you do that, check out this sick video game music!

Angelus – Original Soundtrack Album (Complete Album Download)

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When I went to Japan earlier this year, I was on a quest to pick up as many video game soundtracks as possible, preferably on vinyl. However, that task proved harder than I thought it would be.

Turns out that game music on vinyl is pretty damn rare, even in Japan. I went to countless game, music and other collectible stores throughout Tokyo and came up nearly empty-handed in every single one. While I was able to pick up some soundtracks on CD in stores like Disk Union and Tower Records, no one seemed to have any game music releases on vinyl. It was only near the tail end of my trip that I was able to find two game soundtracks on LP, and this was one of them.

Angelus was a game released by Square Enix in 1988, but don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard of it; the game was only released in Japan, and only for systems that never came out in the states, such as the PC88 and the MSX2. And unless you can read Japanese, don’t bother tracking down an emulated version, as it’s a text-heavy adventure game/visual novel. I know very little about it. In fact, when I bought it, I didn’t even think it was a game soundtrack. I thought the clerk had misheard what I asked for and that he was actually giving me an anime soundtrack, but it was so cheap (and weird looking) that I bought it anyway.

And it was a good thing I did! Because it’s a pretty great soundtrack. In fact, the music is by Koichi Sugiyama, the critically-acclaimed composer who also did the music for the Dragon’s Quest series. From what I’ve read about the game (mostly from this site), it’s about some occult conspiracy/devil worship that causes random people to become hideously deformed, and that dark subject matter really shows in the soundtrack. It has a real menacing vibe to it, like an 8-bit Omen soundtrack. It terms of game music, it’s nothing revolutionary or a lost classic, but it’s certainly worth a listen and pretty unique. It’s also probably one of the few times that a PC88 game’s soundtrack has been made available, making it a rare chance to listen to what that system’s sound chip was capable of.

In addition to the original game audio, the Angelus soundtrack also features an arranged version made using the Fairlight synthesizer.  In case you aren’t aware, the Fairlight was the go to synthesizer in the 1980s, and was so ingrained with pop music in the decade that it actually changed the way music sounded for a good number of years. That awesome synth-riff in a-ha’s “Take On Me?” That’s the Fairlight. Same with awesome end noise in the “Miami Vice Theme.” Duran Duran, the Pet Shop Boys, Prince, The Cars and countless other acts from the decade also used the synthesizer on some of their biggest hits.  Seriously, it helped to define the decade. Well, that and hairspray.

While I do enjoy the Fairlight version, I actually prefer the original game audio. While the two versions sound very similar, I think Sugiyama was trying too much to add “depth” or layers to the Fairlight version. It has a lot of echo, and a few tracks even have some tacked on beats. The original version, on the other hand, is very sparse and minimal, which I think adds to its creepiness. Also, since the sound of the Fairlight is so ingrained with the 1980s, whenever I hear instrumental music composed entirely on it, I picture bad late-night cable movies. But that’s my own baggage.

I hope you all enjoy it, and to all my new readers, I hope you stick around. I post a lot of random stuff here, so if you ever see one post and just hate everything about it, just wait a week, I’ll have something entirely different.

Except for my next post, that’ll probably be more Sugiyama. Although I don’t think most people will complain when they see what I’ll be posting.

A quick technical note about this recording: This is a vinyl rip, which I did using the best equipment I had at the time. However, it is a very quiet record, so you may hear some hiss/surface noise. It’s not that bad, but I found it to be worth pointing out.

 

 

Beep! Magazine video-game flexi-discs!

Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

In recent years I have developed quite a fascination with video game soundtracks that have been released on vinyl. Unfortunately, these are pretty rare in the states, with only a few marquee titles like Halo and some cult hits like Sword & Sworcery getting the vinyl treatment.

However, in Japan things are different. There, video game music gets the respect it deserves. Back in the 80s, nearly every game that was worth a damn had a soundtrack release, either in its original form or as an arranged (remixed/reproduced) version. Either they were given an album of their own, or highlights were included on compilation LPs that featured a selection of video game music from a particular game company such as Namco or Sega.

Some were even given away for free in flexi-disc form as bonuses to readers of Japanese video game magazines like Beep!, a popular magazine from the 80s that stuck around in some form or another until this year.

I know this because I have a very awesome friend named Anna Hegedus. And she got me two of these amazing discs for my birthday! So let’s take a look at them, shall we?

 

Wai Wai GAME MUSIC (March 1988)
Music From Ninja Warriors
Che!
Are you Lady? (Kunoichi’s Theme)
Name Entry

Namco x-Mas Charity Concert Live
Berabo-man
Toy Pop
Member Introduction 

According to VGMdb, this flexi was a supplement for the March, 1988 issue of the magazine. Side A is a collection of original music from the Taito arcade game Ninja Warriors, a uniqe beat-em-up that used three monitors to create a widescreen-style experience. (You can find out more about the game at this site). I never played any incarnation of this game from what I can remember, but this music is great, an excellent example of the kind of diverse and shockingly complex tunes that games of the time were able to produce.

On side B we find three more tracks, but instead of music taken directly from a game, they are live reproductions that were performed at a special Namco charity Christmas concert! I don’t know anything about this concert, or what charity it was supporting, so if anyone out there who does know anything about it is reading this, please let me know!

As far as the songs themselves go, the first is the theme music to Berabo-man, an arcade shooter that never made its way out to the states. Judging from the sound of this recording, it sounds like the live version still used a fair bit of synthesizers and drum machines, but I think I hear some live strings and other instruments in there as well. The second track is for another Japanese exclusive title, Toy Pop, and it’s a purely piano arrangement of that game’s theme music. It’s cute. The final track features the MC announcing the concert’s performers (each of whom perform their own quick little solos).  All very interesting stuff and something I bet most gaming fans have never heard before!

SUPER ARRANGE GAME MUSIC (November 1988)
Chase H.Q. – Stand By (Arrange)/Los Angeles (Arrange)
Syvalion – Round Start Arrange)/Main Theme (Arrange)
Assault – BGM 1 (Arrange)
Marchen Maze – Round 1 (Arrange) 
Next up we have this flexi disc, which was originally included with the November 1988 issue. Unlike the Ninja Warrior tunes from the previous disc, these songs are arranged (remixed/re-recorded) versions that sound substantially more complex and intricate than the original game versions.

The disc really starts things off with a showstopper, both in terms of music quality and in game reputation, with an amazing arrangement of music from the car pursuit classic Chase HQ. I don’t know if the bassline in this version is real or the work of a synthesizer, but if it is legit, then Squarepusher and Les Claypool could learn something from whomever is responsible for it, as it’s freaking unbelievable.

Paling in comparison but still worthwhile is the theme to the Japanese-only Syvalion, which has a great sci-fi feel that fits its space shooter genre very well. After that there’s an arranged version of the background music (BGM) for the generically titled Namco game Assault, another title that never saw a US release from what I can gather. It’s probably the second-best track on the disc, thanks in large part to its awesome synth guitar solo. MIDI shredding is the best shredding.

Finally there’s the stage one music for Marchen Maze, an isometric platformer based on Alice In Wonderland. As you may have guessed considering its source material, the music is rather jaunty.

All in all this is excellent stuff, and a peek into the era. If you like it, remember you have Anna to thank for it, and if you want to make her happy, follow her on Twitter and visit her website, where she often posts crazy technical videos that are so awesome they make my brain hurt.

And I’ll be back later this week with another Japanese-themed post! Until then, enjoy this 8/16-bit goodness!

Silly Little Discs

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

A pair of oddities tonight. If you find this stuff boring, don’t worry, I’ll have some actual music sometime later this week.

Data Age
Mindscape

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This track was taken from a flexi-disc, produced by the video game company Data Age, as a means to promote their Atari 2600 line-up. What you’re looking at up there are the front and back images from the disc. While the disc itself is transparent, it’s glued to a piece of cardboard that has that amazing/horrible artwork on one side, and the advertisement for Data Age games on the back. Click on the image for a HUGE version of it, and bask in its silliness.

This is a promotional record that is advertising something, but it’s not really a commercial, since at no point does it  actually mention anything concrete about the games. It’s more like a bizarre audio collage of themes and scenarios from the games.

From all accounts I could find, Data Age’s games were total garbage, but they sure did know how to craft a creepy and effective audio promotion. This shit is weird. If I was a little kid in the 80s (and hey, I totally was) this would simultaneously make me want to play Data Age games and scare the everloving shit out of me. Seriously, this is a freaky recording. The Resident Evil guys should track down the audio designer behind this thing and give whoever that is a job.

I would love to talk to someone who was involved with this release. If you did, or you know anyone who did, let me know. I find stuff like this utterly fascinating.

Talizman – Ultraman 80 Picture Disc
Ultraman 80 Theme Song
Let’s Go UGM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The response to my crazy Japanese anime soundtrack post was so strong that I figured I’d feature the tracks on this cool little disc as well.

Ultraman is an on-again/off-again live-action (but sometimes animated) Japanese TV series about giant aliens fighting on Earth. It’s like Godzilla meets The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. It’s great Japanese cheese, and a lot of fun if you like that kind of thing. There have been about 80 billion Ultraman TV shows over the years, and these songs were from Ultraman 80, the Ultraman show that aired, you guessed it, in 1980.

Since these tracks are from a picture disc, they kind of sound like shit. But that disc sure does look cool doesn’t it?

Cast a Dream for Dreamcast Vinyl

Friday, March 18th, 2011

I know I promised more stuff like my last post, but I’m going to have to interrupt that plan for a bit because today I got something utterly amazing in the mail.

 

 

Woot! My man in Australia came through in  spades and I am now the proud owner of a Dreamcast Collection vinyl record!

 

I talked about this ealier, but in case you aren’t familar; Sega recently released a new collection of Dreamcast games for the Xbox 360. The game was pretty much a worldwide release. But Australian customers who preordered the game got this exclusive free record as a bonus! It is totally the best preorder bonus in the history of preorder bonuses. Since I live in America and not Australia, I ended up begging my readers for help. One truly awesome dude from Down Under came through and now we all get to bask in its pearl white glory.

 

 

Mass Effect 2 can take its stupid armor and shove it.

The Dreamcast Collection game contains four complete Dreamcast games; Sonic Adventure, Space Channel 5 Part 2, Crazy Taxi, and…um…Sega Bass Fishing. Each of the games, except Sega Bass Fishing is represented somehow on the vinyl. Sorry fishing fans, better luck next time.

So what is exactly on this record? Let’s take a look.

Sonic Adventure
Crush 40 – Open Your Heart
This is the theme song to the original Sonic Adventure video game, which launched with the Dreamcast in 1999. Sonic Adventure is a…weird game that has not particularly aged well. Sure it was fun at the time, and that shit with the whale was totally awesome! But play it now. The controls are more than a little lacking, the graphics have not aged well, and the “adventure” aspects of the game are like pulling teeth. The game is best when Sonic is blazing through crazy 3D environments at light speed, which is sadly when you have almost no control over the character.

Anyways, the song. Yeah…it’s something else. I haven’t heard this tune since 1999 and I recall thinking it was pretty stupid then. Like the game it is from, time has not been kind to it. Still, it’s definitely fun in its own way, and would probably work great on a workout mix. Besides, have you heard any other arena rock songs have mention Choas Rings? Didn’t think so.

Space Channel Five Part 2
Naofumi Hataya, Kenichi Tokoi, Mariko Nanba and Tomoya Ohtani – Option Remix 2002 (Space Channel 5 Part 2)

The first Space Channel 5 was a game I always really wanted to like. It has an amazing look to it and some great music. However, I always found the goddamn thing hard as all hell. I’m used to rhythm games, but it was just too much for me. If you were off by one-tenth of a millisecond with the timing you were you totally boned! But hey, some people swear by the series, so who am I to judge? Like I said, it certainly looks amazing.

Like the name suggests, this is the music for the Options menu in Space Channel 5 Part 2. It is the best Options screen music you were hear all day. It’s great song, totally upbeat techno/lounge music that makes you wanna groove all night. Unfortunately it’s only 1:20 long, so get that repeat button ready.

I don’t know if I’m attributing it to the right people, but those are the names of all the composers who worked on the game. So one of them probably did it.

Crazy Taxi
The Days The Nights
– Radical Sabbatical

The Juliet Dagger – Flinch
The Hooks – Get Out
Now this game was my jam when it came out. My friend Matt and I spent many a night in his dorm room trying to ace this game, fighting over bragging rights for the highest score in arcade mode while trying to desperately finish the insanely hard mini-game challenges. For a game that consisted of little more than driving recklessly to Pizza Hut while listening to The Offsrping ad nauseum, it offered surprisingly good times.

So if you’re like me, when you first saw the tracklisting for this record you thought , “Hey, I played Crazy Taxi hundreds of times and I never heard of these songs, what gives? Where’s my Offspring and Bad Relgion”

Well, “what gives” is music licensing issues. Sega most likely bought the rights to use said Offspring and Bad Religion songs for the original Dreamcast release only. Any derivatives or remakes do not feature those classic tracks. Instead they feature these newer songs.

How are they? Well, it’s a mixed bag. Despite its great name “Radical Sabbatical” is kind of generic, forgettable alt-rock. “Flinch” by The Juliet Dagger is alright, and it has a good tempo. However it kind of sounds like a song by The Hives, the name of which escapes me  at the moment. “Get Out” by The Hooks is the same, not bad, but not very memorable either. I see this band having some potential however. Still, all three probably fit well in the actual game, even if they don’t make well for casual listening.

So as a whole, the tracks on this compilation are great more for the novelty factor than anything else. But what a novelty! Dreamcast songs on vinyl! How cool is that shit? I hope they do this again when they undoubtedly release more Dreamcast games on the 360.

Hey Sega, Jet Grind Radio, do it. If they made a 2LP soundtrack to that game and charged me 100 bucks for it I would buy it. The music in that game is amazing. I don’t recall the music from other Dreamcast greats like the Power Stone series and Virtua Tennis as much, but those games need to get re-released in HD, and why not put out the music as well?

Video game music on vinyl. It has to start happening more often!

 

EAT ELECTRIC DEATH! The Tempest 2000 Soundtrack

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

My friend Anna Hegedus recently bought an Atari Jaguar. Don’t worry, she already apologized. It was one of the few remaining holes in her classic console collection, which already included legendary duds like the 3D0 and the Phillips CDi. So she was pretty hardcore about tracking one down. She was so hardcore that she paid…well I’m not going to say what she paid, it was a lot…for a Jaguar-themed bundle on eBay.

The box of suck included an Atari Jaguar (still in box) and an Atari CD add-on (very hard to find). It also included several games, including copies of Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace that were signed by Don Bluth.

With baited breath Anna and I hooked up the Jaguar today for a test drive (sorry, bad pun) and we quickly plowed through the batch of horrendous suckfests that were the Atari Jaguar software library. We bore witness to a horrendous port of Doom, the shitty space shooter Cybermorph, and the Jaguar CD’s horrendous port of Blue Lightening, an Afterburner rip-off that was actually a sweet Lynx title. We even booted up the pinnacle of shit, the movie-based White Men Can’t Jump, which played and looked like NBA Jam covered in about 50 tons of raw sewage.

However, there was one diamond in the shit-stained rough; Tempest 2000.

Tempest 2000 is a remake of the original Tempest, an arcade classic from 1981 and it kicks eight different kinds of ass. It’s the most frantic and fast-paced shooter you’ll ever play and it’s crazy psychedelic explosions made the game an acid trip in cart form. There were other versions of the game released on other systems but the Atari Jaguar version remains the best.

And not only did Anna’s box of Atari ass contain the original Tempest 2000 (in the box, complete with instructions to boot) but it also included one more bit of Tempest-related goodness…

Tempest 2000: The Soundtrack
The Tempest 2000 soundtrack KICKS ASS, and it’s one of the reasons why the Jaguar version remains the definitive release. It’s an amazing collection of acid house inspired techno and entirely original. It’s a bit derivative and definitely silly as hell, but so was most “legit” electronic music at the time. If you like old-school Moby, The KLF or FSOL then you need to listen to this soundtrack, it’s the best techno album you never heard.

Now if you visit Amazon you can buy this soundtrack, and many of you probably know that I try not to post music that’s in print and easily available. However, I’m making an exception this time around, and for various reasons:

1. This technically isn’t available at Amazon, it’s being sold by an independent retailer through Amazon’s site.

2. The retailer himself says that the soundtrack is out of print.

3. This soundtrack was released by Atari, and they no longer exist

Does that make me a hypocrite who’s over-rationalizing? Maybe. But I don’t care. The fact remains that this album is out of print, it kicks ass and you should listen to it right now!

Also go visit Anna Hegedus’ amazing site, where she’ll show you how to fix your NES, make your 360 full of pretty lights and much more!

Also, if you like Tempest 2000 then check out this excellent lecture by Jeff Minter, the crazy motherfucker behind it all.

No llamas were harmed the in making of this post.