Collaborations

Chip Music

Chiptunes = WIN: Volume 5 Compilation Album Now Released

July 21, 2016 | Brenna Wilkes | 1 Comment Share this

Rejoice lovers of all things chiptune! The good people over at Chiptunes = WIN have released their 5th album in the main series of chiptune releases!

After what seems like an eternity of consideration, the roster for ‘Chiptunes = WIN: Volume 5‘ is complete. All judges have locked in their votes and comments and I’ve used the subsequent collective data to form the final roster. Per the usual, this was not an easy process. To be frank, it never is. And with the extraordinarily high quality of the top submissions this time, it was even tougher. Honestly, I’m just as excited for the inevitable expansion release as I am for Volume 5!

All the same, one thing at a time. ಠ‿↼ – Brandon “President Hoodie” Hood

The album features a slew of returning artists from former WIN albums such as Auxcide, Chipzel, Petriform and more, and also introduces a whole new roster of fresh artists including PROTOFLIGHT and chip-favorite artist Shirobon.

<a href="http://chiptuneswin.bandcamp.com/album/chiptunes-win-volume-5">Chiptunes = WIN: Volume 5 by Shirobon</a>

<a href="http://chiptuneswin.bandcamp.com/album/chiptunes-win-volume-5">Chiptunes = WIN: Volume 5 by Chipzel</a>

Volume 5 has an extensive 51-track list and the whole thing is available at the Name Your Price level on the community’s Bandcamp.
Doujin, Game Music

Ecco the Dolphin Tribute Released with “Sound Waves”

January 5, 2016 | Brenna Wilkes | 4 Comments Share this

If you’re a huge oldschool Sega fan like myself, then you are likely familiar with Ecco the Dolphin; the game where you take control of a lone bottlenose dolphin and swim the seven seas achieving everything from reuniting with your pod to battling aliens to being a time lord. (that last one is speculation)

If you’re equally a fan of the game’s music by Spencer Nilsen, Brian Cobourn, András Magyari and several others through the series, then you’ll be happy to learn of the new arrangement tribute album that just released. Sound Waves: A Tribute to Ecco the Dolphin is a rather large compilation of arranged tracks from several music pieces from across the franchise created by a large assortment of musicians and artists across the game music fandom. Groups such as Armcannon, Do a Barrel Roll, Kirby’s Dream Band and even individuals like composer Alexander Brandon (Dues Ex, Unreal Tournament) have all lent their skill to the huge 39-track, three-disk album.

<a href="http://soundwavesecco.bandcamp.com/album/sound-waves-a-tribute-to-ecco-the-dolphin">SOUND WAVES: A Tribute to Ecco the Dolphin by Kirby’s Dream Band</a>

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the entire series, or you only played for five minutes on your friend’s Sega Channel before quitting in a fit of rage, Ecco the Dolphin made a distinct impression on gamers across the globe with its unexpected, immersive, and haunting world of marine exploration, aliens, and time travel. Once Colleen and I began thinking about how we wanted to follow-up our last compilation, Super VG Christmas Party, the unique ambiance of these soundtracks came to mind almost immediately. – Ian Luckey, Producer

What’s best is that the album is completely free for download! Check out the album’s Bandcamp page to grab the entire tribute and enjoy yourself some awesome marine music marvels.

Sound Waves: A Tribute to Ecco the Dolphin – Bandcamp
Chip Music, Featured, Game Music, Japanese, Reviews

In Flux (Review)

August 11, 2014 | Richard McDonald | 1 Comment Share this In Flux (Review)

I wasn’t sure what to make of this album. I have listened to and reviewed game composers remixing game music before, but I have never reviewed an album of original compositions by game composers, that aren’t attached to any games. I admit I was dubious. Also, looking at the list of composers, I was only familiar with a few of them, most notably Akira Yamaoka, composer for the Silent Hill series. This album raised another question for me. Do I listen to game music because I associate the music with the game, or is the music good in its own right? I personally believe that there are elements of of both and I find an album comprised of original music from game composers to be very interesting. Will the music follow gaming tropes and conventions, or will the composers write music purely for the album and allow their music talents to flourish. Let’s find out what this “East meets West” album had to offer. (more…)
Miscellaneous

International “IN FLUX” Collaboration Album Released!

March 6, 2014 | Brenna Wilkes | 1 Comment Share this

The team behind the fantastic World 1-2 and World 1-2: Encore collaboration albums, has just announced the release date for their next compilation album, IN FLUX, set to debut on March 4, 2014. The album, overseen by Mega Man and upcoming Might no.9 composer Manami Matsumae, will feature a diverse selection of music genres from chip music to electronica to metal from a menagerie of notable composers and artists such as Saori Kobayashi (of Panzer Dragoon Saga), Keiji Yamagishi (of Ninja Gaiden) and Akira Yamaoka (of Silent Hill) from Japan; Stemage (of Metroid Metal), Tim McCord (of Evanescence) and several more!

Brave Wave Productions president and IN FLUX director Mohammed Taher comments,

“Instead of replicating what we did with World 1-2, we went in a new and inventive direction: having the Japanese and Western composers collaborate. The album isn’t exclusive to this idea, but we have a number of tracks where it’s this eccentric mix of more than one composer contributing significantly to a track, leaping over the language gap and creating music that matters.”

The album will retail for $10 on Bandcamp with a limited edition digipak for $15, and $12 on iTunes. The physical copies have been pressed in limited quantities and will be available to purchase in person at Bit Summit MMXIV in Kyoto, Japan in March 7-9, as well as online at: http://store.bravewave.net
Miscellaneous

“Just Fun” Kickstarter Fully Funded!

February 5, 2014 | Brenna Wilkes | 1 Comment Share this

Well that didn’t take long, now did it!

Looks like within 24 hours of it’s launch, the “Just Fun” album Kickstarter headed by composer Alexander Brandon and featuring a plethora of contributing composers and arrangement artists, has reached it’s $6,000 base goal thanks to feverish pledging by fans and supporters. So what happens next for the project? More stuff, that’s what!

The original goal might be reached, but that doesn’t mean those who didn’t get in on the rush can’t still pledge and reap the rewards of pushing the funding through multiple stretch goals! A digital version of the album available for just $10, a signed physical copy for $25, other albums in Brandon’s catalog and even a custom-created single just for you at the highest backer level of $500. If potential pledgers need additional incentive, how about the full album song list? (Courtesy of our friends at Scarlet Moon Productions)

01. “Introduction”

02. “A Thousand Words” (Feat. Jameson Sutton and Stemage)

03. “On a Dark and Stormy Night”

04. “Chronophasia” (Feat. virt)
05. “Twilight Floating” (Feat. Erik Peabody)
06. “Oath of the Matron” (Feat. Andrew Aversa and Jillian Aversa)

07. “More”
08. “God bless the child that’s got his own” (original by Avery Brooks)
09. “Infinity” (Feat. Big Giant Circles, original by Andrew Sega/Paul Schultz)
10. “Overture of the Avatar” (Feat. DJ Bottles)
11. “The Blue Hour” (Feat. Bryan Rudge)
12. “Hypercontrol” (original by Andrew Sega, guitar by Craig Rundels)
13. “The Willowdale Handcar” (Feat. Danny Baranowsky)
14. “Epilogue”

With 28 days to go in the campaign, getting an entire second album worth of music doesn’t seem that far a reach for a project this star-studded. Check out the “Just Fun” Kickstarter for updates and more goodies!
Miscellaneous

Alexander Brandon “Just Fun” Kickstarter Brings the Talent

February 3, 2014 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on Alexander Brandon “Just Fun” Kickstarter Brings the Talent Share this

If you’re a fan of Dues Ex and Unreal Tournament composer Alexander Brandon, you might be interested in the Kickstarter that went live today. “Just Fun” is slated to be an original album of Brandon’s design, featuring 45 minutes and beyond of original compositions by the gaming composer. Even better than that, he’s not alone! Several big names are lending their musical skills to the project, including Jake “Virt” Kaufman, Andrew “zircon” Aversa, Grant “Stemage” Henry, Erik “Viking Guitar” Peabody and a ton more! All of this on a 14-song album with a ton of extras open to backers, including additional songs, download codes to additional albums, credits in the album notes and more!

Via the Kickstarter:

Roughly three months of full time effort has gone into this album over a period of over a year. Evenings, weekends, early mornings spent by myself as well as the fine folks who have collaborated with me. I’d like the ability to have this release be to a wider audience, with the ability to supply things like cool signed CDs as well as even more digital downloads of previous works.

The Just Fun Kickstarter goal for $6,000 ends on March 5th with several reasonable pledge tiers for the digital album, the physical album and thensome. Check out the page for the full list of contributors, rewards and details of the album!
Game Music, Indie Music, Reviews

No “E” needed in FZ: Side F (Review)

July 1, 2013 | Richard McDonald | 2 Comments Share this

Editor’s Note: Hey everyone, Patrick here. After announcing that OSV would be going into a state of inactivity, I got an influx of support in the mailbox, including a lot of requests to write for the site. No one willing to take up the mantle of managing editor, mind you, but still plenty of great people with plenty to offer.

One of the people to write in was British composer/arranger Richard McDonald. I was excited by his passion, his thoughtfulness, and his taste in music.

So without further ado, I present to you Richard’s first of, hopefully, many articles on OSV. What we have here is a brief review of “FZ: Side F” (the first of two arrange albums for FEZ). Enjoy it, after the jump! (more…)