OverClocked ReMix

Doujin, Game Music

Celebrate 21 Years of Chrono Trigger with Chronology Jazz Tribute Album

August 23, 2016 | Brenna Wilkes | 1 Comment Share this

Yesterday marked the 21st anniversary of the American release of Square’s beloved time-traveling JRPG, Chrono Trigger. Now that Chrono Trigger is legal to drink here in the states, the good folks at Overclocked Remix decided to throw it a party; in the form of a jazz tribute album! Chronology: A Jazz Tribute to Chrono Trigger features eight tracks from the Overclocked Jazz Collective; a group featuring artists such as Nostalvania, DrumUltima and the project’s own director, Dylan “Wiesty” Wiest.

Through some fluke, I was able to assemble my own “dream team” of musicians and arrangers on OC ReMix who all shared a passion for jazz and video game music. I felt Chrono Trigger would be an ideal candidate for our first release given the game’s quickly approaching 20th anniversary and the fact that Mitsuda’s music lends itself so well to jazz and improvisation. The musicians and artists on this album have put in countless hours of practice and recording to produce an album which I think sounds authentic and natural. Jazz is a social music best captured in the moment… and while the production process of this album was anything but “in the moment,” I think the album’s sound and cohesiveness will speak for itself. – Dylan Wiest, Chronology Project Director

This marks the second album Overclocked Remix has produced in tribute to Chrono Trigger; the first being Chrono Symphonic in 2006.

You can download the entire Chronology album for free on several mirrors hosted on their OCRemix website. Between this and the Chronicles of Time mega album from earlier this year, Chrono Trigger and it’s gorgeous soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda is definitely getting the love it rightfully deserves.
Doujin, Game Music

OverClocked University Releases “Spring Break DJ Set”

May 30, 2016 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on OverClocked University Releases “Spring Break DJ Set” Share this

OverClocked Remix’s own community house band OverClocked University, who debuted at MAGFest 9 on a OCR panel and performed as a full-fledged band at MAGFest 11, have released their second album “Spring Break DJ Set” in time for Memorial Day!

The follow up to their 2014 debut EP, “Freshman Year“, the new album features ten tracks with upbeat, summer-y tunes from games like Pokemon Black, Bravely Default, Undertale and more!

The sun is shining, the waves are crashing, and there is an umbrella in your drink. It’s gotta be spring break! Get down with the latest OCU release, OverClocked University: Spring Break DJ Set. It’s sunny, it’s synthy, and every track is completely crossfaded to have a continuous playing time, so the party never stops!

You can check out the OverClocked University page to purchase the album for $10, or preview the album on their Soundcloud to get a taste before you buy.
Doujin, Game Music

Community Question: What was Your first Game Music Arrangement?

May 20, 2016 | Brenna Wilkes | 2 Comments Share this

A few weeks ago, Shaun posed the question of what the very first game soundtrack album you ever heard was. This got me thinking of my own past dealing with video game music and getting into “the scene”, as it were. I started thinking about the first time I started looking up game music on the internet (circa 1999-ish?), which lead to my eventual discovery of video game music *remixes*. While arranging game music had been something people had been doing for a a while prior to the internet really gaining traction, sites like Overclocked Remix & VGMix became the centralized places for potential arrangers to congregate and show off their works by the early 2000’s. The scene grew to the point musicians were challenging one anothers abilities in arrangement competitions, and thus places like Dwelling of Duels were created.

So this got my brain juices flowing in my quest to remember what my very video game music remix was. (No small task, as my memory is shite.) Having scrolled through the plethora the old arrangements I’d saved over the course of almost a decade an a half of saved remixes, I settled on two that clicked the lightbulb in my brain. I’m not sure which one came first as I’d discovered them pretty much at the same time in 2000. Back then I’d stuck to the game music I’d been limited to as a kid, which was 90% Sega Genesis titles, which some Amiga, NES and Gameboy thrown in here and there for variety.

Castlevania being one of my most beloved game series back then (despite only owning 2 titles, and playing others elsewhere), I remember somehow traipsing across an arrangement from Castlevania The Adventure by Mike “McVaffe” Vafeas called “Tempest Mix“. Trance and techno music appealed to me heavily back in those days, and this arrangement of “Revenge” from Castlevania Adventure hit the spot for me. It had just enough of the source to grab me and keep my head bobbing for days. This is the same reason I’d come across the other arrangement I remember as being one of the two “firsts” I’d found. Golden Axe was another penultimate title for me as a kid, so “Death Adder Trance” by OCR founder David “djpretzel” Lloyd also hit the spot in terms of appealing to my love of Golden Axe’s music, in this case level 1’s “Wilderness”, and satisfying my fixation on dance-able music. For years I’d pop both of these tracks on from my burned CDs of remix music I’d accumulated and blast them in my beat-up Buick Century.

So what was your first video game music remix? It doesn’t have to be your favorite, but the first you remember listening to ever. Were you specifically looking for arrangements from a certain game? Where’d you find it? Let us know in the comments!
Game Music

Final Fantasy V: The Fabled Warriors Vol. 2 Released by OCR

April 26, 2016 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on Final Fantasy V: The Fabled Warriors Vol. 2 Released by OCR Share this

In September of 2010, game music arrangement community Overclocked Remix released the first installment of what was planned to be a five-part album inspired by Final Fantasy V, titled “The Fabled Warriors“. “Volume I: WIND” was released by director Shariq “DarkeSword” Ansari with nine tracks, touching upon the themes of several of the game characters. Now, five and a half years later, “Volume II: WATER” has been released.

Again featuring an additional nine tracks, the second installment features music from Darkesword himself, as well as fellow OCR arrangement artists such as Brandon Strader, Sixto Sounds and more. Ansari goes on to promise that the timeframe between this volume and the next won’t take nearly so long as the last one.

“Now that WATER is finally out, we’re going to move on to putting together Volume III: FIRE. I’ve got big plans, and while it would be irresponsible of me to promise a release date, I will say that after everything I’ve learned about running all these albums over the years, things are going to move along at a better pace. Keep an eye out, and in the meantime, enjoy The Fabled Warriors: Volume II: WATER.” – Darkesword

You can download Volume II: WATER as well as Volume I: WIND on the album’s official Overclocked Remix website.
Game Music

Halloween VGM Arrangement Album Wrap-up

November 1, 2015 | Brenna Wilkes | 1 Comment Share this Halloween VGM Arrangement Album Wrap-up

Every Halloween, you can always expect a a good assortment of spooky-themed game music arrangement projects released to ring in the holiday season. Some sneak out right on the celebratory day itself and capitalize on all your October 31st activities. Here’s a few you may have missed:

Vampire Variations III

The third installment of the Castlevania-tribute project, VV3 dedicates itself to covering the entirety of one of the longer Classicvania OSTs, Super Castlevania 4. Backed by Overclocked Remix and directed again by Alexandre “Chernabogue” Mourey, the album features two disks and 24-tracks spanning the Super Nintendo title. You can grab the album free on the OCRemix page – Vampire Variations III.

Danse Macabre IV: Survival of the Fittest

Another sequel to a previously-created series of arrangement albums, the first three Danse Macabre albums were directed by Erik “Viking Guitar” Peabody and featured arrangements of horror-themes from across multiple media platforms such as movies and TV along with games. This time directed by Big Mat Attacks, Danse Macabre IV keeps itself contained to video game music only, touching upon themes from Clock Tower, FNaF and multiple Silent Hills. The album is Name Your Price and has a good lineup featured. (Disclaimer: I did volunteer the album artwork and won’t be receiving any compensation other than maybe a ‘Hey, that looks neat!”)

Notte Breve

A mini-album by tibone, Notte Breve features four tracks from Silent Hill, Ghosts ‘n Goblins, Ghost House and Alien Storm done up in a rock and progressive metal genre and only $1 for all. “The season have changed, there’s a chill in your spine, an uneasyness that grows bigger as the time passes. And one short night can change it all. ”

Did we miss some albums? What were your favorites? Let us know in the comments!
Doujin, Game Music

Final Fantasy 9 Arrangement Album “Worlds Apart” Releases Tomorrow

September 8, 2015 | Brenna Wilkes | 4 Comments Share this

Fall seems like it will be a good season for huge remix album releases. Tomorrow marks when you can expect the release of Final Fantasy IX: Worlds Apart arrangement album by Overclocked Remix. The 4-disk album will feature a whopping 58 tracks arranged from a large cast of artists new and old and directed by Cain “Fishy” McCormack. The album will span the entire soundtrack of Final Fantasy 9, originally composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

“There are so many variations that we actually had to limit the number of versions of similar themes. Twice in interviews, Mr. Uematsu has said that the Final Fantasy IX soundtrack is his favorite of the series, and you can definitely tell he got carried away given the depth on display. Even if you don’t agree that it’s his best, I definitely think it’s the most cohesive effort in the series.” – Cain McCormack

This marks the fifth full Final Fantasy arrangement album released under the game music arrangement community Overclocked Remix‘s label. Like the past mega-albums released, Worlds Apart will be released digitally for free. Go to the website for Final Fantasy IX: Worlds Apart tomorrow for more details about the release, and let us know what you think.
Featured, Game Music

OverClocked Records Releases NieR Tribute Song & Video

July 15, 2015 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on OverClocked Records Releases NieR Tribute Song & Video Share this

There’s never a bad day to listen to NieR! With the recent unveiling of NieR: New Project at E3 it seems extra appropriate today to check out a new music video created and performed by vocalist Jillian Aversa and percussionist Doug Perry. The duo have performed “Song of the Ancients” on the international stages of Video Games Live but now, with the help of director Lando Donoho, they have created their own moody and atmospheric music video to go along with it.

“Song of the Ancients” is an incredible piece no matter how you perform it but the arrangement here is made even more soulful by the accompaniment of Perry’s vibraphone and layered percussion. The video and song are made available today by OverClocked Records and marks their first foray into the official licensing of video game music singles.

“I’m very excited to see OverClocked Records taking a big step towards focusing on licensed VGM arrangements,” comments OverClocked ReMix founder David Lloyd. “Jill and Doug have done a fantastic job capturing the magic of NieR with this transporting and beautiful arrangement and video. As the first arranged VGM single on the OverClocked Records label, the bar has certainly been set high!”

The video was fittingly filmed at the National Harbor during MAGFest, Maryland’s annual game music convention. The sculpture The Awakening serves as a simple and brooding backdrop that draws viewers into the mysterious world of NieR.

“We decided to shoot the music video in front of an enormous statue of a man ‘drowning’ in the sand nearby,” reflects Aversa. “Doug wore all black (including a mask painted on his face) and I created my own ghostly white ensemble.”

“We thought the statue was very reminiscent of NieR,” adds Doug Perry. “Like a relic of this once-great civilization that had fallen victim to the passage of time. Wheeling my vibraphone down the streets of National Harbor in the freezing cold made for quite an amusing scene, though!”

You can watch the video embedded above or over on Jillian Aversa’s YouTube channel and download the single directly from OverClocked Records. If all this has sparked your interest in NieR, or rekindled your old passion, be sure to check out our extensive coverage of the game and its stellar soundtrack.