Saori Kobayashi

Game Music

PRE-ORDER Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Album

January 25, 2018 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on PRE-ORDER Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Album Share this

Back in December we reported that Saori Kobayashi and Brave Wave Productions would be releasing Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Album on January 29, 2018. Brave Wave just released four stunning preview tracks from the album which you can listen to below. Personally I’ve alrady listened to these tracks a dozen times, and have beem loving every second.

<a href="http://store.bravewave.net/album/resurrection-panzer-dragoon-saga-20th-anniversary-arrangement-2">Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement by Saori Kobayashi</a>

The Verge has published a detailed interview with the composer about her work on Panzer Dragoon Saga, crafting this new album, and a tease at a possible future album of more Dragoon tunes.

You can pre-order the album from Brave Wave’s site. A digital copy of the album is $12. Physical copies (CD $15, and double LP $35) are also available for pre-order which are expected to ship in March 2018. All physical edition orders include a digital copy of the album.

I already pre-ordered my copy. Check back with OSV in the coming weeks for a full review of the album.

Is this an album you’re looking forward to?
Game Music

Brave Wave to release Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack

December 14, 2017 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on Brave Wave to release Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack Share this

2018 will mark the 20th Anniversary of my favorite video game soundtrack, AZEL: Panzer Dragoon RPG, also known as Panzer Dragoon Saga. A few months ago Brave Wave Productions hinted that composer Saori Kobayashi was working on a new project with the Triforce Quartet. They had also recently performed music from the Panzer Dragoon series live during MAGFest 2017 which gave me hope the new project would be related.

On December 12, 2017, Brave Wave Productions officially announced that on January 29, 2017 they would release Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack. Few details are know at this time except that it is an official collaboration with SEGA, that the album will contain 20 tracks, and be available on CD, Vinyl and digitally. We also know from previous announcements that five tracks were recorded for this album with the Triforce Quartet.

I posed a Community Question on November 21, 2016, and noted that there were two scenarios that would lead me to jump to vinyl, and suggested this would be one of them. I also included a suggestion that the above image would make for a great album cover. I think its time I started saving up for a record player.

Are you excited for this arrangement album?
Game Music, Indie Music

Brave Wave’s Holiday Sale Ends January 8th!

January 4, 2017 | Ryan Paquet | 1 Comment Share this

In case you didn’t know, Brave Wave is wrapping up it’s Holiday Sale on January 8, 2017. Their sale includes the physical and digital releases on the Brave Wave label only. It does not include any of the releases under the Generation Series (Street Fighter II, Shovel Knight). Brave Wave has also commented that they only do one big sale a year.

So if you’ve been thinking about picking up one of these great albums, now is the time. Personally I ordered myself Heart Beat Circuit and Terra Magica to complete my physical Brave Wave collection. You can sample In Flux, one of my favorite albums below.

<a href="http://store.bravewave.net/album/in-flux">In Flux by Brave Wave</a>

You can find all of the sale albums at Brave Wave’s store.

Do you have favorite Brave Wave album?
Game Music

Community Question: If they released [GAME SOUNDTRACK] on LP, would you make the jump to vinyl?

November 21, 2016 | Ryan Paquet | 8 Comments Share this

If you’ve ever read any of my posts on OSV you’ll know that I am Compact Disc (CD) man, in my opinion it is the definitive physical media. However, with the abundance of titles coming out on vinyl in gorgeous packages I am starting to wonder what I would do if my favorite game album did come out on LP?

So simple question, if you’re a CD or digital music fan. Is there an album that, if it was release on LP would make you consider getting a record player?

For me there’s two possibly scenarios that would push me over the edge.

Scenario 1: AZEL: Panzer Dragoon RPG (Panzer Dragoon Saga) by Saori Kobayashi and Mariko Nanba got an official LP release. The above image is something I threw together quickly, but I think it would be a pretty sweet album cover.

Scenario 2: Tengen makes 45 releases of their black cart game soundtracks on 45s. The package must include Fantasy Zone, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Heck, if they even sold a portable turntable that looked like a bootleg cartridge, I would surrender to vinyl.

As I don’t think either of the above options will happen any time soon, what are the dream albums that would make you jump to vinyl? Let us know!
Events, Game Music

DRAGOON TUNES: Saori Kobayashi Performs at Japan Expo 2016

August 4, 2016 | Ryan Paquet | 1 Comment Share this

Japan Expo 2016 was held in Paris from July 7 to 10, 2016, and one of the highlights of the event was that Saori Kobayashi performed music from AZEL:Panzer Dragoon RPG (Panzer Dragoon Saga), Panzer Dragoon Orta, and Crimson Dragon.

She also performed music from her most recent album Terra Magica. Although the full performances are not available online, I was able to track down one video from the main performance of “Mother” from Terra Magica with the Japan Game Music Orchestra (JAGMO), and vocalist Eri Ito. The sound quality isn’t the best but it does offer a glimpse of what you would have seen if you had been in attendance.

I also noticed that Saori Kobayashi performed at the Paris Special Showcase (also part of Japan Expo 2016) on piano accompanied by solo soprano saxophonist, Jordi Asensio. In the above three videos you can listen to lovely renditions of “Sona mi areru ec sancitu” from Panzer Dragoon Saga, “Anu Orta Veniya” from Panzer Dragoon Orta, and the “Crimson Dragon Waltz” from Crimson Dragon.

As a Saori Kobayashi fan who couldn’t attend Japan Expo 2016 in Paris, I’m happy that these videos are available for the world to enjoy. Take some time to listen to these wonderful Dragoon tunes. Terra Magica, Saori Kobayashi’s latest album, is available now digitally for $13 and on CD for $16 plus shipping from Brave Wave Productions.

Did you attend Japan Expo 2016 and see Saori Kobayashi live? Let us know what you thought of the event!
Indie Music, Japanese

Saori Kobayashi’s Terra Magica Announced, Up for Pre-Order

April 2, 2016 | Shawn Sackenheim | 2 Comments Share this

Brave Wave has officially cast their spotlight on another legendary video game composer having launched pre-orders for Terra Magica from Saori Kobayashi. The 12-track album is a wholly original creation that fans of her work on Panzer Dragoon Saga and Orta will surely appreciate. A “love letter to her fans”, the album doesn’t accompany a new Panzer Dragoon game but the sound and artwork invites listeners to envision their own dream sequel.

Adding to the Dragoon vibe are a slew of collaborators on the album including Eri Ito and Yumiko Takahashi who provided vocals for Orta, Saga and Suikoden 2. Bringing new flavors to Kobayashi’s familiar Dragoon sound are guitarist Takahiro Izutani and Castlevania composer, Michiru Yamane. Even the cover harkens back to Panzer Dragoon having been designed by series illustrator, Manabu Kusunoki.

<a href="http://store.bravewave.net/album/terra-magica">Terra Magica by Saori Kobayashi</a>

You can sample two tracks from Terra Magica right now (both of which I’ve had looping all morning) or pre-order a digital or physical copy. Both will be released on April 13th with the digital album going for $13 and the limited edition CD at $16. The CD version is limited to 500 copies and features liner notes from Kobayashi, most of the collaborators and even Panzer Dragoon series director, Yukio Futatsugi.
Game Music

BRAVE WAVE Continues to release awesome music: Retro-Active Pt. 2 by Keiji Yamagishi is here!

February 6, 2016 | Ryan Paquet | 10 Comments Share this

After a year of exhaustive work, Ninja Gaiden composer Keiji Yamagishi is back again with “Retro-Active Pt. 2”, the followup to his chart-topper debut Retro-Active Pt. 1. The new album finds him exploring various styles and genres, in addition to a special collaboration with Ninja Gaiden II composer Ryuichi Nitta. “When it comes to musical expression, I believe there’s a greater potential to be found within the chiptune genre”, says Yamagishi about his new work. “I expanded on the ideas found in Retro-Active Pt. 1, and I tried to fuse different genres in an effort to make a unique soundscape.”

Brave Wave

You can listen to the new album which spans a total of 7 tracks below. I have listened to the whole thing already and can say that its a wonderful follow up to the first album. Stemage provided the guitar work for tracks 2, and 4 to 6. The seventh track on the album is a sweet remix of the album’s sixth track “Eastern Sky” by Saori Kobayashi, who is currently working on her next Brave Wave release TERRA MAGICIA.

<a href="http://store.bravewave.net/album/retro-active-pt-2">Retro-Active Pt. 2 by Keiji Yamagishi</a>

Retro-Active Part 2 is available at Brave Wave’s online store as a digital download for $8 USD. What do you think of this latest release from Brave Wave Productions?