Instrumental

Game Music, Indie Music, Reviews

Prismatica Soundtrack (Review)

August 10, 2015 | Sebastian Urrea | Comments Off on Prismatica Soundtrack (Review) Share this Prismatica Soundtrack (Review)

Prismatica: A New Twist on Puzzle Games

Prismatica is a puzzle game that has gotten some positive attention in the gaming world and was just released on Steam this past July. It was nominated for the Best Upcoming Game at the 11th Annual International Mobile Gaming Awards (IMGA) in San Francisco this year, and has been praised for its different take on puzzle games and its bright and cheerful style. The game features music written by award-winning indie folk musician Svavar Knutur, which in my mind is part of what helps it stand out from the crowd of puzzle games.

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Miscellaneous, Reviews

Plug-In to your dreams: Hijack (Review)

July 5, 2012 | Patrick Gann | 1 Comment Share this Plug-In to your dreams: Hijack (Review)

Imagine if you were a game music composer. Well, some of you reading actually are, but for those who aren’t, imagine it. You’re not writing for AAA games, but you’re satisfied with your job, and you eke out enough cash to get by.

Alright, so you write game music. But sometimes, you just wanna rock. Harder than you’ve ever rocked before. Now, imagine that slowly but surely, over the span of the last decade, you networked with a bunch of amazing rock/metal smiths across the world so that you could record your dream album.

Are you imagining it? I’m transcending time and space here to make sure you are. And I’m pretty sure you’re not. Try harder!! … nope, you’re still not there.

Well then, in lieu of your failed imagination, just join me after the jump we’re we’ll talk about Fred “Mobo” Motte and his band Plug-In. Their first full-length album, released 12 years after the band’s formation, will be found in the Bandcamp embed after the jump. (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Meet Masashi Hamauzu’s Latest Experiment: IMERUAT (Review)

August 10, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 11 Comments Share this

Masashi Hamauzu garnered quite a fan following during his time at Square Enix. Working in the background on the SaGa franchise and other peripheral Square Enix properties, he made a name for himself by developing his own distinct sound. Contributing to Final Fantasy X and later scoring the entire Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack, however, brought his name to the forefront of game music, and shortly after completing his work on the game, fans were surprised to hear about his departure from Square Enix.

While he’s focused mostly on arrangement work since that time, working on Thomas Boecker’s concerts as well as with Square Enix on the Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection and the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII-2, he’s recently found a creative outlet for his original works. Teaming up with vocalist Mina at MONOMUSIK, the duo has performed several times in Japan and Europe, and has put together a small EP that is now available to fans on iTunes.

Does IMERUAT retain Hamauzu’s distinctive sound, and is their EP worth your attention? Find out after the jump. (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

GENTLE LOVE In Disguise: Precription for Sleep Vol. 2 (Review)

August 5, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on GENTLE LOVE In Disguise: Precription for Sleep Vol. 2 (Review) Share this

Remember a few months back when we announced that Norihiko Hibino had formed a new unit called GENTLE LOVE? Yeah, not the album series featuring Hibino on sax performing Japanese, Chinese, and American standards, but a duo featuring Hibino on sax and pianist Ayaki Saito performing relaxing and therapeutic music.

As it turns out, Hibino Sound Therapy Lab, the company behind the iPhone/iPod Touch app Prescription for Sleep (which came packaged with a music CD in certain regions that Patrick reviewed some years back) has published a second volume, but rather than featuring Hibino on his own, the album is actually GENTLE LOVE’s debut.

So, how does the duo perform, and do their collaborative efforts live up to the Prescription for Sleep name? Find out in our review. (more…)
Japanese, Reviews

Japan’s Prolific Guitar Player: Kotaro Oshio’s Eternal Chain (Review)

September 24, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

Well, I guess it was just over a year ago that we covered Tussie mussie, Oshio’s first cover album of pop standards that I got a huge kick out of. While Eternal Chain was released shortly thereafter in August of 2009, it marks our third review and his third full-length album release in the period of a single year. That’s pretty impressive, and it’s all quality work.

For those who missed out on our reviews of You & Me and Tussie mussie, Kotaro Oshio is one of Japan’s most well-known guitarist, working magic with just an acoustic guitar and his fingers. While you’d categorize his music as mainly “easy listening,” there are certainly some melodies that will have you humming along and even bopping your head as you progress through his latest outing.

Hit the jump for our review of Kotaro Oshio’s Eternal Chain. (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Square Enix at its Best: NieR Gestalt & Replicant Soundtrack (Review)

April 26, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 15 Comments Share this

While Square Enix’s NieR Gestalt will be out in the United States this week (simply titled NieR), I admit I haven’t been following it until now. The two versions of the game (Gestalt on the Xbox 360 and Replicant on the PlayStation 3) are essentially the same game with a protagonist swap in the Gestalt version to appeal to a Western audience, as it will be the only version to come to the United States.

This strange release strategy along with the fact that I haven’t been reading much about the game has created somewhat of a shroud of mystery around the game in my mind. This sense of something new and foreign is even further enhanced by the fact that the score was handled by a team of ex-Namco composers headed by Keiichi Okabe under the studio name of MoNACA along with Takafumi Nishimura from Cavia rather than Square Enix’s internal audio team.

Get ready for something new and completely different from a Square Enix soundtrack. Hit the jump for our review of the NieR Gestalt & Replicant Original Soundtrack, and get ready for something good! (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Braid: A Game Without Time Marries a Soundtrack Without Time (Review)

November 11, 2009 | Gideon Dabi | 1 Comment Share this

Few developers have created a bigger divide in the gaming populous than the outspoken Jonathan Blow. His wildly successful puzzler, Braid, infuriated, delighted, and tantalized gamers almost as much as Blow himself. In addition to the widespread critical acclaim for the game, Braid enjoyed a rather enthusiastic reception to its unconventional soundtrack – provided mostly by cellist Jami Sieber. Unlike most games – particularly those of the independent genre – Braid’s soundtrack consisted of previously released/written material.

Some feel it weakens a soundtrack when it consists of “unoriginal” works, others feel the opposite. Which proved the victor here? Click the jump to read on! (more…)