Jazz

Game Music

The Outer Rim Relaunch: No More Hibino and Kim

April 29, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 2 Comments Share this

We just received an interesting newsletter update from The Outer Rim founder and Metal Gear Solid series bass player Jeff Curry. Apparently The Outer Rim has some shows lined up, and I was immediately curious as I know the group had been on somewhat of a hiatus due to saxophonist Norihiko Hibino and keys player Hakuei Kim’s availability. As it turns out, the two have stepped down from the band to make way for Gustavo Anacleto (saxophone), Hiroya Morooka (keys), and an entirely new addition, Frederic Viennot on “synth and stuff.” The group has already hit a couple of venues this month, and is set to perform at the Tokyo Groove Nights Vol. 1 event on April 30, 2010 at the Kick Back Cafe in Tokyo, Japan.

I think most of us are wondering what the group sounds like without Hibino and Kim, and the answer is pretty much the same. They’ve posted a new video on YouTube (update: the above video is old… their new video, which you can find on their website, was breaking the site!) featuring the new band members. In fact, “Island Body” sounds great. It’s been too long since we’ve heard new music from the group (they were featured last on the Ninja Blade soundtrack), so this is good news even though I’ll miss Norihiko Hibino and Hakuei Kim. I hope this doesn’t mean the end of videogame tie-ins for the group, though!

Feel free to check out the band’s website for more information.

What do you think of the change of roster? Is it worth swapping out members in exchange for a more productive band?
Doujin, Game Music, Reviews

Cruisin’ The Track With OneUps’s Super Mario Kart (Review)

April 28, 2010 | Audun Sorlie | 10 Comments Share this

There are certain individuals and groups in the arrangement community that I feel up the standard every few years to keep the scene moving. It’s been done in many different forms: some reach out to larger audiences with clever promoting, some establish themselves as great live talents and opening acts and some push their talents and reputation to the edge each time we hear from them. Mustin and The OneUps are a rare breed in that they do all of these things, and continuously release and market new albums which each time blow fans out of the water.

The OneUps had their humble start some years ago as One Up Mushrooms and would, from time to time, release big band arrangements of videogame music under the OneUp Studios label, but over the last few years, they have grown to become one of the most famous performing acts in the game arrangement scene, with successful shows at PAX and even a following in Japan. Their latest album, Super Mario Kart, is out on May 4th, but you can read our advance review of the album here today!

Does it up the standards yet again? Find out after the jump! (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

The “ex” Is Left Out Intentionally: Deus Machina Demonbane Soundtrack (Review)

April 24, 2010 | Patrick Gann | 2 Comments Share this

I have a friend, an “online acquaintance” if you will, who simply adores soundtracks to Japanese graphic adventures on PC (where eroge reigns). Games like Animamundi and Tears To Tiara are the top of his list. For years, he tried to sell me on the idea of collecting these soundtracks. I had little interest, and I also had little money.

One soundtrack he’d always recommend to me was Nitroplus’s Deus Machina Demonbane. The full two disc soundtrack apparently held a lot of promise. But again, importing the soundtrack would be a costly affair.

All that changed when JapanFiles signed a deal with Nitroplus and a few other Japanese developers to have their soundtracks released digitally for a fair price. When that happened, I couldn’t argue with my friend anymore. It was time to trust his recommendations.

Was his recommendation worth it, or was I suckered into downloading a soundtrack that was in no way worth my time or money? Full answers to be found after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

Super Mario Bros. Theme: OneUps Style!

February 24, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this Super Mario Bros. Theme: OneUps Style!

Mustin cracks me up. He sent us a link to the above video yesterday of OneUps guitarist William Reyes (damn that guitar is cool) and keys/sax player Anthony Lofton performing this awesome, lullaby-esque arrangement of the Super Mario Bros. theme. While it’s mostly sweet and relaxing, the questionable camera angles and facial expressions are almost as entertaining. And the ending!

Okay, enough of me talking about it. Watch and listen to the video above and let us know what you think!
Japanese, Reviews

You’ve Met Japanese Gender Benders, Now Meet The Genre Benders! Midori – Swing Single (Review)

December 20, 2009 | Patrick Gann | Comments Off on You’ve Met Japanese Gender Benders, Now Meet The Genre Benders! Midori – Swing Single (Review) Share this

I know, as I’m sure you also know, a lot of big-name, reaches-the-surface J-Pop and J-Rock stars out there. So it’s nice to dig beneath that now and then and hear something really… different.

The Japanese band “Midori” is a self-described jazz/alternative fusion band. I had no idea what that would sound like; but I had a feeling they’d have to be very intentional and very blatant about merging these two genres. Drums and piano can go together fine, but then put in an angsty female vocalist who isn’t afraid to scream? I just don’t know what to make of it.

But I’ll do my best to sort it out in this review of the “Swing” single (catalog number AICL-2003), after the jump. (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

A Series Reborn: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers Music Collections (Review)

December 11, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 7 Comments Share this

I’ll be the first to admit I haven’t played much of the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series. That hasn’t prevented me from enjoying the soundtracks, however, composed mainly by Square Enix’s adorable Kumi Tanioka. She’s crafted some lovely tunes for the series in the past, the most memorable of which for me are the soothing Celtic-inspired compositions featured in the first Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles game. As Don mentioned in our preview earlier this year, get ready for a departure!

While Kumi Tanioka appears on The Crystal Bearers, she only composes a single track and arranges one more. What she’s up to? Who knows, but Hidenori Iwasaki of Front Mission 4 and Final Fantasy XI as well as synthesizer operator Ryo Yamazaki (who also worked on Front Mission 4) have been left to take care of the series in her absence. With these changes, The Crystal Bearers has a truly different sound, which matches well with the new action-oriented direction of the gameplay and visuals.

So, how did they do? Find out in our review after the jump. (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Take a Peek at Bayonetta’s Smoking Hot Soundtrack (Review)

November 30, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 4 Comments Share this

We teased you last month with our Bayonetta Original Soundtrack unpacking video on the OSVchannel, and now that we’ve finally plowed through the massive 5-disc collection, we’re prepared to tell you what we think. Don Kotowski knew as early as E3 that SEGA was on to something special with what he coined as their “Sexy, smoky jazz approach,” and I couldn’t agree more.

Bayonetta has a sound all of its own. It’s what I’d call gothic jazz, mixing moody string progressions with jazz piano, organ, and other elements. It’s a unique sound, and one that I’ve come to like a whole lot. The team behind the Bayonetta soundtrack is as large as they come, including PLATINUM GAMES’ Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Masami Ueda, Reina Niwa, Takayasu Sodeka, and Naoto Tanaka (I didn’t realize they had some many composers on board!) along with T’S MUSIC’s Rei Kondoh, GEM Impact’s Norihiko Hibino, Takahiro Izutani, and Yoshitaka Suzuki, and SEGA’s Hiro and Mitsuhara Fukuyama.

Is your head spinning yet? Just wait to read about what this soundtrack has to offer in our review of the Bayonetta Original Soundtrack after the jump. (more…)