Orchestral

Featured, Game Music

OSVchannel: -Myth- The Xenogears Orchestral Album Unboxing Video

February 22, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 5 Comments Share this

It’s here at last!

I kid, of course, as this one really came out of nowhere, but there was certainly a lot of excitement surrounding -Myth- The Xenogears Orchestral Album once it was announced. Actually, if you dig back into our archives, you can find a blurb from Square Enix Japan’s promotions manager Akio Shiraishi and Music Licensing and Publishing Division head Izumi Tsukushi at Comic Con where we talked about a follow-up to drammatica, and they mentioned wanting to do something with Yasunori Mitsuda. I guess this is what they were working on.

While we’ll have our review in the coming days, I did want to draw attention to the album’s packaging, which is pretty awesome. The really neat plastic slipcase with its see-through red portions, the thick cardboard case, and the attached booklet full of photos, commentary, liner notes, and credits definitely show Square Enix’s dedication to making this album both look and sound great. You can get it here.

Check out the above video and let us know what you think of the packaging. Is this one of Square Enix’s best?
Game Music

Soundtrack Review: Epic Mickey More “Mischief” Than “Epic”

February 14, 2011 | Patrick Gann | 2 Comments Share this

A few months ago, I heard an interview on NPR with Jim Dooley regarding his work on the Wii action adventure title Epic Mickey. The interview was extremely interesting and informative; I suggest you read and/or listen.

However, hearkening back to the recurring question of game music’s contextualization, how does the intricacy of the music and the sound design impact the listener who isn’t playing the game? Is it still enjoyable? And can it truly be described as “epic?”

To answer these questions, I decided to pick up the digital-only Epic Mickey Original Game Score (available on iTunes or Amazon). You’ll find my impressions after the jump. (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Basiscape to the Rescue: Opoona Soundtrack Is Finally Here (Review)

February 7, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

Yeah, I know we posted our unboxing video some time ago, but with the busy holiday season and the OSVOSTOTY 2010 Awards, we got a little behind on posting this review! But it’s finally here. I know many of our readers were looking forward to the Opoona soundtrack as a nice Christmas gift from Basiscape Records, and it is indeed a treat to finally have soundtrack release at last.

I think most fans already know what’s in store for them: some early Basiscape goodness covering a lot of quirky electronic music and upbeat themes. Maybe you played Opoona and loved it, maybe you hated it, and maybe you didn’t play it at all, but regardless of what can be said about the game, the music is fantastic, and you should read our review to find out why! (more…)
Featured, Game Music

OSV Exclusive: Meet ZREO’s New Zelda Project, Twilight Symphony

February 3, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 16 Comments Share this

If you dig back really far, you may remember a post Gideon wrote about ZREO (Zelda Reorchestrated) arranging every piece of music from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. While that project did not feature a live orchestra, and was mostly a note-for-note transcription of the pieces using high-quality sample libraries, the result was still impressive. With that in mind, however, you will be completely blown away by what the team is working on next. As you can guess from the title of this post, we’re incredibly excited to be involved with the announcement of their latest project, Twilight Symphony, which will feature arranged music from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

But not only are we helping to announce this project. We also have something for you to listen to. Through this joint reveal with our friends over at Destructoid, you will be able to sample 10 tracks from the album, which aims to re-orchestrate nearly 40 tracks from the game totaling over two and half hours of music.

Hit the jump for our exclusive trailer and for more details about the album. (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Returning Home to Your Home: Distant Worlds Japan Concert DVD/CD (Review)

January 17, 2011 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

Wow, Square Enix had an incredible turn around on this one. You may remember our concert coverage of the Distant Worlds music from FINAL FANTASY Returning Home concert that took place in November 2010, but here we are in January with a full concert DVD and double CD release containing all the music from both evenings’ performances.

Having read Kai’s write-up, I was greatly looking forward to checking this out, and I think you’ll find a lot of surprises in the track list. In addition to world premiere arrangements, there are a slew of guest performers, all of whom perform wonderfully.

Check out our review of the Distant Worlds Returning Home concert DVD and CD after the jump. (more…)
Game Music, Miscellaneous

David Arkenstone Live: A Winter Solstice Concert Report

December 23, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 1 Comment Share this

Yes, a big surprise. I was turned on to Arkenstone’s unusual foray into the world of chillout music with Christmas Lounge after his performance in San Diego on Saturday, December 18, and we’re now getting around to telling you about the concert itself. While there was a piece from Christmas Lounge performed at the concert, the set list was much more varied in terms of style and genre.

For those who missed out, David Arkenstone and his friends traveled to two different Southern California cities this past weekend: San Diego on Saturday, and Thousand Oaks on Sunday. This “Winter Solstice Concert” featured classic Christmas songs and carols alongside Arkenstone’s original compositions, which actually complemented one another quite nicely.

Hit the jump to find out what David Arkenstone had up his sleeve at the San Diego stop of his mini-tour… did he play music from World of Warcraft? (more…)
Game Music, Reviews

Your Ears, Torn Asunder: World of Warcraft Cataclysm Soundtrack (Review)

December 13, 2010 | Jayson Napolitano | 3 Comments Share this

The day more than 10 million people around the world have been waiting for is finally here. While there has been a lot of excitement about what the Cataclysm expansion pack would mean to the World of Warcraft experience, players were finally able to dig in last week to re-explore new areas, discover new ones, and enjoy over 8 hours of new music that was added to the game.

Included with the Collector’s Edition version of Cataclysm was a soundtrack album, and you probably know from our past reviews of these limited edition pack-ins as well as the BlizzCon exclusive albums that we’re huge fans of the music from the game. Cataclysm has a lot to live up to, not only in terms of being the newest addition to the franchise, but also in that it revisits several themes from the past.

Does the Blizzard Entertainment sound team live up to the challenge? Find out in our review after the jump. (more…)