Note Worthy 022: Soundtracks you should be listening to!
Coming to the end of the year, there’s always a lot of great game music releases planned. Top honors go toSuper Mario 3D World, and there are so many reasons why that you’ll read about here in a second.
We’ve got reviews of a lot of other great soundtracks as well, including the recent re-release of theCastlevania: Lords of Shadowsoundtrack, and finally a release forCastlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate, but also an amazingSonic the Hedgehogalbum,Club Needlemouse, a BlizzCon exclusiveStarCraft IICD, aMega Man25th anniversary project, and much more.
As always, enjoy some streaming music courtesy of theDestructoid SoundCloud accountand Bandcamp.
Top Picks
Super Mario 3D WorldRelease Date:November 22, 2013Price:N/AAvailability:In-gameArtist(s):Mahito Yokota, Koji Kondo, Toru Minegishi, Yasuaki Iwata
I’ll say that Mahito Yokota and Koji Kondo (interviewedhere) had a lot to live up to after their work onSuper Mario Galaxy. Fortunately, they’ve brought together the best of both worlds, both in terms of a big orchestral sound and the traditional Mario big band jazz that’s been missing for so long.
Every bit of this soundtrack is a love note to fans, from the arrangement of the character select screen fromSuper Mario Bros. 2, to theSuper Mario Bros. 3death jingle (I almost wanted to die just to hear it), to tons of references to pastMariotitles that I won’t spoil here.
In terms of the new, there’s the infectious theme that everyone has heard in trailers, tons of catchy overworld tracks (disco meets brass for one of the final stages? Yes please!), epic orchestral for the castle stages, a great Christmas-esque snow theme, a beautiful yet spooky ghost house theme, some smooth jazz (very good!) for the beach, some fun woodwind-meets-funk bass, more disco, more funk, cool synths, traditional Japanese sounds… it goes on and on. It’s all amazingly well produced, and the cheesy game-y synth sounds that Nintendo is apt to use are used tastefully in this game.
This soundtrack looks to be a Club Nintendo exclusive in Japan. That means I’ll pay $50+ to gouging importers because it’s that good. Get ready for a beautiful aural experience (I didn’t even mention the sound design… underwater effects are awesome!), and watch for our review in the coming days!
Castlevania ~Lords of Shadow~ Exclusive Director’s Cut SoundtrackRelease Date:October 29, 2013Price:$9.99 (digital only)Availability:Sumthing Else Music WorksArtist(s):Oscar Araujo
I admit theLords of Shadowsoundtrack isn’t as sexy as the gothic rock scores ofCastlevania’spast (interesting article on the contrasthere). However, it’s found favor for fans with its highly emotional orchestral score that still emphasizes melody and atmosphere. Back when the game was released, the limited edition contained a soundtrack disc with about 20 tracks, but to celebrate Halloween last month, Sumthing Else Music Works released the Director’s Cut version with a whopping 42 tracks.
My favorites from the original, including the foreboding “Dead Bog,” the beautiful “Waterfalls of Agharta,” and the defiant “Belmont’s Theme,” still stand out, but in terms of new material, the powerful “Underground Cave” is a track I was always hoping to see released, as well as short but sweet “Forest Dream” and melancholy “Into Darkness.”
I loved theLords of Shadowsoundtrack, and this is the definitive version. Check it out.
Club Needlemouse by RobKTA
Club NeedlemouseRelease Date:October 31, 2013Price:$10 (physical) / $7 (digital)Availability:BandcampArtist(s):RobKTA
This electronic remix album spans the entireSonicuniverse and is damn smooth. Italian artist RobKTA hits a homerun with his funkalicious take on “Spring Yard Zone” from the originalSonic the Hedgehog, the feel-good “Disco Absolution” fromSonic the Hedgehog(2006), the sexy “Sambapolis” fromSonic the Hedgehog 2, and even a bumpin’ remix fromSonic Lost World(the bass on this one is killer!). Our favorite electronic remixer,bLiNd, even makes an appearance in “Neddlemau5,” which covers the ending theme fromSonic the Hedgehog 3and does wonders with its minimalistic approach.
If you ever lovedSonicmusic (not the cheesy rock stuff), download this now!
MM25: Mega Man RocksRelease Date:October 29, 2013Price:$9.99 (digital only)Availability:Sumthing Else Music WorksArtist(s):Various Artists
This is one half of the officially sanctionedMega Man25th anniversary fan arrangement albums (the other ishere).Mega Man Rocksfocuses on game music cover bands/artists, and it’s a vocal-heavy affair. That actually had me a bit worried at first, but the vocal work here is quite tastefully done.
Acts include ARMCANNON, Mega Ran, The Megas, The Protomen, X-Hunters, and Bit Brigade (yes, it looks like a MAGFest lineup). Everyone does a fantastic job, and I have to say that after hearing many of these acts live and not being overly impressed, their studio efforts are a whole lot more enjoyable. Your favorite tracks are probably going to depend on your musical preferences and the source tracks, but ARMCANNON and Mega Ran do a lot in the way of interpretation and The Protomen are incredibly… dreamy? I wouldn’t think twice if I heard them on the radio.
Check it out if you’re aMega Manfan.
Other Releases
Castlevania -Lords of Shadow- MIRROR OF FATE Original Game SoundtrackRelease Date:November 26, 2013Price:$9.99Availability:Sumthing Else Music WorksArtist(s):Oscar Araujo
I am super happy that Konami has finally decided to release this soundtrack. Oscar Araujo had a daunting task reimaging the musical soundscape ofCastlevaniawithLords of Shadow, and after doing a fantastic job, I was looking forward to hearing the score forMirror of Fate.
The score is certainly subdued in a lot of ways. The theme is a bit unassuming, and the tail end of the album is packed with most of the heavier action cues, which are rather terrifying. I really love the emotional and rich “Gabriel’s Farewell,” which is probably my favorite track here, although the ethereal bell tone-laden “Library,” tumultuous “Succubus” (love the deep brass bass), and moving “Carousel” are also highlights.
While this album isn’t nearly as strong asLords of Shadow, I still think it’s good, and worth checking out for fans of theLords of Shadowsaga.
Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter Original SoundtrackRelease Date:September 18, 2013Price:2,800 Yen ($28)Availability:CD JapanArtist(s):Naoki Sato
[Soundtrack Samples]
I’m with you in not really knowing what this is. Doing a little research on Wikipedia, the anime series is about elementary school kids and futuristic “A.I. cars,” and this album features music from the subsequent games on arcade and 3DS by Naoki Sato.
It’s a shame that the franchise this is attached to is so obscure, because the music is quite good. In typical anime fashion, you have high production values and some great composition covering rock, orchestral, ballads and more across two discs. There are a few moments that will make you look up and take note of what you’re listening to, but the fact that likely nobody reading this will have played the games, you probably won’t find yourself connecting with the album.
Sengoku BASARA Chronicle Heroes Original SoundtracksRelease Date:July 27, 2011Price:2,400 Yen ($24)Availability:CD JapanArtist(s):T’s MUSIC
Here’s one that’s been on my desk for way too long. That’s probably because I’m not really a fan of the series and haven’t been impressed with past efforts in terms of music. However, I’m surprised that this is my favoriteSengoku BASARAsoundtrack that I’ve heard, bringing together the usual rock, electronic, and orchestral fusion with some really catchy results.
The foreboding traditional Japanese and rock in “The End of the Beginning,” chugging “Burning Soul,” an awesome brass and piano-infused rock track, “Lamentation,” the contemplative “Contest the Differences” and “Full Throttle,” the gritty and funky “Now to the Fated Battle,” the classical-inspired “Ravaging Red” (probably my favorite), and the octave-jumping and energetic “CHRONICLE HEROES” are all fantastic.
Check this one out if you like traditional Japanese-flavored rock at its best!
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Soundtrack Volume IIRelease Date:November 8, 2013Price:$12Availability:BlizzCon 2013 exclusiveArtist(s):Blizzard Entertainment
We had anawesome featureonStarCraft II: Heart of the Swam’sOST, and Iloved the soundtrackwas it was released. I was therefore very excited that they decided to release more music from the game in the form of an exclusive CD at BlizzCon this year.
WhileHeart of the Swarmand thereforeVolume Iof the OST focused on the Zerg, featuring evolving soundscapes that were a lot of fun to listen to, this disc captures the Terran perspective, incorporating more orchestral and rock. There’s emotion in tracks like “Worlds Will Burn,” some rockin’ and funkin’ Terran in “Kaldir,” and the patriotic march, “The Old Directorate.” It’s nice to see the other side, but I was hoping for more textural Zerg themes.
Still, fans ofStarCraft II: Heart of the Swarmand its music should attempt to track this album down. It features amazing composition and production values, as always.
Thanks a Million by Descendants of Erdrick
Thanks a MillionRelease Date:December 31, 2012Price:FreeAvailability:BandcampArtist(s):Descendants of Erdrick
While Descendants of Erdrick have been one of my favorite acts at past MAGFest events, I failed to notice the release ofThanks a Million, a fan-funded album that was released for free online after physical copies were sold out. How cool is that?
Now, I’ve never been a fan of medleys because you don’t really get to savor that one track you’re looking to hear, but this band does them so well, I can’t help but love them. I think it’s the flute added to the rock ensemble that makes their sound so unique… plus any band that doesNinja Gaiden(the NES ones!) deserves major props. What you like will probably depend on what you’re nostalgic for, but theSonic II,Double Dragon, andZelda IImedleys are all fantastic.
No reason not to pick this up. Watch for them at future MAGFests!
Valdis Story: Abyssal City by Zack Parrish
Valdis Story: Abyssal CityRelease Date:August 1, 2013Price:$15Availability:BandcampArtist(s):Zach Parrish
Before you write this off as “never heard of it, don’t care,” take a moment to check out this fantastic JRPG-style soundtrack by composer Zach Parrish. There is nearly three and a half hours of music presented here, including pumping battle tracks, foreboding dungeon themes, and of course some emotional cues thrown in. It’s all wonderfully produced for anindie title. I particularly enjoy the more mellow tunes, including the dreamy “Once a Mine, Now a Shrine” and the sweet guitar and bell ballad, “The Heir of Valdis.”
I recommend streaming it onBandcampand picking it up if you like what you hear.
