Category Archives: Misc Music

ThaSauce Wrap-Up: This Week in Review

Posted on by

At the end of the week, ThaSauce Wrap-Up feature posts bite-sized news recaps just in case you missed any juicy articles. Have any interesting video game music-related stories that you want us to look into? Are you a VGM artist, composer, or remixer that wants keep in touch? Shoot an e-mail to [email protected]. 

  • Quick Look: Laura Shigihara on Video Game Music: This week’s Quick Look involves one of our favorite VGM composers. Laura Shigihara shares her experiences as a professional video game music composer as well as early inspirations for her career choices.
  • MAGFest X Recap: EARTHBOUND PAPAS Q&A Interview: Ever wonder what Nobuo Uematsu and the rest of EBPs’ favorite foods and inspirations are or how this vivacious group of professional game composers even came together? Here, we take a glimpse into the lives of the sensational EARTHBOUND PAPAS during their Sunday morning panel at MAGFest
  • Indie Game: The Movie Out for Preorder Now: Featuring compelling stories from a myriad of top indie game designers from Super Meat Boy to FEZ and Braid, the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection Indie Game: The Movie is now available for preorder on DVD and digital copy.

PROTO·DOME Releases Second Album BLUESCREEN

Posted on by


UK-based jazz artist PROTO·DOME  has recently released his second album, BLUESCREEN:

From the creator of the hit chiptune album BLUENOISE, comes the exciting all-caps sequel, BLUESCREEN! This time around things get more varied with a touch less wah synth, a little more crazy hi-hat jamming and 100% more live sax on 1/10th of the tracks! Statistics! You know it’s going to be good.

Following his wonderful debut album BLUENOISE, we’re pleased to announce that PROTO·DOME’s latest head-bobbin’ tracks are as catchy as ever. Creatively dubbed as ‘chiptune jazz micro-music’, BLUESCREEN gracefully borders the line of classy overtures and bold, saxxy tunes.

BLUESCREEN is available now on Bandcamp and Ubiktune. We’ve taken the liberty to embed a few of our favorite songs below for your listening pleasure.


Square Enix’s SQ Chips Performed LIVE This Thursday

Posted on by

Any Final Fantasy fanboys in the house? If so, you’re in for a treat. Featuring arrangements from talents such as DJ OMKT & MJ, Hige Driver, Hidekazu Tanaka, Sexy-Synthesizer, Shisotex, (S_S), 203soundworks, Yoshino Yoshikawa, muZik, the3rdmimi, Mitsuto Suzuki, Another Infinity, and Q/11A E0, Square Enix’s highly anticipated album borrows original masterpieces from the likes of Uematsu and Kikuta and masterfully takes each song to a different level. In other words, you are most likely to experience heightened states of euphoria while listening to this stunning record.

But wait, there’s more! Ustream will be hosting a live, worldwide streaming event of Square Enix’s  “SQUARE ENIX Presents SQ Party LEVEL1″, to be held at 2.5D in Tokyo, featuring music from SQ Chips this Thursday, September 29th from 8:00 – 11:00 PM JST (That’s Japan Standard Time, folks, so make sure you set your alarms accordingly!).

And remember, SQ Chips features a wonderful list of tracks, including some surprises from Nanashi no Game, Einhander, Final Fantasy XIII, among many others. Here’s your chance to preview one of the most anticipated albums of the year — get to it!

Triple Review Number Two: Amphibious, Nario, and Joshua Morse

Posted on by

Time for another triple review everybody! In this edition, three phenomenal albums will be reviewed; two original, one remix. What are they, you ask? Well, I’m glad you inquired as to this. They are Amphibious’s Oceans EP, Nario’s More of Me, and for those who thought I’d forgotten it, Joshua Morse’s Robot Museum. See, I didn’t go straight from The Missingno Tracks to The Sound of Speed! Anyways, all three shall be reviewed in this one article, by me, Mirby, your one-stop shop for multi-reviews! You can’t find them anywhere other than ThaSauce! And my website… but still. It’s an exclusivity thing, you see? And now, to the reviews!

AMPHIBIOUS – OCEANS

1. Plunge     2:59
This starts off very aqueous, and some percussion comes in at about 0:10. Melody at 0:27. More percussion at 0:37. Keys at 0:47 or so. I’m sensing a pattern here. I feel like I really am plunging here, like I had my Wailord use Dive or something. Another instrumentation at 1:44 or so. The end is near with a reprisal of an earlier part at 2:30.

2. Pelagic Fortress     3:00
I’ll be honest, I’m not sure what pelagic means, but it’s probably something good. Starts off rather ambient, then kicks in at 0:24. Nice melody at about 0:56 or so. Great whistle-thing at 1:18. Breakdown at 1:40 or so. It starts to come back at 1:47. The usage of echoes really gives this album an oceanic vibe; fitting for the title, and the artist’s name. It starts to fade out at the 2:30 mark, very gradually.

3. The Azure Deeps     5:18
Did we enter a deep sea trench here with lava bubbling up from the asthenosphere? I don’t know, but it sure starts off mystical. I’m suddenly reminded of the Serpent Trench from Final Fantasy VI, but just because what I said and not the music. It’s very very ambient until 0:45 when a melody comes in. Very atmospheric. 1:30 brings in some bass, breaking up the ambient background for about 14 seconds. More keys at 1:55 or so. This reminds me of Dave Wise’s infamous “Aquatic Ambience” from the original Donkey Kong Country, both in its vibe and general watery feel. Especially at 2:30. This could very well be a tribute to that track, and that’s a very good thing. It keeps building and building… it feels just like exploring an unknown sector of the sea floor, which is very possible since we know very little about our own oceans. I hope they’re as awesome and mystical as this; I’m loving this vibe. Nice chillout music. 4:15 or so brings in more keys and a reprisal of the original melody back at the 45 second mark. From here it slowly fades until the end.

4. Resurfaced     4:41
Unlike the previous tracks, this one starts off almost immediately with a melody. 0:20 brings in an awesome rhythm. This one… gives a vibe, a vision of ascending back to the surface, to the sunlight and fresh air. 1:05 has nice synth usage. 1:23 may very well be the moment of breaking the surface, what with the sound effect used there. It’s very very calm and mellow until 2:01 when it starts to build up triumphantly. 2:25 brings in a rhythm that just adds to the victorious theme. It’s like a credits theme; once again, my mind returns to the Donkey Kong Country soundtrack, but this time it’s Donkey Kong Rescued from DKC2 And it’s only reminiscent of them because of the triumphant feel present in the track, the general HELL YEAH I DID IT vibe present. 3:53 keeps this feel going. The end begins at 4:27. Fantabulous work, Amphibious!!

NARIO – MORE OF ME

1. gNARly     3:18
Cyril told me recently that this song is the result of a Double’s Dash Compo between him and Nario; sounds good. Nice and chiptacular. And not gnarly in any way, shape, or form. It’s rather groovy. 0:52 brings in a change-up in speed. I feel like I’m running around in a pixelated wonderland. Especially at 1:37 when the hasty rhythm returns. Breakdown at 1:58 or so. Back to the rhythm, but with a key change, at 2:37. Another keychange at the three minute mark, to the end.

2. This Pain Is Too Much to Bear (And Screw You, Too)     3:30
I like the name, it makes me laugh. It’s like THIS TITLE IS KIND OF EMO AND SCREW YOU FOR MENTIONING IT. Nice usage of panning at 0:30. Another hasty rhythm follows shortly after. Nice work here, Nario! You know, it’s nice to talk about Nario without there having to be a dance pad mentioned somewhere. Slow part at 1:25 or so, that builds, and the panning is still in effect. Pause at 1:58, with what could be the pause screen melody right after. 2:21 shows signs of life in the track as it starts to build back up piece by piece. And another piece at 2:33, and then back to full force at 2:43 with a chipsolo. 3:05 brings the rhythm back once more, and keeps on building on that until the end.

3. Drive-In Dance Club     3:35
Ooh, a drive-in dance club! Wonder if they have dance pads here… oh wait. Anyways, aside from the jest, this has a groovy rhythm right off the bat. 1:04 shows a possible change-up, and it keeps on taking this path until 1:36 with a slight breakdown. It’s something different, that’s what’s important. 1:52 has a chipsolo. 2:07 adds a melody in the background to the chipsolo rhythm. 2:23 adds another layer to that melody. Slight switch-up at 2:53 or so, signaling the impending end. This impending end begins at 3:25.

4. Chips of the Penguin     2:30
I didn’t know penguins liked chiptunes. Regardless, this does have a slightly frosty vibe to it. Switch-up at 0:49, and back to the norm at 1:10. Nario is great with his chiptunes, that’s for sure. This sounds just like something I’d hear in a classic game from yesteryear. Or Game Center CX aka Retro Game Challenge… which amounts to the same thing, really. The end starts at 2:27.

5. Chilled Pop Cherry Soda (8-Bit Mix)     2:24
It says 8-bit Mix, not one sound mix. But another sound gets added in quickly, and 0:20 puts one more in, and 0:30 puts one more in. 0:47 shows off some melodius meanderings. 1:32 returns to the normal melody after a brief chipsolo. This continues until the end. Nice track there.

6. Ghostbusters Have Sex With Schala at a Strip Club     3:42
This could be one of the strangest song titles I’ve ever reviewed. Isn’t Schala like… underage? I mean sure it was 12,000 BC but still! Starts off simple, but slowly builds until 0:42 when we have chipdrums. 0:52 gives us some melody. Nice layering at 1:20 or so. Breakdown at 1:48 or so. More layering at 2:02. It’s building and building and building… very nice work with the atmosphere, Nario. Random speed change at 2:42. It’s almost like a completely different song! It stops at 2:56 or so, and picks back up at about 3:08. The end is near at 3:25, when the finale begins.

7. Hands in the Air (feat. cyrilthewolf)     3:19
Ah, Cyril. Let’s see what you contribute to the chippiness that is Nario. Starts off simple, but some vocals come in at 0:30. Nice work, Cyril, beautiful! And the chiptunes work perfectly. Chorus at 1:02 or so; it all comes together beautifully. More chorus at 1:48. Also, I’m putting my hands in the air sooo… Bridge at 2:18. Also, isn’t putting your arms up in the sky what every party member in the first six Final Fantasy games did after every battle? Great work! That was wonderful!!

JOSHUA MORSE – THE ROBOT MUSEUM

1. Thunder Beam (Mega Man – Elec Man Stage)     4:10
This track always was pretty chill… But JM makes it sound like elevator music. And I mean that in a good way. Snapping is mandatory for this track, I’m telling you. A slight breakdown at 0:58. More source at 1:28 or so. Another brief solo at about 2:08. Breakdown at 2:33 or so. The end is near at 3:54.

2. Air Shooter (Mega Man 2 – Air Man Stage)     4:20
Oh, Air Man. Contrary to popular belief, you can in fact be beaten. Ooh, nice bass at 0:14; sounds like more standard JM funk is the theme for this track. The bass really bumps in this track, something I’m really enjoying. Guitar at 1:04 taking on the source. After this, I’m gonna have to listen Bramble Reprise. Ooh, solo at 1:54. Heh, I bounced too much and my computer almost slid off my bed. Back to source at 2:38 or so. Epic bass solo at 2:56. Those are words I never thought I’d type, but here they are. And better yet, this bass heralds the end of the track, with more source at 3:28. The end is near at 4:04.

3. Spark Shock (Mega Man 3 – Spark Man Stage)     4:50
Spark Man’s stage always annoyed me; too many holes with too many floating enemies above them ready to knock you down them. The music was solid though, and JM’s take on it is just as firm. Starts off muffled a bit, a la 50’s radio, but at 0:30 true JM flavor drenches the track. More source at at 1:31. Seriously, who would’ve thought that all it took to spice up the classic tunes was some of Joshua Morse’s signature funk? 2:31 brings in the solo. Just thinking, I would so want to hear a collaboration between JM and Mustin. That would be pretty awesome. Back to source at the three minute mark. Piano solo at about 3:30. It morphs into a funky free-for-all that fits in fantastically. But afterwards, the end of the track is quite close.

4. Dust Crusher (Mega Man 4 – Dust Man Stage)     4:23
And now for a more obscure theme. Most people like Pharoah Man, but Dust Man is cool; he’s the one who got an EXE counterpart! Starts off calm with a very basic rhythm, but at 0:42 the source kicks in with a hollow feeling. 1:45 brings in a decidedly epic part that quickly gives way to another brief bass solo. More source at 2:13. Another calm spot at 2:30, but it gives way to the solo right afterwards. At 3:17, you can tell the finale of the track is quite close. 3:43 brings in more source. It slowly dies at 4:14.

5. Power Stone (Mega Man 5 – Stone Man Stage)     4:14
Stone Man, oh Stone Man. You have a wall you can walk through in your stage! Great level design and a great tune! The source kicks in at 0:36. Epic guitar solo at 1:07 or so, followed by another solo. Source returns at 1:52, with epic guitar throughout. Calm spot at 3:08, but it gives way to another solo that heralds the end.

6. Yamato Spear (Mega Man 6 – Yamato Man Stage)     4:37
Ooh, what a vibe right off the bat. I liked how Yamato Man had the rivalry with Knight Man and Tomahawk Man. But he got named JapanMan in EXE sooo… Then again, Tomahawk Man became TmhwkMan. Source at 0:37 or so. Groovy and funky, with great source usage and ethnic feel to it. But that quickly gives way to the funk. Everything gives way to the funk; such is the way of funk. Breakdown at 2:29. Source returns at 3:00. This is phenomenal; Mega Man ain’t ever been this sexy! The end is near at 4:20 or so.

7. Slash Claw (Mega Man 7 – Slash Man Stage)     4:10
I once replaced Slash Man in a Famicom-styled rendition of Mega Man 7 with my custom Robot Master, Wombat Man. The music remained, of course, as did the jungle stage. Starts off with the lesser-known tropical funk, and at about 0:50 piano comes in with source usage. Slight breakdown at 1:31 that gives way to the source quickly after. This is a great take on the track; solo at 2:50. Back to source around a minute later, and it ends suddenly.

8. Astro Crush (Mega Man 8 – Astro Man Stage)     4:12
I still haven’t beaten Mega Man 8, but I did get to the tower stage where you fly around. Think it’s the third one. Regardless, funky to begin with and source comes in at 1:15. 1:45 amps up the funk factor like the funk in the air at Otakon, if reports I’ve received are any indication. Solo at 2:08 or so. Back to source at 2:56. What a groovy rendition of the track. Nice rhythm to end the track.

9. Data Base Accessed (Mega Man & Bass – Data Base)     3:31
Aww… I’m sad that this is the last track. But hey, the Data Base is cool. It’s what made Dr. Light canonically a douche. Seriously, his Bad Point in his profile is Douchie. Anyways, a nice mellow track; works great as a counterpoint to the rest of the album. In fact the mellowness of this and Thunder Beam work as bookends, preventing the funk from spilling over into the rest of your music library. Source is used throughout. This is just nice and mellow… how I like it. There’s really nothing of note aside from the general awesomeness of the song.
CONCLUSION
So in this review, I’ve got two albums that were released quite recently, and one that’s been out since March. I’ve been meaning to get around to Robot Museum for a while now, and I figured why not throw it in with the other two? It’s a single artist album, so the formatting would remain the same. And it worked out. This triple review was also awesome for the fact that all three albums are of completely different styles. Amphibious’s is a nice ambient rhythmic album, Nario’s is a chiptune masterpiece, and Joshua Morse’s is a funkadelic ride throughout the classic Mega Man series, sans 9 and 10. And in light of recent events regarding Mega Man, someone needed to give the Blue Bomber some love.

In summation, Amphibious’s freshman effort was well-done; I hope to hear much more from him in the future. And I hope to get lost in fantasy with the aid of his music once more. As for Nario’s album More of Me, well… It’s Nario, so what else can I say? If you need to know more, just look at the album art. Enough said. And lastly, Joshua Morse’s The Robot Museum. As I said in the review, Mega Man ain’t ever been this sexy. And, once more, enough said. All three of these albums are phenomenal, and while some may already have The Robot Museum, Oceans and More of Me are well worth a listen as well. Get them as soon as you are able, and until next time, game on!

Triple Review!!! Benjamin Briggs, ProtoDome, and WillRock!

Posted on by

She’s done the normal single review, she’s possibly created the double review… what will Taylor Brown do next to top herself? Nothing but the logical evolution of this series. Much like how Pokémon Black and White introduced Triple Battles to the series, I shall now attempt to fuse the two into a new thing. And there’s nothing else to call it but… THE TRIPLE REVIEW!! And no, this is not just a hasty way for me to clear my backlog. Maybe. Regardless, in this edition I shall review Benjamin Brigg‘s Attention Deficit EP, released much earlier this year; ProtoDome‘s BLUENOISE, also from earlier this year; and WillRock‘s Refraction of a Dream. All three of these come from wacky people well-known around the community who are quite talented in their musical stylings, and much like fine wine have only improved with age. So, without further ado, I present to you… THE TRIPLE REVIEW!! Woohoo!

BENJAMIN BRIGGS – ATTENTION DEFICIT EP

1. Too Soon – 4:06
Starts off pretty nice… nice rhythm. 0:17 brings in some more melodic parts. At 0:32, it all changes, and by 0:40 the main meat of the track kicks in. 0:55 brings a brief breakdown. 1:20 or so brings in a change with Mario fireball sounds keeping rhythm. Nice idea there, chth. It starts to come back together at about 1:58. Chippiness at around 2:20. The fireballs fade away at 2:30 or so. Another breakdown at 2:40 or so, followed by another buildup. 3:18 brings in a pretty cool effect that keeps the track going. Much like the title of the album, these instruments keep changing as rapidly as an ADHD kid’s focus of attention. Ends with racecar sounds.
2. Benji Needs A Lawyer – 3:47
OBJECTION! Oh wait, my bad. Starts off with the basic rhythm, and 0:16 brings in another layer intermittently until about 0:34 when another layer is added. 1:04 brings in the bass. 1:20 brings it all together. This is a good track; makes me start to move and groove. 1:48 brings in some nice chipchimes. Remember, I’m now using chip- as a prefix. Nice mixup at around the 2:10 mark, followed by a slight breakdown and solo at about 2:44. Chippy awesomeness right here. Breaks down at about 3:15 in preparation for the end. At 3:35, the end is definitely near.
3. Troll 4 Life – 3:51
The previous track flows right into this one. Nice chippy effects at 0:35 or so. Even cooler ones at 1:04. This track seems to be just a rhythm with random sound effects, which is fine by me. It proves me wrong at 1:31 with some melody. Johnny Bravo sampling at the 2 minute mark! Okay, this track is now about 500% more awesome. Solo at 2:32. Reminds me of the old Sonic tunes a bit. It starts to fade out at 3:20. Beavis and Butthead sampling at 3:40.
4. I Can Has This Dance? – 3:55
No, you can no has this dance, chth. But you can has a review! Great usage of sound effects again; in this case, it sounds like the Mario 3 death sounds, both the enemy and Mario’s sounds. The main melody slowly builds in the background until 1:07 when it explodes in awesomeness. 1:40 brings in another layer of instrumentation, and 1:48 throws one more on top. It’s a beautiful haunting melody, that almost reminds me of Lavender Town from the original Pokémon games. 3:04 brings a gradual fade, with the sounds of Mario coming back to the forefront.
5. Love The Game – 3:51
Starts out awesomely. Nice ambient howl-thing at about 0:24. Think I heard this same instrument in VVVVVV’s soundtrack. Breakdown at 0:54. Chipchimes in the background sound great. It all explodes at 1:32, bringing a much fuller soundscape. Slight breakdown at about 2:08. Buildup at 2:18, which explodes at 2:30 with singing. Is this chth himself? I think it is. Not too shabby, even though I think I heard a faint hint of autotune. More howl at 3:05. This heralds the final part of the song, which starts to fade out at 3:34.
6. I’m Nobody (feat. Cornelius Rawness) – 2:54
And now for the final track of this album, which starts out with rough and muffled chiprhythms. At about 0:20, singing comes in. It’s pretty good; I’m enjoying it, and the effects help it fit right into the atmosphere of the track. Great writing; not many songs use “codependency” in their lyrics. The main music is pretty good too; well done. 1:46 brings in Cornelius’ part. Nice usage of the Sonic sound effects. 2:24 brings the chorus back. “I’m nobody, I’m nobody, I’m nobody… at all…” Finale at 2:46. Great work, Ben!

PROTODOME – BLUENOISE

1. Hello World. – 1:07
Atmospheric!! More atmosphere at 0:31. Nice finale at 0:57.
2. 9am Skies. – 2:21
Did I just start listening to an Animal Crossing song? 0:15 shows that I didn’t, with a mix of Proto’s chip mastery and jazz stylings. I don’t think anyone else could do chipjazz quite like ProtoDome. Nice melody. Slight breakdown at 1:18, and another 1:27. This is reminding of Pilotwings now. Another solo at 1:51. The end is near at 2:07.
3. Blueberry Jam! – 2:17
Nice rhythm to kick it off. 0:17 brings in more music. He really is jamming right here. No sign of blueberries, but this is a nice jam. 0:43 or so brings in a breakdown, which ends at 0:57. The chippiness of this song is epic. A change-up comes at 1:26 or so. Breakdown at 1:48 or so which heralds the end.
4. Bitmap_Blues. – 1:56
How many songs do you know of that use underscores in their titling? I can only think of this one and a few on Reanimation. Ooh, jazzy! This is soooooo 8-bit, I’m loving it. Nice work at 0:36. I want to play an NES game with this music. And just pause it so the music plays indefinitely. Nice solo at 1:20. The end is in sight at about 1:35.
5. Heat Death – 2:54
IT BURNS!! IT BURNS SO GOOD! If I died in a fire, this is what I’d want to hear in my last moments of consciousness. Nice job setting up the atmosphere. 0:30 brings in chippified vocal samples. Breakdown at about 0:58. This is such an ethereal track, it’s beautiful. Chipvox comes in again at 1:24. Beautiful breakdown at about 1:48. Changeup at 2:04, which seems to bring in more real instrumentation. Chips return at 2:34 to bring in the end.
6. Her #0000ff Eyes… – 2:54
I think that’s… blue? Bumpin’ bassline, Blake! Chips at 0:24. Slight breakdown at 0:55 or so. Bassline remains quite prominent, and a nice key solo here. More chippiness at 1:14. Nice solo at about 1:38. This song has me movin’ around while reviewing. The rhythm is infectious. 2:29 brings about the finale of the track.
7. Zero-G Lemonade. – 2:09
And now for the finale of the album. How would Zero-G Lemonade even work? Would you float around with it and drink the suspended lemonade particles? Ahem, back to the review. Nice instrumentation in this track. 0:44 brings in a vocal sample stating the track’s name. Hard to hear but it’s there. Nice piano parts interspersed throughout this song. 1:43 replays the chipvox. 1:55 heralds the end of the song, and thus the album.

WILLROCK – REFRACTIONS OF A DREAM

1. Fatigued – 1:42
Ooh, ambient. I feel fatigued just listening. 0:27 brings in guitar reminiscent of Pink Floyd. Or at least, that’s how it sounds playing off the background music. Great work here, Will! 1:14 ends the guitar for a changeup that presumably sets the stage for the rest of the album.
2. Down The Rabbit-Hole – 2:24
Oooh, nice bassline. Nice chimes at 0:09. I like the increasing speed of the chimes, and how they stop at 0:30 for more ambience. OH GOD I’M FALLING INTO A HOLE!! A HOLE WITH WEIRD AMBIENT SOUNDS AND STUFF! Also weird voices at 1:09. This song is extremely weird; the visuals on my media player aren’t helping. I really feel like I just fell into another realm, one that is far different than our own. 2:08 brings in breathing. Not nearly as creepy as effects I’ve used before.
3. Pool Of Tears – 2:11
This album flows cohesively. Nice chimes and acoustic guitar. I’m glad that absurdity is over, fun as it was. Electric guitar at 0:33. Speed increases at 1:15 slightly before stopping seconds later. Bass picks up at 1:28. Nice rhythm at 1:48 that slows down as quickly as it starts. No doubt prepping the next track.
4. The Garden Waltz – 0:53
Kicks off immediately with what could be used as a game over effect. Waltz rhythm at 0:11. I never thought I’d hear Will make a waltz but hey. Should’ve been an epic guitar waltz. It ends suddenly at about 0:35.
5. The Caterpillar – 1:24
Bassline at 0:15. Building guitar that stops at 0:35 or so. Nice woodwind at 0:48 or so. Reminds me of Easton from the original Mario Land. The end comes quickly at about 1:16.
6. Tulgey Wood – 1:44
It flows right into this track that begins with piano. Slow, somber piano. It stops at 0:30 and replaces it with intermittent effects. Piano returns at 0:54 with a fuller soundscape. More effects at 1:22, straight from the ’80s. Chimes at 1:30 or so.
7. Lost – 1:44
It’s birdcussion! Piano kicks in almost right away with drums. Awesome guitar at 0:26 or so. Piano comes in at about 0:54, with woodwind shortly after. It ends at 1:40.
8. Don’t Step On The Mone Raths – 1:24
Will, it’s spelled “mome raths.” Eh, no matter. Trippy effect here. Is this the sound mome raths make when you step on them. This track is just full of ambience. It’s well done, don’t get me wrong. But there’s a lot of it.
9. Refractions Of A Dream – 2:06
Title track time!! This song is fuller than the previous, complete with synth rhythm almost right at the start. Guitar at 0:46. Guitar cuts out at 1:22 or so, only to be replaced by some more ambience. It slows down at 1:40 with more ambient sound effects. The last seconds set up the last track.
10. The Queen Of Hearts – 4:11
Nice rhythm to kick it off! Dramatic beat at 0:22. Chimes at to the rhythm, and 0:45 brings in chippy awesomeness!! Slight breakdown of the chippiness at 1:15 or so, only to return at 1:28 or so. This is a weird song, as it seems to end at 1:58, only to pick right back up. Screech at 2:14 brings the track to a halt. Guitar screech at 2:43. More trippiness follows. Honestly, I have no idea what is going on, but I’m a little scared. Seriously, great mind-trick performed by this track. Easton-esque woodwind rhythm comes in for a second, only to be replaced by ticking, and more ominous ambience. It ends at 4:08.

CONCLUSION
That… Well, I think the whole triple review thing worked out well. It was only 23 tracks, taking up a total playtime of less than an hour. First off, Ben’s album. I enjoyed it immensely, and it was a really fun listen. I hope that he comes out with more stuff like this in the future, because I loved it that much. As for Proto’s album BLUENOISE, it was more of the same from him. But that’s a very good thing, since it was full of really nice tracks that showcased his abilities with the chiptune style of music. Also, the track names were awesome. Lastly, Will’s album. It was… well, I’ll be blunt and say it was the weirdest album I have ever listened to, one I never thought I’d ever hear, and one that I don’t think will ever have anything even remotely similar to it. It really did mess with my mind a little, but you know what? That’s okay. The song titles obviously allude to Wonderland, and with that connection, I wouldn’t have it any other way! Excellent work, Will!
In conclusion, these three albums have been out for quite some time now, waiting to be heard, waiting to be reviewed. And it wasn’t until now that I decided I would review them. Now that I have listened to them and reviewed them, I’m happy that I did. All three showcase the artist’s talents. In Ben’s case, it’s paying homage to the classic games of yesteryear, when the technology on the system only allowed very few simultaneous sounds. For ProtoDome, it’s his talent to just keep creating wonderful music in styles he’s quite skilled with. And in Will’s case, it’s his talent to just create something off the wall, so outside the box it’s kilometres away. I think that’s what they use in Britain. Anyways, all three demonstrated that what they do, they do well. And it’s my sincere hope that they continue to do so in the future. I’ll be uploading new reviews every day this week, so stay tuned. And until next time, game on!!

Howard Drossin Backs Splatterhouse Remixes

Posted on by

Thanks to a tip from the amazing Jeriaska of the VGM-based community Nobuooo, we’ve been on a huge Howard Drossin kick lately. I mean, come on – what is there not to like about this man’s talent? Known for his seemingly random (albeit kickass) collaborations with top honchos like jazz composer Terence Blanchard and hip-hop producer RZA, Drossin is especially known in the VGM scene for his continued participation in the Sonic franchise over the years along with an impressive number of other notable scores as Sega’s former music director. If that doesn’t spark your fancy, the fact that Drossin’s work has been subjected as  one of the best OverClocked Remix albums of 2006 definitely should.

Anyway, enough fanboy talk. Even with his limited involvement within the video game industry lately, Drossin has done it again and released not one, but THREE amazing albums on Bandcamp. What really stands out for us, however, is Drossin’s open invitation for other independent game score composers to ‘butcher’ his music from the 2010 Splatterhouse remake. Appropriately titled Butchered by Various Artists, this remix album features several notable musicians like Chris Geehan, winner of Microsoft’s ‘Dream.Build.Play’ Challenge and Crashfaster, composer of the incredibly addictive Knifetank series. Independent Games Festival nominee Mattias Häggström Gerdt and “Make Something RADD” winner Tony Dickinson also make an epic appearance on the release.  In other words, brace yourself for free impressive remixing goodness. Yes, this album also happens to be obtainable for  free download. What are you waiting for?

Butchered by Various Artists as well as Drossin’s other phenomenal Splatterhouse albums (here and here) are available on Bandcamp now for download. Congratulations to everyone involved in the album, as well as Jeriaska for his own involvement in such an inspiring project.

IGN Releases Metroid 25th Anniversary Tribute Medley Video

Posted on by

 

So you’re probably wondering what could possibly transpire in less than two days to cause us to post not one, but TWO Shnabubula-related articles within a twenty-four hour time frame. Well normally we’d be against double posting, but this time we really couldn’t help ourselves.

IGN has just released a musical tribute video in honor of Metroid’s twenty-fifth anniversary with none other than the humble Sam Ascher-Weiss and Gabe Terracciano, another wonderful YouTube musician who helps to (rather ingeniously) tear up almost all Metroid soundtracks in the span of a ten-minute long video. Two brilliant melodists equals double the awesome, don’t you agree?

Check out Shnabubula’s mind-boggling collaboration with Mr. Terracciano above, or right here for some wholesome Metroid goodness.

Quick Look: Popular YouTube Vocalist Takes A Stab at VGM Music

Posted on by

We just got our hands on London-based Sabrina Valenzuela’s  adorable cover of Utada Hikaru’s “Simple and Clean” with a wonderful accompaniment from YouTube pianist, Alex Peniera. As a self-declared video game fan, Sabrina’s skill as a vocalist shines through, carefully integrating sentimental emotion and passion into one of Square Enix’s most popular theme songs.  Valenzuela has explicitly utilized her YouTube channel as a means of working to “become a better singer and songwriter”. However, we definitely have to applaud this lovely twenty-one year old YouTube songstress on her absolutely gorgeous voice and continued journey as a soloist.

Peep Sabrina Valenzuela’s latest video on top. While her VGM-related songs mostly involve Final Fantasy content, check out her YouTube channel here for more cute video game covers.

P.S. We’ve been thinking about implementing a ‘Quick Look’ series with videos and featured songs to ThaSauce to introduce emerging artists and musical twists within the VGM scene. While we’re also on this topic, I want to know what readers would like to see more of. What do you guys think? Shoot me an e-mail at [email protected]t and let me know!

Straight Outta Console: The Nintendo Thumb Mixtape Out Now!

Posted on by

Bursting right out of the Sunshine State, the self-proclaimed record nerd and philosopher For Beat’s Sake has just tweeted about a brand new mixtape featuring some up-and-coming talents like Heath McNease, Davey Rockit, Playdough, Manchild, Red Cloud, and various artists. Although a tenderfoot to the VGM scene, this talented dude mixes in his own crude style with Nintendo samples to create an exquisitely real sound that leaves you wanting more.  For Beat’s Sake’s work on Straight Outta Console: The Nintendo Thumb Mixtape is no exception, as this particular release demonstrates his own proficiency as an artist to bring beats to the next level.

Check out Straight Outta Console: The Nintendo Thumb Mixtape today, available now on Bandcamp.

Please Press Play: Akira Yamaoka’s Play for Japan Released Today

Posted on by

In a wonderfully heartfelt response to the devastating tragedy that tore through Japan on March 11th, Akira Yamaoka has reached out and organized a benefit album with one simple, inspiring message in mind: “Japan is not alone.” Aptly entitled Play For Japan, Yamaoka hopes to reach out to those affected by both the tsunamis and Tohoku earthquake as well as raise awareness of Japan’s invaluable contributions through technology, entertainment, and culture.

Yamaoka, known for his continued involvement within the Silent Hill series as both producer and sound director, has secured the participation of several prominent composers within the VGM scene. Koji Kondo (Mario/Zelda series), Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger series), Woody Jackson (L.A. Noire), Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy series), Inon Zur (Fallout series), Laura Shigihara (Plants vs. Zombies, see recent ThaSauce articles here and here), Hip Tanaka (Earthbound), and Jason Graves (Dead Space series) are just a few of the superb talents that have confirmed involvement with the Play For Japan project.

Yamaoka has also expressed his own concern of bringing together game and music enthusiasts alike through Play For Japan: “In the videogame industry, composers like myself are responsible for engaging the player through music. Music, too, creates bonds, inspiring listeners to share their passion with others. In this spirit, many gifted composers, musicians and artists — from East and West — have come together to record a benefit album. For creators whose role is to inspire, it’s only fitting we come together, across borderlines, for those in need.”

Out now on the iTunes Store in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, Play For Japan will become available worldwide on July 15th through iTunes and Amazon. 100% of the proceeds will go towards the relief efforts in Japan. If not for Play For Music’s inspirational message alone, we hope you take your time out to definitely press play for Japan.