Sound Bytes: Blake Robinson’s “Morrowind Theme” Orchestra Arrangement

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If you haven’t heard the orchestral works of Blake Robinson, you’re in for a special treat. Self-described as a “nerd for hire”, Blake Robinson may be seen as a true jack-of-all-trades. While maintaining his chief occupation as a game developer at both Electronic Arts and Outplay Entertainment, Mr. Robinson spends most of his free time freelance composing for several high-profile indie games. However, we just couldn’t resist not showing you how utterly epic his work can truly be.

We would say that Mr. Robinson has a history of taking old video game compositions and making spectacular orchestral arrangements. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind theme is the first time the modern Elder Scrolls series was heard, and to anyone familiar with the game it is particularly memorable. Jeremy Soule’s original title theme vivaciously captures the spirit of adventure that immerses you a foreign world the moment you enter the game. Over the years, the theme has gone through a number of changes, some of the most drastic of which can be heard in the Skyrim version, but to this day the Morrowind version still stands on it’s own. This arrangement captures that atmosphere and feeling that just hasn’t been felt again since the original Morrowind, despite how amazing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s soundtrack is.

You can preview more of his work on The Blake Robinson Synthetic Orchestra, a newly formed collection of his orchestral music, covers, and remixes. We truly applaud Mr. Robinson for going above and beyond most of his orchestrated pieces and invite you to experience the awe of such an extraordinary piece.

 

Sound Bytes is a recent feature to ThaSauce that focuses on showcasing exemplary VGM songs that we find to be more than exceptional. Want to send us some songs that can be featured on Sound Bytes? Shoot an e-mail to [email protected].

In Loving Memory… Triforce Mike Tribute @ A Comic Shop This Wednesday

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Mike Pandel, officially recognized as Triforce Mike, was fatally injured by a vehicle while routinely traveling on his bicycle. Affectionately known as a persistent driving force in the nerd music community, Triforce Mike was a man of many talents: a wonderful co-host of Nerdy Show, all-around comics overlord at the Orlando’s beloved A Comic Shop, and an overall generous, rambunctious personality to all who knew him.

John “hex” Carter, founder of Nerdapalooza and fellow co-host on Nerdy Show, has dolefully expressed how much Triforce Mike really affected the VGM community:

For those that don’t know, Mike was one of the four pillars of Nerdy Show; he got his nickname at Nerdapalooza 2008; his antics as Chair, the polymorphed furniture turned into a Dwarf, was probably won’t made Dungeons & Doritos listenable; but more than that, he was one of my best friends. I had come to connect my time in Orlando with him… and everything has changed now.

I was with during most of the evening, recording episodes of Nerdy Show. The topics were mainly on our favorite fandoms. It still doesn’t feel real to me. The universe is a much darker place without his light shining bright.

There are so many little things that are killing me, but one of them is that we were working on a Dungeons & Doritos comic that he was writing, and our pal Tony is drawing. Last night Tony had finished drawing the last page and we’ll probably have them in for MegaCon. It’ll be his first published comic and he’ll never get to see it.

I’m sure there are a lot of things like this that will keep popping up, but this was one thing I needed to share. He left an impact in so many people’s lives that will never be filled. You could meet the guy for two minutes and you would never forget him. I’m listening to the Protomen on repeat for a few days in memory of him. He was one of their biggest fans and because of who he was, Mike had a great friendship with them.

If you believe in a place after this one, then I’m sure Mike is up there partying hard with the greats. For others like me, take condolences in that no one else has wrung so much joy from life while giving it back in equal dosages than Michael Pandel. The best way to celebrate his memory is to try to be just as awesome as he was, and make sure that everyone is enjoying the party. <3

Many artists in the community are also coming together to raise funds that will go out to Mike’s family; DJ RoboRob has called for others to assist him for a tribute album while Random has pledged to donate money if Black Materia: Remixes and K-Murdock’s Hero Muzik, Vol. 1 both reach the top five category on Bandcamp. If you happen to live in Orlando, friends of Mike are holding a Triforce Mike tribute tomorrow night at A Comic Shop. During this time, our hearts go out to those who are grieving over one of the best personalities in the nerd music community. RIP Mike, we will truly miss you.

Benjamin Briggs’ Snake Man vs. The World EP Just Released

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Hot snake man action. Only Benjamin Briggs would use these four words to describe his newly released EP, Snake Man vs. The World. Since taking the time out to review his last big release, we know that Benjamin Briggs really shells out big on his releases. This EP is no exception. Initially byproducts of Darkesword’s team-based competition Wily Castle Remix Gauntlet 2011, Mr. Briggs has stuck with a solid Snake Man theme that has remained delightfully consistent throughout the album. Released as-is, we would definitely compare these four new Mega Man remixes to a sexy, hyperactive electronic smorgasbord of awesome beats that we simply can’t get out of our heads.

Snake Man vs. The World is available now for free on Bandcamp, but feel free to donate to Mr. Briggs as a token of your appreciation. We’ve also included a few of our favorites from the EP for your aural pleasure below.

 

 

3rd Annual OSVOSTOTY Awards 2011 Nominees Announced

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Our friends over at Original Sound Version have just released a list of nominees for the third annual Original Sound Version Original Soundtrack of the Year Awards for 2011. We’re actually pretty surprised with some of the choices this year, but generally agree with the line-up. Check out the list of nominees below:

[EXPAND Click here for an official list of the 2011 OSVOSTOTY nominees]

Soundtrack of the Year

Bloodrayne: Betrayal
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Rayman Origins
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Composer of the Year

Inon Zur
Jake Kaufman
Motoi Sakuraba
Naoshi Mizuta

Best In-Game Soundtrack
* This category refers to the soundtrack in the context of the game and how it enhances the gameplay experience

Child of Eden
Dark Souls
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Dead Space 2
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Best Handheld Soundtrack

DJMAX Portable 3
Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
Mighty Switch Force!
UnchainBlades ReXX
Valkyria Chronicles 3 -Unrecorded Chronicles-

Best Indie Game Soundtrack

Bastion
Cthulhu Saves The World
Escape Goat
Jamestown
Ravenmark: Scourge of Estellion
Sword & Sworcery

Best Sound Design

Batman: Arkham City
Dead Space 2
L.A. Noire
Limbo
Portal 2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Best Official Arrange Album

Hideki Sakamoto Orchestral Works
NieR Tribute Album -echo-
Oboromuramasa Ongakushuu Hensou no Maku
SQ Chips
Symphonic Odysseys
The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Special Orchestra CD

Best Western Fan Arrangement Album

brass 2: mouth (the minibosses)
Harmony of a Hunter (V.A.)
Intergalactic Redux (The OneUps)
Made of Metal (Erik Peabody)
Metroid Arrange 25th Anniversary Album (The OneUps)
No NES For The Wicked (Vomitron)

Best Eastern Fan Arrangement Album

CHRONO TRIGGER ~Saihate no Kanade~ (earth Japan SOFT)
FF VIOLIN II -FINAL FANTASTIC VIOLIN 2- (TAMUSIC)
Kinoko Sanmai!! (Mackerel Sky)
North Wind (Magical Trick Society)
UMEMOTO ~He Lives Here~ (WOODSOFT)

Best Chip Music Release

Beautiful Lifestyle (George & Jonathan)
Cheap Dinosaurs (Cheap Dinosaurs)
Equilibrium (V.A.)
Roots (Danimal Cannon)
SOUNDSHOCK: FM FUNK MADDNESS!! (V.A.)
The Octagon (Jonathan Baken)

Best Live Concert

Back to the Future: Two Generations of Film and Video Game Composers (VGO)
Gamers X-Mas (David Westerlund)
JADE-II (Takeaki Kunimoto)
LEGENDS (Team Merregnon)
The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony (JMP Productions)
Symphonic Odysseys (Team Merregnon)

Best “Other” Release

IMERUAT
Now is the point at which I touch eternity
Oto Gift
Play for Japan
Songs for the Cure ’11: Remedy
Tree of Knowledge[/EXPAND]

While the OSVOSTOTY Awards on Original Sound Version will commence within the coming weeks, we’ll be sure to keep you updated with a list of runner-ups as soon as possible. Be sure to check back to see the winners for 2011!

ThaSauce Wrap-Up: This Week in Review

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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 an artist, composer, or remixer that wants keep in touch? Shoot an e-mail to [email protected]. If you’re looking for more ways to get your VGM fix, be sure to follow us on Tumblr or like us on Facebook as well.

  • OverCoat Releases New Single “Phantom Bracelet”: Arecibo Radio late-night DJ extraordinaire and remixer Scott “OverCoat” Porter has just released a new single in honor of… MAGFest wristbands? Either way, the verdict is in: “Phantom Bracelet” truly delivers.
  • The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses Tour 2012 Continues: Nintendo and Zelda fans, rejoice! Nintendo has announced the schedule of dates and locations for its 2012 Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses concert tour, featuring an enchanting progression of music and video footage through the course of The Legend of Zelda‘s history.
  • MAGFest Recap: OverClocked ReMix Live @ MAGFest X: Even in the midst of exciting news such as potential website redesign and official project updates at the OverClocked ReMix Panel, OCR Live comes together to play a brand new arrangement of Donkey Kong Country’s “Aquatic Ambiance” with live instrumentals.
  • OverClocked ReMix Unsung Heroes Tribute Just Released: OverClocked ReMix has just released their thirty-second official arrangement album in tribute to the unsung heroes of role-playing games throughout the years. Unsung Heroes features many overlooked titles such as The 7th Saga, Ghouls’n Ghosts, The Lord of the Rings: Volume 1, Suikoden, and Persona 3.
  • Quick Look: The OneUps @ MAGFest X in HD: Want to relive one of the best experiences at MAGFest X through a high-quality OneUps show with four different cameras, all in 1080p? The Unofficial PAX Community DVD team have once again delivered to present a full, uncut performance of The OneUps for your viewing pleasure.
  • And the Winner Is… Remix64’s Remixer of the Year 2011 Awarded: Remix64′s Remixer of the Year Awards 2011 was hosted today on SceneSat Radio and the results are in! We would like to congratulate those who made it on the lists this year and the winners of each award. Voting for Remixer of the Year 2012 has also commenced for next year.

And the Winner Is… Remix64’s Remixer of the Year 2011 Awarded

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Remix64‘s Remixer of the Year Awards 2011 was hosted today on SceneSat Radio with the first part of the show starting off with an extensive recap of 2011, showcasing top tracks of each month and scene happenings. With the second half featuring the actual award show, the results have been quite thrilling:

The first award Best Newcomer 2011 was awarded to SID legend Peter Clarke by Mordi, who had won the award in 2008.

Hazel won Best Veteran 2011, which was personally handed over by Makke, who was 2006s best veteran.

Daxx and Gibs won Best Amiga Remix for their collaboration on Lotus 3.

The price for Best c64 Remix was awarded to Warhawk (Halcón de la guerra mix) by scene veteran N-JOY. The award was presented by Andreas Wallström of c64.com. It should be noted that Kate Z. would have actually won this category with her Tusker remix, if the votes for both versions (vocal / non vocal) had been combined.

Two Lifetime Achievement awards were awarded to Jan Lund Thomsen and Slaygon for their relentless service to the scene.

The prime price, Remixer Of The Year, was won by Rune-Bertil’s and presented by none other than o2, who was Remix64’s very first Remixer Of The Year, ten years ago in 2001.

The guestlist at Ziphoid’s once more crowded apartment was: Floaf, Mordi, Ceci, Andreas Wallström, o2, Arvid, Malmen, fnordpojk, Makke, Dafunk, Tron, a0d, BST, Gulrak, Herbaculum, Hazel, Uncle Tom, Sir Garbagetruck and Ziphoid.

We would like to congratulate those who made it on the lists this year and the winners of each award. Without such a great community, we would like to think that the VGM scene would surely falter from lack of support. Keep up the good work! If you missed the actual event, you can use SceneSat’s reLive feature to catch the show in its entirety. Remixer of the Year 2012 has also commenced, so don’t forget to vote. Here’s to hoping that next year’s show will be even more astounding!

Quick Look: The OneUps @ MAGFest X in HD

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Think you know video game music? Think again. Since the band’s inception in 2000, The OneUps have long been praised for their diverse approach to VGM as a specific genre. At ThaSauce, we really do appreciate and applaud those who have quite a persistent determination to push past their own boundaries of musicianship. As a musical collective that continuously changes up the VGM scene through a variety of experimental styles, we would definitely say that this band truly delivers.

The Unofficial PAX Community DVD team have come together to deliver what we think is one of the best OneUps performances to date. Did you happen to miss the OneUps at this year’s MAGFest X? With consistently stunning multi-angle shots and such high-quality camera work, you really do feel like you are right there in the front row. Special thanks to the Unofficial PAX Community DVD guys and the OneUps for allowing us to relive one of the best experiences of MAGFest!

Super Mario Bros. Crossover‘s Jay Pavlina Scheduled to Appear on Nitro Game Injection

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The wonderful VGM podcast Nitro Game Injection has just announced that Super Mario Bros. Crossover developer Jay Pavlina will appear as a a special guest this coming Sunday, January 29th:

Jay Pavlina will be a very special guest on Nitro Game Injection this Sunday, January 29th! Jay is a filmmaker, musician, and the developmental genius behind the Flash game that makes gamer dreams come true, Super Mario Bros. Crossover. He’ll be joining the NGI crew to talk about the mindblowing new game update coming soon, as well as sharing more details behind development of the game, as well as other projects that he’s working on with his production company Exploding Rabbit. You don’t want to miss this!

Covering extensive discussion on the game music scene, NGI began in early 2003 as a live webcast and has expanded into the ultimate VGM discussion podcast that covers original soundtracks, chiptunes, covers, and more. Hosted by Kyle “KyleJCrb” Crouse, Larry “Liontamer” Oji, and N. “Suraida” Carbo, Nitro Game Injection has exclusively partnered with Arecibo Radio to bring the show back to a live audience, so be sure to tune in every Sunday at 5 PM EST if you’re looking to get your weekly VGM fix.

Russian Website Sells OverClocked ReMix Albums for Profit, djpretzel Urges Cease & Desist

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Earlier this week, the OverClocked ReMix community revealed that a Russian website identified as Legalsounds.com has been selling various albums from OCR artists, which has been shown to be a clear infringement of OverClocked ReMix’s Terms of Service.

Administrator David W. Lloyd, also known as djpretzel, disclosed that this is the not the first time that LegalSounds has attempted to sell the same albums and has urged a cease & desist:

Please proceed; clearly they didn’t get the message the first time. This pisses me off just as much, if not more, but what really aggravates me is that any time I spend dealing with it is time better served working on the site & releasing more music… which they’ll then turn around and try to profit from.

I think perhaps we should propose a three strikes rule to them – this is the second time our free content has surfaced on their site, for sale. If it happens again, or if they fail to remove it this time, some sort of petition may be in order. I don’t want to inadvertently publicize their “service,” though…

Further investigation marks Legalsounds.com’s involvement in selling these albums as an ambiguous legal status in its own country, adding to OverClocked ReMix’s dilemma. The ambiguous laws underlined by “License ЛС-3Ðœ-05-09 of the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society” enable the Russian website to sell these albums, as Legalsounds.com pays license fees for all the materials subject to the Law of the Russian Federation “On Copyright and Related Rights”.

By creating a C&D e-mail template to Legalsounds.com, moderator Stevo “Level 99” Bortz has encouraged action for artists who have been unfairly taken advantage of through the illegal distribution of these albums. With a few simple clicks of your mouse, you can contact Legalsounds.com and let them know that they are infringing upon and violating the endless amount of time and effort that these artists have utilized to create the music we have all come to love.

OverClocked ReMix’s Unsung Heroes Tribute Just Released

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Yesterday, OverClocked ReMix released their thirty-second official arrangement album in tribute to the unsung heroes of role-playing games throughout the years, many of which have great merit but have received less musical attention than bigger names and franchises. Appropriately titled Unsung Heroes, the album features many overlooked titles such as The 7th Saga, Ghouls’n Ghosts, The Lord of the Rings: Volume 1, Suikoden, and Persona 3. Unsung Heroes also showcases the talents of prominent artists who have been consistently featured on both OCRemix and ThaSauce, from the likes of DragonAvenger, OA, Rexy, Brandon Strader, Avaris, Scaredsim, Nutritious and much more.

Director Andrew “OA” Luers had much to say on the underrepresented themes that permeated much of the titles touched upon in Unsung Heroes:

We both agreed that while it is great to work with many well-known and often mixed themes – which are so loved for good reason – there should be no reason not to extend our hands into those games that have been overlooked for so long, but have genuinely beautiful themes as well. I’m proud of the work that these gentlemen and ladies have presented in this album, and hope that others will be able to appreciate the beauty of these tracks as well.

While you can get a small preview of the album above, Unsung Heroes is available for free download at http://unsung.ocremix.org. Have something to say about the album? Leave your feedback here.