Sound of Gaming

Jessica Curry with a special edition of Sound of Gaming looking at video game music on vinyl, including a special report from Newcastle vinyl store 'Chipfreq' plus chiptune and chat from composer Chipzel.

Music played in podcast:

Chipzel - Courtesy (Super Hexagon)

Jessica Curry continues her look at video game music with composer Wilbert Roget II.

Music played in podcast:

Wilbert Roget II - A Brotherhood of Heroes (Call of Duty: WWII)

Jessica Curry with news of the winners at the 2020 Games Baftas, plus interviews with nominees for the music award.

Music played in podcast:

Bear McCreary - Deliverance (God of War)

Jessica Curry has the latest and greatest music for video games plus an interview with composer Sarah Schachner.

Music played:

Sarah Schachner - Return Of The Medjay (Assassin’s Creed Origins)

Jessica Curry has the latest and greatest music for video games.

Composing duo The Flight have been behind the scores for Alien: Isolation, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and the Ivor Novello winning Horizon Zero Dawn, which really push the sonic boundaries of how games music can sound. Alexis Smith from the Flight joins Jessica in the studio to talk about how you collaborate on a game and why creating and experimenting with new sounds and instrumentation, from harmonica orchestras to analogue robots, can bring a game score to life.

Plus Jessica has a eclectic and surprising mix of musical treats from games, including music by American singer Rhiannon Giddens, an epic opera boss from Nier: Automata and a classic track from the world's most famous - and certainly fastest - hedgehog, Sonic.

Get in touch - email [email protected]

Greg Edmonson - Nate's Theme (Uncharted: Drake's Fortune)

On Sound of Gaming we celebrate the greatest music from the best video games, but what about the almost hits? The should've-beens? The has-beens?

What happens to the music when a game gets cancelled, a character is changed or a game is taken off the shelves? Today Sound of Gaming is dedicated to Lost Masterpieces - music that could have been heard by millions of players but instead has been lost to the whims of history and the creative process, with never before heard gems from composers like Joris de Man, The Flight and Jim Guthrie.

The BAFTA winning composer Austin Wintory - well known for his work on games like Journey, Abzu and the Banner Saga - talks to Jessica today not about his hits, but about the 'ones that got away', music he's written for pitches that didn't make it and games that didn't see the light of day.

Plus music from games such as Alien: Isolation, Chrono Trigger and Borderlands 3 that didn't find its way into the game, plus a lost gem of a game score by composer Michael Nyman and other treats you just don't hear enough.

Austin Wintory - Crude Gum

Jessica Curry has the latest and greatest music for video games.

Composer Takeshi Furukawa emerged as one of the most exciting new voices in video game music with his Bafta-nominated score for The Last Guardian, a visually and aurally stunning story of a boy's friendship with a mythical beast. Furukawa-san chats about writing The Last Guardian, working with the London Symphony Orchestra for the game, and why in games it's just as important as film for a composer to have a 'voice'.

Plus Jessica has a mix of favourite tracks, something brand new from the cheeky and charming game Wattam and a Classic Track from a brooding Hitman that has stood the test of time courtesy of Jesper Kyd.

Get in touch - email [email protected]

Music played:

Koji Kondo - Legend of Zelda Suite

Jessica Curry with the most exciting and inspiring video game music to open your ears and mind.

Stand by for, amongst other things, a sonic reimagining of Debussy, a nursery rhyme murder mystery, Deep Space musical dystopia and much loved tracks from two classic franchises.

Plus Jessica chats to French composer Olivier Deriviere. Known for his work on Assassin’s Creed IV: Freedom Cry, A Plague Tale, and the new GreedFall, Olivier is one of the most in-demand composers working in games today – described as “Game music’s eclectic daredevil”, he talks to Jess about pushing the boundaries of what music in games can be and how interactivity has exploded the aural possibilities composers can work with.

Get in touch - email [email protected]

Full playlist:

Yoko Shimomura - Theme (Kingdom Hearts)

Jessica Curry with the latest and greatest music for video games.

Today she's joined by composer Winifred Phillips who has scored some of the biggest game franchises from Assassin's Creed III: Liberation to God of War to Little Big Planet. She's also written a handy composers guide on how to write game music. Jess and Winifred chat about writing for those huge franchises, the glory of live games music concerts and what composers are getting up to in games.

Plus composer and musician J.J. Ipsen calls up to introduce an exclusive new release - his music for the brand new game Planet Zoo, and Jess's Classic Track is an absolutely seminal score - music from Chrono Trigger by Yasunori Mitsuda.

Get in touch - email [email protected]

Full playlist:

Yasunori Nishiki - Main Theme (Octopath Traveller)

Jessica Curry celebrates the dazzling musical world of indie games.

Most people have heard of the titans of video games - like FIFA, Mario, Call of Duty or Fortnite - but there's also a thriving indie scene pushing the boundaries of what games and their soundtracks can be. For an indie, no adventure is too small, too silly, too bizarre or too bittersweet - and often they dive deeper than huge games into subjects such as grief, love, illness and what it means to be human. Indie soundtracks then can be some of the most experimental music in the whole genre - from tender chamber music to full on electronic freak outs - Jessica plays some of her favourites.

Plus Jessica talks to composer Lena Raine, whose BAFTA nominated music for the breakout indie hit Celeste has been one of the most talked about scores of recent years.

Get in touch - email [email protected]

Full playlist:

Kristofer Maddigan - Ruse of an Ooze (Cuphead)