The Sound Test

Before today's flood of triple-A console games, way back in the 80s, the Commodore 64 ruled the roost. The most popular home computer in the western world, the C64 became synonymous with homespun programming and the birth of video games as we know them. Then, original soundtracks for video games were forced to use a mere three channels, and were unable to record any real instrumentation. Despite these limitations, musicians like Rob Hubbard and Ben Daglish coded expansive themes that remain beloved today. This episode features both, for a lengthy conversation about the creation of VGM on the C64's lauded SID chip. I hope it does Ben's legacy justice — he sadly passed away during production, and this episode is dedicated to his memory.

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
C64 Manual Extract

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Left 4 Dead, a zombie infested first-person shooter, went into new territory for Valve in 2008. Hinging on a dynamic AI Director, the game reacts to your skill and movements by procedurally generating enemies, events and several other elements. Importantly, music is a huge part of that unpredictability. Mike Morasky eschewed a traditional score in order to play to the game's strengths, constructing a complex system that organically constructs personalised soundtracks for each session. I spoke to Mike for this L4D 1 & 2 special, which also features the Witch herself (Ellen McLain) and Jonathan Coulton - a popular songwriter who contributed to L4D2.

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
Mike Morasky on Twitter
Jonathan Coulton on Twitter
Ellen McLain on Wikipedia

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As the N64's third bestselling title, GoldenEye 007 needs no introduction. It's probably the most influential first-person shooter of all time, and still shows up in lists covering the best of its genre. The game's music sails through famous Bond themes and motifs with a cool, electronic edge suited to every step of spy work. A collaborative effort between Grant Kirkhope, Graeme Norgate and Robin Beanland, GoldenEye 007's soundtrack was one of the first to show the new capabilities of the N64. Unfortunately, I was unable to schedule interviews with Graeme or Robin, but Grant's back on The Sound Test to offer more of his insight!

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
Grant Kirkhope on Twitter

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This week, RIDICULON return to the show to take us all the way back to the 19th century. The End is Nigh, a spiritual sequel to Super Meat Boy, features an OST of iconic classical masterworks, re-arranged and re-imagined by Jon Evans and Matthias Bossi. The results are an aural delight, perfectly marrying the melodic power of revered composers with the patented RIDICULON sound.

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
RIDICULON on Twitter

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Before Hollywood film adaptations, and more reboots than you can shake a Desert Eagle at, Tomb Raider began life as a trilogy of revolutionary 3D platformers. Its slow, contemplative atmosphere was enhanced at every step by beautiful music from Nathan McCree. In this episode, Nathan discusses the audio for Tomb Raider I, II & III, along with some of his earliest work on the Sega Megadrive/Genesis. Nathan is a true legend of VGM, and his recent Tomb Raider Suite is proof of his legacy.

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
Nathan McCree on Twitter
Tomb Raider Official Twitter
Tomb Raider Suite Official Twitter

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Both Danny Baranowsky and Jules Conroy return to the show, discussing their expansive work for Crypt of the NecroDancer! An innovative dungeon crawler with rhythm game mechanics, NecroDancer is unusual for its multiple remixed soundtracks by various artists. Along with conversation about his original tunes for the title, Danny explains how the different remixes came together with Jules Conroy — a longtime friend of Danny's who recorded the first alternate OST. We also go into Jules' history with VGM, reaching back to his earliest guitar adaptations.

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
Danny Baranowsky on Twitter
Jules Conroy on Twitter
Crypt of the NecroDancer Official Twitter

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With only two games, the Portal series has still managed a gigantic impact on players. Its inventive puzzles are addictive, just like the acerbic jibes of the title's main antagonist, GLaDOS. Behind it all, synth-laden drones and melodic narratives help immerse you into the haunting madhouse of Aperture Science. Its soundtrack was composed primarily by Mike Morasky, who joins me for an exhaustive journey through Portal's audio. I also spoke to Jonathan Coulton, who wrote famed end-credits tracks like "Still Alive" and Ellen McLain, the voice of GLaDOS herself. Together, we leave no stone unturned.

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
Mike Morasky on Twitter
Jonathan Coulton on Twitter
Ellen McLain on Twitter

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Donkey Kong Country is home to some of VGM's most iconic and enduring tracks. From its first game to its very latest, Tropical Freeze, music has been as important to the series as the tight platforming it scores. Over the years, a number of top composers have made their mark on DKC — including David Wise, Eveline Novakovic and Grant Kirkhope. All three can be heard in this episode, which covers over twelve separate games!

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
David Wise on Twitter
Eveline Novakovic on Wikipedia
Grant Kirkhope on Twitter

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This second part of The Binding of Isaac's musical story moves into its remake, Rebirth. This version of the game received a makeover in practically every area, including music. Its new soundtrack by RIDICULON took a different path to Danny Baranowsky's, but hit the nail on the head in brand new ways. Here, both Jon Evans and Matthias Bossi go into detail about their approach.

Lee Tyrrell on Twitter
RIDICULON on Twitter

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