Review Thursday: Transistor’s Amazing Soundtrack

In May, Supergiant Games of Bastion fame released their new title, Transistor. The game featured a nuanced combat system, distinct art design and compelling narrative. However, I believe the best part of the game is the soundtrack.

Composed by Darren Korb, the soundtrack aptly encapsulates the melancholy, mysterious yet energized world of Cloudbank. The game relies on the brilliant compositions to develop atmospheric tension, to great effect. Emotionally charged scenes hold extra resonance due to the power of the music. Ashley Barrett, the solitary vocalist throughout the soundtrack (and the voice of protagonist Red) delivers a potent and stirring performance.

I’m not kidding when I say that the soundtrack gives me chills, whether or not I’m playing the game. Bastion had a great soundtrack, but frankly I think Transistor‘s soundtrack is better. It’s a natural progression of Korb and Barrett’s work from their Bastion experience.

If you want to buy the soundtrack, you can either go to Supergiant Games’ Bandcamp store page or purchase the album off of Steam.

The below video is the a sequence towards the beginning in the game, so you can watch it without major (still a few) spoilers. If you haven’t played the game yet, DO SO.

– E.B.

Review – f(x)’s Album Red Light

This week’s featured review is of the new K-Pop album from girl group f(x), Red Light.

The group f(x) is a peppy blend of hip-hop, synth pop and hipster fashion. Hip-popsters, if you will. They released a hit single “Rum Pum Pum Pum” last summer, topping the charts in Korea. Now, their full album has been released, and I gotta say I’m a big fan.

Now, since I don’t speak Korean (sadly.) I am limited in my analysis on the lyrical quality of the group as a whole. Still, as an avid K-Pop listener, I can sense the refinement and quality in the overall listening experience.

The namesake track, “Red Light” has a smooth and catchy melody, extremely hum-able without monotonous repetition. The group’s resident rapper, Amber, is solid – my personal favorite in the group. The rest of the album has a number of well-made tracks, spanning a variety of sounds. This is mainstream pop for sure, but there’s enough of a original spin on the delivery that f(x) establishes themselves as a hip “alternative” mainstream band. Think along the lines of a more quirky Girls Generation if you’re looking for a more direct comparison.

As far as what’s the best single to pull from the album if you aren’t ready to commit to a full album purchase… it’s actually a tough call. Obviously, “Red Light” is the record-slaying summer hit. It’s catchy and rhythmic, and if you are particularly new to K-Pop, it’s a very accessible song. My personal favorite is perhaps the most thematically quirky song, “Dracula” (yes, like the vampire.) It might be more suited for a Halloween party than casual listening, but this thing is one part quirky charm, one part mega catchy. It’s sharp sound, filled with a blend of staccato lyrics and smooth harmony is borderline addictive. Amber delivers a noteworthy performance with her verses between the major chorus. It also fits the slightly darker image that f(x) is trying to establish for themselves in the sticky-sweet world of K-Pop.

I highly recommend you give the album a listen on Spotify if you’re on the fence about buying any of f(x)’s music – I promise you’ll be downloading the full album off of iTunes soon enough. That’s what happened to me anyways!

– E.B.

Where to Find Epic Music on YouTube

Sometimes, when you’re writing a paper in the wee hours of the morning for a class you hate, you need some extra inspiration. When I want to feel motivated, I turn towards epic soundtrack music to help spur me along on those final pages.

I own a good amount of soundtrack music myself, but I frequently find myself looking for “mega mixes” on YouTube. These multi-hour playlist videos run in a continuous stream (no commercials!) and often feature clips of game footage and fantasy art as part of the video. The best channel I have found for epic music on YouTube is that of ThePrimeCronus.

This channel, dubbed the “Hall of Epic Music” is one of the the most extensive epic music collections on YouTube. The channel has a bevy of artist and scenario playlists, but the biggest feature is the collection of  “Epic Music Volumes.” These videos last from one to ten hours a pop and cycle through a vast collection of great soundtrack music. They are typically collections of music following particular thematic ideas or compilations of a single artists’ discography.

Hopefully this is will lead you on your way to inspiration!

– E.B.

A Humble Bundle of Music

One of my favorite music genres happens to be videogame and movie soundtracks. I also happen to love indie rock.

Humble Bundle is currently offering (only for 3 more days!) a Humble Music Bundle featuring some really great selections if you have my music tastes.

1. Album Raises New and Troubling Questions – They Might Be Giants
2. Best of Valkyria Chronicles – Hitoshi Sakimoto
3. Jonathan Coulton’s Greatest Hits – Jonathan Coulton
4. Favoritism – MC Frontalot
5. Calling All Dawns – Christopher Tin
6. Twelve Remixes of Four Songs – OK Go (if you donate over $8.40)

I mostly bought the bundle for the first two albums I listed: Album Raises New and Trouble Questions and Best of Valkyria Chronicles. I have always loved the witty lyrics and tongue & cheek presentation of TMBG’s music. It’s a rarities album (aka a compilation of things that didn’t make it onto other albums) but it is definitely awesome.

Hitoshi Sakimoto is a world class composer who worked for Square but now runs his own company, Basiscape. He wrote the score for games like FF Tactics, FFXII and Tekken 6. This compilation of his music for the beautiful strategy RPG series Valkyria Chronicles is a pleasure to listen to.

Even if only one of the album’s is interesting to you- if you donate $8.40 to get the bonus material, you are still saving over $40 dollars compared to buying each album for retail price! A great deal with some real gems!

– E.B.