Shouting out Soyo Oka's (Super Mario Kart, Sim City) latest album: LOOP816

[foxmosis]

I really feel like in the discussion of video game composers, most of them are grossly overlooked, and one of them is Soyo Oka.  The most notable soundtracks she was behind are probably Super Mario Kart, Pilotwings, and SimCity for the Super Nintendo.  I find her work has just a playful and bouncy energy to it and honestly I wish she would have been able to contribute to even more soundtracks.

Regardless, in 2023 she released a short album called LOOP816 that scratched an itch I've been longing for.  Lately I've been trying to buy more music rather than just stream it and I thought some members of this forum might also dig it.  Tasty chiptune stuff!  I'll drop a SoundCloud link!

While I'm here, are there any video game composers* you feel are overlooked?  I'm thinking of making something to address this, maybe a comic or video series, but I only know so much and would love to hear more if you got them!

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/soyooka/sets/loop816?si=46f6aab6ee974130b455d21cb23fd00d&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
LinkTree Like Thing: https://linkco.re/5a6Ctgf6?lang=en

*Maybe I should have posted this in the video game forum?

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

Its crazy how fast one can see a certain "signature" in compositions. Even after only a few notes, the relation with the SMK soundtrack is unmistakable! =).

Stephen Rippy created the music for the Age of Empires/Mythology series; the OST of Age II was so good that I know people who played it using their CD player! 

(I love the track starting roughly at minute 12!)

(the, equally great, expansion!)

Stan LePard did a number of pieces for several microsoft games (and, seemingly, a piece for Windows XP itself). His masterpiece is - in my opinion - the OST to King of Dragon Pass (a overall grandiose game):

Dominions 4 had a smashing soundtrack; afaik it was an "accident" - the developers didn't the OSTs themself, and for this one, they got a swedish folk band, pretty obscure, named Draam:

(Dominions IV OST).
Later releases got a much more bombastic soundtrack again. But this one was such a enhancement to the whole game, that later titles never seemed attractive again.

A

[foxmosis]

I find the concept of "signatures" super interesting with music, and fun!  I'm not too familiar with the Age of Empires series of games but I got some friends who gush about them and I've always got a soft spot for any older PC games.  But these are some tasty tracks and thanks for pointing out The Bovinian Derivative, it's got a cool atmosphere about it.

I think it's also fun when the usual sound team behind a series are absent for an entry for whatever reason.  Donkey Kong Country 3 is the first example that comes to mind for me, but I think it's cool hearing a different perspective on things.