While crowdfunded games can be a contentious topic, fundraising platforms are also used for various other projects, some of which are certainly more than worthy of seeing the light of day. One that's been brought to our attention is the Heroes of Video Game Music Album & DVD, which will be a collaboration between project leader Rik Ede and a number of the industry's finest composers and arrangers.
The goal is for the album to include a mixture of chiptune and orchestral tracks and bring attention to the important role of music in gaming experiences; some will be remixes and others new compositions. Ede is an experienced composer that's worked for Sony / Psygnosis, and has secured a sponsorship deal with Dolby to ensure full surround 5.1 support for the project. Twenty experienced composers will be taking part in the album, which will be available as a download or, for those happy to pay a little more, a DVD with additional tracks and behind the scenes footage.
Of the composers confirmed to date, former Rare staffers Robin Beanland and Graeme Norgate may be familiar, with their credits including iconic titles such as Donkey Kong Country, Killer Instinct and Perfect Dark. The full list at this moment is below.
ROBIN BEANLAND (Donkey Kong Country, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Killer Instinct)
STEVE BURKE (Kameo: Elements Of Power, Jetpac Refuelled, Viva Piñata)
ALEXANDER BRANDON (Unreal, Deus Ex, Neverwinter Nights)
JOHN BROOMHALL (X-COM, MechWarrior 3, Transport Tycoon)
TRACY W. BUSH (World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo)
BOB & BARN (MediEvil, SWIV, Killzone Mercenary)
STUART DUFFIELD (G-Police, RC Revenge, SX3, Dakar 2)
RIK EDE (Novastorm, Wipeout HD, Lander, Singstar)
MATT FURNISS (Mortal Kombat, Excite Bike 64, Alien 3)
GAVIN HARRISON (Catcha Catcha Aliens, Gunslugs, So Hungry)
TIM HAYWOOD (Shadow Man, Alien Vs Predator Requiem, Burning Rubber)
ROB HUBBARD (Monty On The Run, Commando, Sanxion, Kentilla)
MARK "TDK" KNIGHT (Populous, Dungeon Keeper 2, F1, Grid)
ALASTAIR LINDSAY (Tempest 2000, The Getaway, Singstar)
NATHAN McCREE (Tomb Raider 1,2 & 3, Silent Hill Downpour, Bubba 'n' Stix)
GRAEME NORGATE (Killer Instinct 1,2, Perfect Dark, Timesplitters 1,2, Crysis 1,2)
JASON PAGE (Rainbow Islands, Gran Turismo, Gods, Chaos Engine)
SPECIAL EFFECT ALL-STARS (Charity that helps disabled people create music & play games)
JAMEY SCOTT (Gears Of War 1,2,3, Unreal Tournament, Journeyman Project 3)
JEROEN TEL (Turbo Outrun, Golden Axe, Mortal Kombat, Myth)
JONATHAN VD WIJNGAARDEN (Fairytale Fights, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
TIM "CoLD StoRAGE" WRIGHT (Wipeout, Lemmings, Shadow of the Beast 2 & 3)
At the time of writing this project has already accumulated over £6000 of its £7000 crowdfunding target with 26 days to go; once the target's reached stretch goals will likely be added. You can check out the pitch video for this project below, while full details can be found on its Kickstarter page.
[source kickstarter.com]
Comments 5
Needs more Nobuo Uematsu!
The music in Medievil and Time Splitters 2 is incredible! Glad to see these guys getting a shout out!
It would probably be pretty tricky, but what's the point of celebrating video game music without Koji Kondo? In fact I can't help but notice that there aren't any Japanese composers on that list at all.
Robin Beanland isn't a former Rare composer. He's a current Rare composer.
Even though he hasn't done a whole lot I still really like Hajime Wakai. Yoko Shimomura is also really great! And obviously Koji Kondo deserves to be mentioned in any discussion involving video game music. In fact I'm listening to the ocarina songs arrangements from the symphony of the goddesses right now!
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