Audiopanicroom

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Synopsis

The best video game music you have never heard.

Episodes

  • Episode #35: Codemasters

    30/05/2017

    Codemasters were one of the UK's biggest publishers of budget games, and one of the few companies to still develop original 8-bit computer titles when most publishers had already abandoned that market in the early 90s. While most of their games originated on the ZX Spectrum, it was usually the C64 and Amiga ports that featured the most impressive soundtracks, supplied by a stellar line-up of composers like Allister Brimble, David Whittaker, Steve Barret, or Matt Gray. Continue reading →

  • Episode #34: Manabu Saito

    11/05/2017

    Manabu Saito was a Japanese musical prodigy, who started his career at System Sacom when he was just 18 years old. His music, often a blend of classical and jazz influences with a great sense of melody, were an important component of System Sacom's genre-defining Novel Ware games. During his time with the company he also composed the first Japanese soundtrack with MT-32 support, 38 Man Kilo no Kokuu, and was an early adopter of CD audio on the FM Towns. Sadly, he passed away from kidney failure in 1992 at the age of 22. Continue reading →

  • Episode #33: Danish Delights

    25/04/2017

    Like elsewhere in Europe, the late 1980s saw the rise of the Danish demo scene, a vibrant (lol) environment that created some of the most well-known computer musicians of that era. This podcast features a collection of tracks from games and demos 'made in Denmark' on various 8 and 16 bit systems. Continue reading →

  • Episode #32: Kunio-kun

    02/04/2017

    Technos Japan's Kunio-kun series started in 1986 with Renegade, an arcade game that was one of the precursors to the beat'em up genre. From there the franchise developed into multiple spiritual sequels and spin-offs featuring the same cast of characters, including an entire sub-series of sports games. The typical sound of the Kunio-kun games was defined by series mainstay Kazuo Sawa and is heavily influenced by Western popular music of the 50s and 60s. Continue reading →

  • Episode #31: Ultima

    16/03/2017

    Ultima is not only one of the most influential series in gaming history, the basic structure of its soundtracks with overworld, town, dungeon, and battle themes has also been the template that many RPGs since have followed. This podcast includes a selection of tracks from the entire series: from Ken Arnold's minimalist compositions for the Apple II, the more elaborate arrangements for MIDI synths, to the orchestral scores of the modern era. Continue reading →

  • Episode #30: Forever Minor

    22/02/2017

    Just another bunch of random stuff which I have been listening to lately. And by lately, I mean for the last 30 years or so. Enjoy the show! Continue reading →

  • Episode #29: Stéphane Picq

    08/02/2017

    The style of French composer Stéphane Picq is one of the most unique within the world of video game music. Drawing from a wide range of influences, his soundtracks mix elements like ethnic rhythms, electronic and acoustic instruments, dysphonic vocals, industrial, techno, or trance, often even in the same track. The result is a strangely hypnotic sound that is hard to classify to any particular genre. Continue reading →

  • Episode #28: IDES

    17/01/2017

    IDES was the parent company of labels like Cocktail Soft, Fairytale, or Red Zone and one of the most prolific publishers of visual novels during the 1990s. With musicians like Akira Sato, Yuki Nakayama, Ryu Takami, or BAKI they also had a fairly impressive line-up of composers that created a huge library of awesome FM soundtracks on Japanese computers from that era. Continue reading →

  • Episode #27: Chiptunes

    18/12/2016

    The term 'chiptune' was originally coined for a sub-genre of Amiga music that incorporated instruments similar to those found in the music of 8-bit computers like the C64. Popular with the demo scene, this particular style was also frequently used in game soundtracks from that era. In this podcast we look back at almost 30 years of chiptune making, from the early beginnings with SIDMon and Protracker to more recent efforts by the tracking scene. Continue reading →

  • Episode #26: Hiroaki Sano

    04/12/2016

    Hiroaki Sano spent much of his early career composing for visual novels of publishers like Discovery or Studio Twinkle. As a master of both FM synth and MIDI arrangements, his soundtracks are pretty good showcases for the stylistic diversity within the music of this genre. This podcast features a selection of tracks that he composed for the PC-9801. Continue reading →

  • Episode #25: CP Verlag Chronicles

    20/11/2016

    In the early 90s the C64 gaming market started to dry up as most developers had moved on to 16 bit computers and consoles. This gap was partially filled by a number of disk magazines, like those issued by German publisher CP Verlag. And while the games on these disks were usually nothing to write home about; their soundtracks, often created by people from the demo scene, were a last hurrah for game music on the C64. Continue reading →

  • Episode #24: Human Insects

    07/11/2016

    Another mixtape with no particular theme. This time we are hanging out with the titular human insects, swing down the highway of funk, and brave the data storm while harboring forbidden feelings for King Golli. Continue reading →

  • Episode #23: FM Metal

    23/10/2016

    Lock up your daughters, get out the air guitar, and crank the volume up to eleven! This is FM Metal, a collection of some of the finest metal tracks to ever grace FM sound chips. Continue reading →

  • Episode #22: Game Music History ~1989~

    10/10/2016

    We close out the 80's with a look at the state of game music in 1989. As usual, the playlist is ordered by release date. Continue reading →

  • Episode #21: Kenichi Arakawa

    25/09/2016

    Kenichi Arakawa is mostly known for his work on visual novels like Jewel Bem Hunter Lime or the Viper series. He got his start composing in the doujin scene, contributing music to a number of PC-88 disk mags under the alias Thomas Brown, before moving on to (mainly) work for Silence and its adult brands Sogna and C-Class. This podcast spotlights this early part of his career, featuring music composed for the FM sound chips of systems like the PC-98 and X68000. Continue reading →

  • Episode #20: Thalamus

    11/09/2016

    Thalamus was a British publisher, mostly known for their small, but fine selection of C64 releases, which included some of the most impressive games on the system. Equally impressive were their soundtracks, composed by an assortment of SID legends, like Rob Hubbard, Jeroen Tel, Martin Walker, Matt Gray, or Steve Rowlands. This podcast features a selection of some of Thalamus' best tracks on the C64 and Amiga. Continue reading →

  • Episode #19: Mighty Luna

    28/08/2016

    We're back with another un-themed selection of great tunes. An assortment of orcs, bees, evil aliens, and other delightful things is waiting for you on this edition of Audio Panic Room. Continue reading →

  • Episode #18: Pinball Delusions

    14/08/2016

    Welcome to the wonderful world of pinball music! This episode features a fairly eclectic mix of music from real pinball machines, demo scene-influenced Amiga and DOS soundtracks, awesome hard rock from 90s-era pinball games, and (almost) anything in between. Continue reading →

  • Episode #17: Game Music History ~1988~

    31/07/2016

    A look at the year 1988 in game music. The year that saw the first CD and MIDI soundtracks, arcade boards started the transition from FM to PCM, and some real classics were released on the NES. Meanwhile in Europe the C64 had reached its commercial peak in a market that was slowly being taken over by the new generation of 16-bit computers. As always, the playlist is in rough chronological order. Continue reading →

  • Episode #16: Ryu Umemoto

    17/07/2016

    A tribute to the late Ryu Umemoto and his work on the PC-9801. In the West, he is mostly known for his contributions to various Cave arcade shooters, but in Japan his claim to fame comes from these expertly crafted FM-synth soundtracks he composed for various visual novels in the 90s. Continue reading →

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