The best music of the year
The year that ends, with the next-generation consoles coming closer and closer, has enjoyed as usual the usual succession of Mastodon projects (in which the musical quality is practically taken for granted), with the typical creative freedom of the scene independent that rarely ceases to surprise us from the musical point of view. In an era in which, fortunately, the names of the great composers of this own folklore that is music for video games begin to be relatively known to the general public. From here comes precisely what has attracted our attention to the music of this year's games, since throughout these months several of the most relevant proper names have always been active, in works in which they have left It is clear that retirement is far from them. Together with this happy coincidence, independent soundtracks with their inexhaustible variety and the epic sense of the great projects of this course are the trends that we have found most remarkable in this year's video games. Titles in which, by the way, we have also appreciated an important dose of nostalgia, in the good sense of the term fortunately.
The epic in 2019.
As every year that a video game from From Software is released, we must talk about its melodies of this style, especially since the music of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice contains news that will surely be noticed in future studio titles. According to the much more oriental tone of the videogame, the OST contains this time an important component of Japanese folk instruments, as is evident in that beautiful samurai melody played with the shakuhachi flute, of an unusual authenticity. It goes without saying that the best of Sekiro's musical framework is in the clashes with the final bosses and in the main theme, but what interests us most is to verify that none of it ends up sounding like Dark Souls. It shows a lot the hand as the main composer of the very young Yuka Kitamura, an artist whose main instrument is the violin, which is noted in some very elaborate melodies for this instrument, in which he achieves a very advanced treatment of dissonances for music of a video game. A composer who will have to follow the trail.
If we talk about epic music outside the world of videogames, practically anyone will take a short time to remember John Williams and Star Wars, a true living history of music for cinema. Middle East, by the way, without which little is understood about what has happened musically in video games. That is why it is very interesting that this year we have a good dose of epic music in a Star Wars video game. Gordy Haab and Stephen Burton have put on the suit of devoted Williams fans, being perfectly aware that in this game it was easy to do well, but also quickly tire the listener who looks at the music while playing. Aware of this limitation, the OST of the best Star Wars game in a long time alternates themes, orchestrations, counterpoints and fanfare worthy of John Williams with an almost obligatory resource: the small solos of woodwind instruments that immediately transport us to Star Wars and that may surprise us at any time. With all this they have done a very good global work that never becomes monotonous, although none of the melodies get to have the extraordinary level of what comes from the mind of John Williams. But that is another different theme, and it transcends the world of videogames.
Devil May Cry 5: not surprisingly, it stops surprising.
The last two installments of Devil May Cry (the fourth numbered and the DMC divisive) were already very careful video games at the musical level. It is therefore not a surprise that the Devil May Cry V OST, a polished game to the sick in all its facets, is one of the best of the year. Of course, you have to take your hat off in absolute terms before a game that has more than five hours of music. In all that time, themes that abound in heavy metal alternate with much more traditional ones within the canon of music for video games (at times such as the introduction or menus) and you can even offer piano and violin versions of some of the most recurrent melodies, in very well elaborated instrumentations. An authentic barbarity of soundtrack with a variety of very remarkable styles, from which you have to listen in full to get an idea of everything they treasure.
Yoko Shimomura never disappoints.
Starting the carousel of mythical names that we mentioned at the beginning, we find one of the names that have always been there, thanks to an impressive instinct to recycle when the chiptune sound began to be a thing of the past. Become a music legend of video games after Street Fighter 2, Yoko Shimomura has been much more popular in more recent times thanks to the music of the Kingdom Hearts saga, whose third installment has been able to pass something unnoticed this year, but not for its musical quality . Whether or not your target audience has changed, Kingdom Hearts 3 is one of the most extensive and highest quality soundtracks of the year, with some mythical themes of the saga adapting perfectly with remixes that have done them justice – like the classic Dearly Beloved- but also with moments of authentic genius from Shimomura, such as the orchestral version of Don't think twice or the theme of Scala ad Caelum, pure music designed for video games. An OST also very important in terms of the number of issues that compose it, but with somewhat more irregular moments this time. Even so, all work with the name of Shimomura deserves careful listening.
Bloodstained: self tribute without complacency.
There was a time when we barely listened to video game music outside their natural console habitat. This did not change overnight, but few can argue that the music of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was one of those that changed the paradigm, thanks to melodies and arrangements that still today should be studied by anyone who wants to compose for video games Michiru Yamane, another of the holiest names in the music industry (if not the most), was responsible for one of the best soundtracks heard so far. This is why there was a lot of expectation to see what was going to happen in Bloodstained, but it must be said that the Japanese composer has passed the test with note. Again in a game of Koji Igarashi, which was also raised from the beginning as an unofficial sequel that would honor the old myth, it must be said that Yamane has managed to honor his own melodies of yesteryear – it is clear that there are few references – without anything becoming repetitive or lacking melodic quality. Moreover, it could be said that these tributes are more so because of the location of each of the melodies, whose association with the scenarios resembles those of the old myth, especially at times like that of the library. The melodies, of course, have enough entity to look into the eyes of the best of Yamane's music, thanks to masterful themes such as Luxurious Overture, Lost Garden or Ex Machina Library, with secondary ideas much more developed than before and a more varied instrumentation. We mention only three of the most special, but the truth is that everything has a very high level. A sample of the work of an artist that evolves while remaining true to her style. Essential.
Katana Zero: the surprise of the year
One of the indies of the year, Katana Zero, is also the biggest surprise at the musical level of 2019. It is for the quality of the electronic songs of Bill Kiley and Ludowic, true monsters of the Synthwave that have produced atmospheric and quite varied tracks within the field of electronic music. Although all the songs deserve to be heard, the music stands out above all for being very well integrated in the narrative tone of the game and in that noir style to which it is delivered. Not surprisingly we talk about a video game in which the protagonist entertains to change the tape of a walkman at the beginning of each level. The eighties that permeate the entire game have their sound reflection in the echoes of musicians such as Vangelis or Yellow Music Orchestra (references admitted by the authors themselves). A true wonder in every way, which also leads us to remember for reasons similar to the music of another indie this year: Sayonara Wild Hearts.
Yooka: Laylee and the dungeons of David Wise
Another of the great names of music for video games that this year have taken their magic for a walk is that of David Wise. Surely, with him (along with Chris Hülsbeck) we talk about one of the greatest European myths of music for video games, which lately has come to reach a popularity similar to that of the Japanese composers that we have mentioned before. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair delves into the style of the Wise that moved us with the last two titles of Donkey Kong Country. The melodies are totally recognizable in their style, with their apparent simplicity and their nice instruments similar to those of the monumental DKC: Tropical Freeze, adorned all with a use of the Rayman Origins ukulele. Another great soundtrack of an artist who is at ease in platform games, who here has found an ideal project for his music.
Hyrule Symphony is back
What we hear in Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a clear point in a saga that is not understood without the quality of its music, practically since its inception. Not surprisingly, themes such as Kakariko Village or Gerudo Valley are icons a thousand times imitated by other video games, not to mention the recurring use of the musical instruments that this saga has always made from the plot point of view. This year we have received two musical approaches to what has always made Zelda great with a quality rarely seen. On the one hand, Cadence of Hyrule-Crypt of the Necrodancer has had the luxury accompaniment of most of the most remembered melodies in the saga, arranged for the occasion by a great musician such as Danny Baranowsky (Super Meat Boy) at It shows that he likes to work with this material. A very successful mix of sounds that flirt with the chiptune, the synthesizers and with instruments that could have sounded in a Super Nintendo, in which Baranowsky's style and that of this particular saga are perfectly noticed.
In any case, within what has meant 2019 for the Zelda saga and for video games in general, it is inevitable to talk about how good that remake of Zelda sounds: Link's Awakening for Switch. And it is because, simply, among the tracks of this game are some of the best musical moments of this year, even if the melodies have several decades. The original music of this game for Game Boy was always very good, but the thing has gone far beyond what is expected in this remake. Using those instruments that play such an important role in the game's own plot, Zelda's main theme had never sounded as good as in the introduction of this title, played by a group of wind instruments in a charming arrangement. This is one of those moments so well carried out that nobody who cares about these things is going to press start to interrupt it, within which we have found one of the best soundtracks of a Nintendo game on Switch. And, if you hurry us, of the entire trajectory of Nintendo
Honorable mentions
Arriving at the end of our musical review this year, it is necessary to remember that it is only one of the many possible. To cover today everything that sounds in video games is an impossible task, since everyone has their own preferences also in the musical. We do not want to finish this selection without mentioning some other interesting compositions, such as Death Stranding or Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, very well cared for in both cases. Nor are other attacks on nostalgia such as those that Jake Kaufmann always carries out – an off-chiptune series – in Shovel Knight: King of Cards, or the beautiful fairy-tale melodies of a composer always inspired as is Ari Pulkkinen, in the remarkable Trine 4. Today's videogames can also be enjoyed from music streaming services, and their composers finally have names and surnames. A moment of maturity, which has already been going on for a while.
