LMH Mixtape #210: Beyond 16-Bit 4

It's time once again to explore outside the world of third and fourth generation video game music to a land beyond 16-bit.  You might think that some of these tracks were actually from the third or fourth generation, with how well some modern composers have been able to re-create that style.  A prime example of that would be the fantastic Shovel Knight soundtrack by Jake Kaufman.  Other composers like Toby Fox blend vintage and modern styles to create a "best of both worlds" sound.  Of course a Beyond 16-Bit episode wouldn't be complete without some great CD era tracks like Rusty Ruin Zone Act 1 from Sonic 3D Blast which sounds like it would fit right in on a new age album by groups like Enigma or Delerium.  This mixtape clocks in at a little over an hour in length, so there's a lot to explore in this land beyond... time?

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant Favorite ("We're saving our own lives"): Pilotwings Resort - Glider

Another Instant Favorite: Sonic 3D Blast - Rusty Ruin Zone Act 1

Beautifully hypnotizing: Celeste - First Steps

Too many favorites to choose from: The Messenger - Into The Depths (Catacombs) (Past)

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2019/03/episode-210-beyond-16-bit-4.html

LMH Mixtape #209: Creed II

We've got another free play full of bangers for your listening pleasure.  Looking to relax?  "Chillin'" from Side Pocket is a perfectly apt name for that track, with its tropical flavor and laid back tone.  Don't get too comfortable though, because you may be called upon to save the world with some pumped up tracks like "Outside The Base" from The Cyber Shinobi and "Hotel Dada" from The Great Battle V.  And to cap off this mixtape is a great track by Soyo Oka titled "Megalopolis" from the unreleased SimCity for the NES!

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant Favorite: The Great Battle V - Hotel Dada

Another Favorite: The Cyber Shinobi - Outside The Base

Unreleased but not unappreciated: SimCity - Megalopolis

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2019/02/episode-209-creed-ii.html

LMH Mixtape #208: Ending Music 3

The boizz celebrated the start of a new year with a focus on ending music.  This is the third focus of its kind, and as you'll hear, there's no shortage of supply for great ending tracks, tracks that really shape the mood and tone of the conclusion of a game and this case, a whole range of expressions.  There's a great bluesy track from Darkwing Duck, a cool jazzy number from Viewpoint, a fully-pumped and triumphant piece from Gley Lancer, and you guessed it, so much more.  You've battled through all the levels, defeated the final boss, and so, now it's time to relax and receive your reward.

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant Favorite: Darkwing Duck - Ending

Another Favorite: Bells & Whistles - The Day Peace Returns to Planet Mel (Ending)

Favorite track that sounds a lot like Army Dreamers: Ordyne - Ending

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2019/01/episode-208-ending-music-3.html

Episode 271: Shooters

Not to be confused with "Flying and Shooting," the topic of this episode is Shooters.  So not just shoot-them-up games, but any game with some sort of shooting.  Shooting of a gun, shooting of a camera, shooting of balls in a panchinko machine, whatever.  Brent gets a little delirious on this one, by the way.  Full track listing below.

Download and listen NOW

Game - Composer - Song - Company - Console - Year (North American release unless otherwise indicated)

Super Bonk - Masaaki Nishizawa, Keiji Ueki, Kennosuke Suemura - Shoot the Smiley! - Red/Hudson - SNES - 1994

Winning Shot - unknown - Day 3 - Data East - PC Engine - 1989

Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension - Takano, Nakajima, Tonkupon, Chatrita - Landbase (Decisive Battle) - TOSE/Bandai - Super Famicom - 1996

Eliminate Down - Tatsuya Matsumoto - Round 4-1 - Aprinet/Soft Vision International - Mega Drive - 1993

International Superstar Soccer Deluxe - Hideyuki Eto, Harumi Ueko, Tomoya Tomita - Staff Roll - Konami - SNES - 1995

Double Dribble: 5 on 5 - Tsuyoshi Sekito - Team/Settings Select - Konami - Game Boy - 1991

Gley Lancer - Masanori Hikichi, Noriyuki Iwadare, Yoshiaki Kubotera, Isao Mizoguchi - Stage 11 (Rescue Failure) - NCS - Mega Drive - 1992

Nice de Shot - Toshiyuki Takine - Classic Course - Magical Company/ASK Kodansha - Super Famicom - 1994

Pachinko Kuunyan - H. Suzuki - Pachinko Chamomile and Tieguanyin Center - I.S.C./Soft Vision International - Mega Drive - 1992

Trouble Shooter - Fumito Tamayama, Yasuyuki Hamada, Youko Suzuki, Shigenori Masuko - Stage 4 - Vic Tokai - Genesis - 1991

Axelay - Taro Kudou - Mother - Konami - SNES - 1992

Aoki Densetsu Shoot! - Kennosuke Suemura - Title - Affect/KSS - Super Famicom - 1994

Bionic Commando - Harumi Fujita, Junko Tamiya (arr.) - Albatross Munitions Base - Capcom - NES - 1988

LMH Mixtape #207: Homework

Don't let the episode title worry you, this homework doesn't suck.  Your only assignment this week is to listen to the mixtape and enjoy the fine selection of tracks from this free play!  "Building The House" from Richard Scarry's Busytown is a fun minimalist piece with snappy percussion.  "Injured" from Tecmo Super Bowl II: Special Edition makes great use of the Genesis' strengths with some really smooth bass and of course the pumped up energy you've come to expect from a sports track.  There's a lot to dig into here, but don't stress, there won't be a test afterwards, so just have fun with it.  Class dismissed.

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant Favorite: Langrisser II - Soldier

Another Favorite: Falsion - Narrow Road (Stage 3)

Classic Junko Tamiya: Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight - Wetland (Planet 4, Area 1)

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/12/episode-207-homework.html

LMH Mixtape #206: Halloween (Live)

For Episode 206, the boizz recorded at the Bit Bar in Salem, Massachusetts, presenting in front a live audience of LMH users.  A very on-theme track for this Halloween episode is "Werewolf Form" from the game Werewolf: The Last Warrior.  Can you spot the really cool feature in that track that Brent describes as "elevators"?

Stage Theme 4 from Super Glove Ball is a classic David Wise track with an excellent break down part, and of course it also features David's signature style use of the noise channel to simulate rock drums.  While not all of these tracks are monster themed, they are all fantastic, so prepare yourself for a totally wicked ("radical dude") mixtape.

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant Favorite: Werewolf: The Last Warrior - Werewolf Form

Another Favorite: The Lawnmower Man - The Shop Building

All Aboard the Bonk Jams express! Next Stop: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - The Jigsaw Puzzle

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/11/episode-206-halloween-live.html

LMH Mixtape #205: Best Of Year In Review 7

Once again, it's time for the Best Of Year In Review where Brent and Rob share their top ten tracks that they discovered during the year.  How do you think their picks compare to what you would have chosen?  Well, considering "Best Of" mixtapes are filled with nothing but "tenners,” you know it's going to be good.

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

No spoilers!

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/10/episode-205-best-of-year-in-review-7.html

Episode 270: Court

Rob's got a bone to pick with a big entity and he gets into it all on Episode 270.  And there's some tenners on the show, so brace yourself for that.  Full track listing below.

Download and listen NOW

Game - Composer - Song - Company - Console - Year (North American release unless otherwise indicated)

LandStalker - Motoaki Takenouchi - Heh Heh, Think I'll Disrupt This Good Cheer - Climax Entertainment - Genesis - 1992

Hany on the Road - Atsuko Iwanaga (Ako Matsudaira), Yasushi Kawasaki (Manipii Kawasaki), Junya Kozakai) - Iceland - Arc System Works/Face - PC Engine - 1990

Task Force Harrier EX - Tenpei Sato, Kazunori Hideya - Siberia Region (Area 2) - Jorudan/Treco - Genesis - 1991

Honkaku Mahjong: Tetsuman II - Kenichi Fujii (Eurhythm) - Title Screen - Khaos/Naxat Soft - Super Famicom - 1994

Jewel Master - Motoaki Takenouchi - Burning Bridges - Sega - Genesis - 1991

Shadow of the Ninja - Iku Mizutani, Kouichi Yamanishi - Stage 5 - Natsume - NES - 1990

BreakThru - unknown - Ending - Data East - arcade - 1986

Meikyuu Jiin Dababa - Shinya Sakamoto (Rusher), Satoe Terashima (Satoe), Kiyohiro Sada (Charley) - Ending - Konami - Famicom Disk System - 1987

Panorama Cotton - Kenichi Hirata - Stage 3 Midboss: Alabbin - Success/Sunsoft - Mega Drive - 1994

Super Ninja-kun - Takahiro Ogata - Stages 1-1, 3-1, 5-1 (Main Music) - Jaleco - Super Famicom - 1994

Dangerous Seed - Yoshinori Nagumo (NAUN), Yoshiki Nishimura (Yosiquin) (arr.), Akihito Hayashi (Neumann A. H) (arr.), Yoko Shimokawa (Shimokyaaa) (arr.), Totsukurzwell (arr.) - Stage 4: 4th Tube - TOSE/Namco - Mega Drive - 1990

Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki (Zenpen) - Soyo Oka - Name Entry - Pax Softonica/Nintendo - Famicom Disk System - 1989

TwinBee Da!! - Shigeru Fukutake, Noriko Gushiken, Masanori Oouchi, Akiko Itoh - Wind Power (Main BGM) - Konami - Game Boy (Japan) - 1990

LMH Mixtape #204: David Wise

In a RARE moment, The Legacy Music Hour had back to back composer focus episodes, which also happened to feature exclusive interviews with said composers.  This episode focuses on famed video game composer David Wise!  David is famous for many game soundtracks, including the Donkey Kong Country series, Battletoads, and much more.  His own distinct style stands out amongst his fellow western composers, focusing on elements like percussion, rather than the arpeggios typically found in western compositions.  David combines influences such as 80's synth rock and movie scores to create some truly iconic video game soundtracks.  The 80's rock influence can be heard in his earlier compositions on the NES, where he uses the noise channel (think of the classic "video game explosion" sound) to replicate rock style drum hits.  You can get a lot more insight into David's work from the interview in the full episode, but for now, it's time to enjoy a Wise selection of tracks in this composer focus mixtape!

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

A fantastic New Age track: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest - In a Snow-Bound Land

Distinctly David Wise: IronSword: Wizards & Warriors II - Store/Game Over

Blatant favoritism award: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest - Flight of the Zinger

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/09/episode-204-david-wise.html

LMH Mixtape #203: Tim Follin

Iconic video game composer Tim Follin has a distinct style that fans can recognize instantly.  As a western composer, Tim brought his prog rock influences to create some incredibly beloved soundtracks, including Solstice and Pictionary, just to name a couple.  One distinct trait you'll notice is the use of arpeggios, which can be heard on many of his tracks, including High Score from Magic Johnson's Fast Break and Stage 2 from Sky Shark.  Also, if you haven't listened to the full episode, the boizz got to conduct an interview with the man himself, getting clarification and answers to some of their long-standing questions.  But for now, hit play on this mixtape and prepare for a hypnotizing journey through the music of Tim Follin.

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant favorite: Magic Johnson's Fast Break - High Score

Another favorite: Pictionary - Mini-Game 2

Super funky jam: Time Trax - Stages 4, 6

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/08/episode-203-tim-follin.html

LMH Mixtape #202: TurboGrafx-16 3

If you thought the boizz were out of TurboGrafx-16 tracks, think again.  With so many great tracks to choose from, including many user submitted ones, the only logical thing to do was to make a third TurboGrafx-16 focused episode.  “In-Game 7” from Aoi Blink (also known as Blue Blink) is a fantastic 70's electronic style track (listen for those cascading notes).  Wai Wai Mahjong: Yukai na Jantomi-tachi gives us a cool elevator style piece with creative melodies, while “Semimaru” from Jinmu Denshou is a really catchy tune that makes great use of pitch bending.  That's just a sample of the variety you'll find in this mixtape.

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant favorite: Aoi Blink - In-Game 7

Another favorite: Makai Hakkenden Shada - Battle with Garyo

Get caught in the...: Cross Wiber: Cyber Combat Police - Story Out

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/07/episode-202-turbografx-16-3.html

Episode 269: Tracks That End

This episode features only video game music compositions that do not continuously loop.  That is, there's a definite end to all of the pieces here, which is not the usual case for game music of the third and fourth generation.  Full track listing below.

Download and listen NOW

Game - Composer - Song - Company - Console - Year (North American release unless otherwise indicated)

Super Tetris 3 - Shigemitsu Goto (SIR-1008) - Moonlight Castle (Sparkliss Credits) - Tose/BPS - Super Famicom - 1994

21 Emon: Mezase! Hotel Ou - Hiroko Takagi, Sokichi Mizusawa, Shun Yahiro, Jin Iida, Kira, Norihiko Nakajima, Toshihiko Mizuta, Ito Yamashita - Title - NEC - PC Engine - 1994

Kaizou Choujin Shubibinman - Hiroshi Taguchi (GOBLIN) - Marginal Power (Title) - NCS - PC Engine - 1989

Neutopia - Tomotsune Maeno - Title - Hudson Soft - TurboGrafx-16 - 1990

Soldam - Yasuyuki Suzuki, Atsuyoshi Isemura - Title - Jaleco - arcade (Japan) - 1992

Shadow of the Ninja - Iku Mizutani, Kouichi Yamanishi - Opening - Natsume - NES - 1990

Track & Field - Akihiro Juichiya - Opening - Konami - Game Boy - 1992

Head Buster - Hiroshi Fujioka - Ending Credits - Winds/NCS - Game Gear (Japan) - 1991

Asameshimae Nyanko - Eiji Hirasawa, Toyakazu Nagaishi - Title - J-Force/Zamuse - Super Famicom - 1994

Aztec Adventure - Chikako Kamatani - Title Screen - Sega - Sega Master System - 1988

Leading Company - Yoshihisa Tomabechi, Bruce Williamson (improvised solo) - Toma’s bossa - Koei - Super Famicom - 1993

Crystal Warriors - Yukifumi Makino (Macky) - Credits - Sega - Game Gear - 1991

Soldier Blade - Keita Hoshi, Makiko Tanifuji - Ending - Hudson Soft - TurboGrafx-16 - 1992

LMH Mixtape #201: TurboGrafx-16 2

The TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine (and SuperGrafx) has so much great music that the boizz dedicated a second full episode to showcase what the system had to offer, and there is certainly a lot here to enjoy.  The deep synth bass on "In-Game 1" from Break In is so smooth and grooving, you can almost get lost in it.  In "Sphere 4" from Neutopia II, listen for the creative use of what you might describe as a "bloop" or bubble sound with reverb on it, which perfectly accents the track.  “Final Take Off” from After Burner II is the quintessential 80's movie power track to get you pumped up.  So, dive into this mixtape and see what the TG-16 is capable of.

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant favorite: After Burner II - Final Take Off

Another favorite: Break In - In-Game 1

So many favorites it's hard to pick: Neutopia II - Sphere 4

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/06/episode-201-turbografx-16-2.html

LMH Mixtape #200: Episode 200! (Live)

Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for the moment you've all been waiting for... The Legacy Music Hour, Episode 200 Live Special!  The boizz celebrated their 200th episode with a live audience of LMH users, special guests, and of course lots of hot VGM jams to share with everyone.  There's all the variety you've come to expect, including a catchy track from the late-release Famicom game: Navy Blue.  There were also some fantastic baseball tracks, proving once again that sports games can still hit those home runs.  So, don't sit on the bench for this mixtape, or you'll be sentenced to five lives of Time Lord penance!

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant favorite: Touge Densetsu: Saisoku Battle - gameplay

Another favorite: Navy Blue - Board Theme

Classic sports game music: Nantettatte!! Baseball - gameplay

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/05/episode-200-episode-200-live.html

LMH Mixtape #199: Mmm Poppin'

We've gone from shirt popping in the last episode to mmm poppin' in this one.  The track “Brawing Up” from Battle Mania: Daiginjou is a fully pumped jam that will get you absolutely energized, while conversely, “Luis” from Leading Company has a smooth, laid back jazz style, reminiscent of Bob James' music from Taxi.  That's just a couple of the totally mmm poppin' tracks you'll find in this mixtape.

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

Instant favorite: Dragon Spirit - Cave Road (Area 5)

Another instant favorite: Umihara Kawase - Umibe Theme

A town I want to visit: Kouryuu Densetsu Villgust Gaiden - Town

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/04/episode-199-mmm-poppin.html

LMH Mixtape #198: Shirt Popping

These tracks are so hot you'll need to pop your shirt just to cool off.  Olein Cavern from Socket has notes of Sonic the Hedgehog, while In-Game 2 from Aoi Blink has a bit of a sitcom feel with some fun little solos.  Impending Danger from Magic Sword has both a super cool and funky sound, while also conveying a sense of dread.  This mix is so full of great tracks (and variety), you might just wear out collar from popping too much!  New shirt alert!

Download and listen NOW

MANATREE'S AWARDS & COMMENDATIONS

The secret is in the Saus: The Great Battle IV - Water World Saus

Personal nostalgia award: Magic Sword - Impending Danger

Most relaxing: Aoi Blink - In-Game 2

Track listing and original episode:

https://www.legacymusichour.com/2018/03/episode-198-shirt-popping.html

Episode 268: Secrets

Shh, don't tell anyone, but the boizz have some secrets to share on this episode of The Legacy Music Hour.  And some great tracks too, of course.  Full track listing below.

Download and listen NOW

Game - Composer - Song - Company - Console - Year (North American release unless otherwise indicated)

Panorama Cotton - Kenichi Hirata - Tea Time - Success/Sunsoft - Mega Drive - 1994

Mini-Yonku Let's & Go!! Power WGP 2 - Masaru Tajima - Final Race - Jupiter Multimedia/Nintendo - Super Famicom - 1998

Football Fury - Megumi Matsuura - United Football News - Sammy - SNES - 1993

Coryoon: Child of Dragon - Hisashi Matsushita, Daisuke Morishima - Stage 6: Purple Cave - Naxat Soft - PC Engine - 1991

Metal Morph - Martin Galway (comp., arr.), Alistair Hirst, Jeff van Dyck, Marc Schaefgen (arr.) - Journey Through the Other Side - Origin/FCI - SNES - 1994

F-1 Sensation - Tomoya Tomita - Menu - Konami - Famicom - 1993

Sadakichi Seven: Hideyoshi no Ougon - Daisuke Inoue, Toshiaki Takimoto (arr.) - Disco - Sofix/Hudson Soft - PC Engine - 1988

Kaizou Choujin Shubibinman Zero - Kenichi Koyano, Naoko Mikami - Storehouse and Running Train - NCS - Super Famicom Satellaview - 1994

Ys V: Ushinawareta Sunano Miyako Kefin - Mieko Ishikawa, Naoki Kaneda, Satoshi Arai, Atsushi Shirakawa, Masaru Nakajima - The Secret Experience - Falcom - Super Famicom - 1995

Hana Taaka Daka!? - Kinuyo Yamashita - Chieko - Natsume/Taito - PC Engine - 1991

Psy-O-Blade - Shigeru Tomita, Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Hiroto Kanno (Raika no Papa) (arr.) - Game Start - T&E Soft/Graphic Research/Sigma Ent. Inc. - Mega Drive - 1990

SmartBall - Yasuhiko Fukuda (Hirohiko Fukuda), Manabu Saito, Akira Yamaoka - Waterworld - Game Freak/Sony Imagesoft - SNES - 1992

Genji Tsuushin Agedama - T’s Music - Protect Japan (Stage 1) - NEC - PC Engine - 1991