World 1-2 by Koopa Soundworks: A Lost in the Music Review

What do you get when you get leaders in video game soundtracks to collaborate on an CD? You get the Koopa Soundworks album World 1-2.

Published by DJCutman's GameChops Label, World 1-2 brings together several big names in the industry. From former Silent Hill director and composer Akira Yamoka to Austin Wintory, composer for the Grammy nominated album Journey, as well as well known arrangers such as halc, Benjamin Briggs and the VGO. There is so much great talent on this album and I am continually impressed that Koopa Soundworks was able to get these composers.

What I like the most about this album is how the musicians decided to remix a variety of games. Yes Mario, Final Fantasy and Metroid are amongst the tracks featured, but there are also songs from Spelunky, Dear Esther and the Sword and Sorcery games. I absolutely love it when an artist does a track from a more obscure game as it will inspire me to look for the music from that game. When a band or a single artist covers a song from an obscure game I will be far more interested in the song then some new Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger track. As much as I enjoy that music, I am immediately drawn to the more obscure work as I am always looking for more music to expand my ever growing library.

That is one of the reasons I have taken such an interest in the album. The team could have played it safe and did nothing but Nintendo and Square Enix covers, but I highly doubt that it would be as memorable. I enjoy the fact that they featured obscure NES games as well as indie titles from recent years. Not only does it give the album variety, it also acts as a sort of advertisement for the game they are covering. Before this album came out, I have only heard of Spelunky and Dear Esther in passing, but after hearing the music, it has made me want to give the games a try.

It is usually around this time that I choose my top one or two songs on an album and I can't with this album. Each artist brings their unique style to the album and I would be hard-pressed to choose one song over the other. However this time I cannot choose as each song is so good. There are no tracks I like or dislike over the other and that is a rarity these days. All the performers go above and beyond with their music and I honestly cannot choose a favourite.

So how is World 1-2? It's a fantastic album. The artists working on the album did a great job and as I have said, the artists on the album bring something fresh as they bring their own unique style to the album. No one artist overshadows the other and the songs compliment one another perfectly. While I am not calling it the best album of the year (at least not yet as it is only May), it is still a great album and well worth your money.

From Chipzel and Danimal Cannon's refined chiptunes, to the VGO's orchestrated tracks, you will find a song you like on the album.

You can find World 1-2 on Bandcamp.

This is Daimo Mac and I am lost in the music.