The Sound Test

Latest Episodes:

73: ST2 #09 - Outer Wilds (w/Andrew Prahlow) Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

Outer Wilds, a unique sci-fi adventure released in 2019, has been a huge hit with critics and players alike. Scored by Andrew Prahlow, a lot of the soundtrack is built on banjos, guitars and other fireside classics (like simple whistling). However, the music also makes clever use of soundscapes, synths and textures, all contributing to a decidedly post-rock sound that perfectly captures the setting.
After Outer Wilds’ incredible haul of Game-of-the-Year wins at the end of 2019, it’s a huge pleasure to welcome Andrew Prahlow onto the show. But, it’s only fair that I warn you of the multiple story spoilers throughout this episode. One of Outer Wilds’ greatest strengths is its mystery, and I’m keen to maintain the power of that narrative for those who haven’t yet completed it, or are interested in starting.
Lee Tyrrell on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
Andrew Prahlow on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/andrewprahlow
Also available through:
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iTunes
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and many more...
Early access, unedited interviews, LIVE shows and more:
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72: LIVE - 20/03/20 [Weekly VGM Radio & Podcast] Mar 22, 2020

Show notes

Alongside the usual chatter, this episode takes a look at some of the games that first inspired regular listeners to get into VGM. There are some great choices!
Including:
SFX Showdown
VGM SongFight (BACKSTORY)
Quickfire News
This week's playlist:
Oil Panic – ??? (originally composed by Yoko Mizuta and/or Jin Sugita) [Game & Watch Gallery]
Undercaves – Spencer Nilsen, Brian Coburn and/or Andras Magyari [Ecco the Dolphin]
Dark Cave – Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose and/or Morikazu Aoki [Pokemon Gold and Silver]
Main Theme (Acoustic Remix) – Jason Graves [Fat Chicken]
Home to Me – Jason Graves & Malukah [Moss]
Time to Run – London Philharmonic Orchestra (composed by Nathan McCree) [The Tomb Raider Suite]
The Last Revelation Theme – Peter Connelly [Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation]
Dungeon Crawler Baller (Sid Synthwave Remix) – 8 Bit Weapon [8 Bit Weapon]
Zero G – Philip Sheppard [Moon Machines Vol. 1]
Detroit: Become Human TRAILER (w/Nima Fakhrara)
I’d Rather Be Alone – Thornetta Davis [Detroit: Become Human]
We’re Dunk Lords – Laura Shigihara & Andy Hull [Dunk Lords]
Undercurrent – Jami Sieber [Braid]
Black Tile – Siddhartha Barnhoorn [Antichamber]
Title – Mike Richmond [Luma]
In-Game – Mike Richmond [Luma]
Memories of Green – The New American Orchestra (originally composed by Vangelis) (Blade Runner – Orchestral Adaptation)
MAIN THEME:
Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo & Yasuake Iwata - World 8 [Super Mario 3D World]
Requests and contact:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
"The Sound Test" on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesoundtest/
Original episodes of The Sound Test LIVE, with Dale Fowler, are available through Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/_secretcave
Also available through:
YouTube
Spotify
iTunes
Stitcher

71: BONUS - Jason Graves Interview (Moss, Dead Space, Star Trek, Until Dawn, Tomb Raider and more!) Mar 21, 2020

Show notes

Jason Graves has worked on a simply incredible list of titles throughout his career. Whether it's Tomb Raider, Dead Space, Until Dawn, Moss, multiple Star Trek games or any of his various projects, Jason always brings depth of thought and true feeling to his music. In this unbelievably expansive bonus interview, Jason and I cover as much of his back catalogue as we can. He's passionate, enthusiastic and infinitely insightful, and this was easily one of my favourite interviews to conduct. Thanks Jason!
Lee Tyrrell on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
Jason Graves on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jgmusic
Also available through:
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iTunes
Stitcher
Pledge to this Patreon to help support The Sound Test's second season, and unlock backdated episodes of its LIVE version (and other content)!

70: LIVE - 13/03/20 [Weekly VGM Radio] Mar 15, 2020

Show notes

On this week's show, I catch up on your thoughts about particularly effective looping tracks in games, and then go on to ask what games and tunes very first got you into VGM. More on that next week!
Including:
SFX Showdown
VGM SongFight (BACKSTORY: https://twitter.com/GreenT128/status/1191119218038706176)
Quickfire News
This week's playlist:
Birth of the People – Yuzo Koshiro [ActRaiser]
Ocean – Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai, Toru Minegishi and/or Koji Kondo [The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]
Meeting April Ryan/April’s Theme – Leon Willett [Dreamfall]
Layer Cake – Shoji Meguro [Persona 5]
Stage 1 - The Streets – Matt Furniss [Predator 2]
MAGICAL SOUND SHOWER – Hiroshi Kawaguchi [OutRun]
Wild Nature (Blanka’s Theme) – Takayuki Iwai, Yuki Iwai, Isao Abe, Hideki Okugawa and/or Tetsuya Shibata [Street Fighter Alpha 3]
Let’s Get it On – Hideki Okugawa, Yuki Iwai and Infinite [Street Fighter III 3rd Strike]
The Last of Us – Gustavo Santaolalla [The Last of Us]
Catalyst – Solar Fields [Mirror’s Edge Catalyst]
Saria’s Song – Eimear Noone & The DIT Irish Traditional Music Ensemble [The Celtic Link: Themes from “The Legend of Zelda”]
Undercurrent – Jami Sieber [Braid]
Forest Interlude – David Wise [Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest]
Ruins – Alexander Brandon, Michiel van den Bos, Andrew G. Sega and/or Dan Gardopee [Unreal]
Safe Haven – Yoko Shimomura [Final Fantasy XV]
Fugue State - Vulfpeck
MAIN THEME:
Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo & Yasuake Iwata - World 8 [Super Mario 3D World]
Requests and contact:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
"The Sound Test" on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesoundtest/
Original episodes of The Sound Test LIVE, with Dale Fowler, are available through Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/_secretcave
Also available through:
YouTube
Spotify
iTunes
Stitcher

69: LIVE - 06/03/20 [Weekly VGM Radio] Mar 07, 2020

Show notes

For this second episode of a third run, I'm joined after a little while by somebody very familiar to longtime listeners...
Including:
SFX Showdown
VGM SongFight (BACKSTORY: https://twitter.com/GreenT128/status/1191119218038706176)
and more...
This week's playlist:
Those Who Fight (Intro) – (originally composed by Nobuo Uematsu) [FF7: Remake]Don’t Be Afraid (Final Fantasy VIII) – Nobuo Uematsu [Distant Worlds]F1 2017: Fast Forward (TDK Mix) – TDK [Me!]The Golden Ages – 4matHeaddy the Hero – Katsuhiko Suzuki, Yasuko, Kouji, Aki and/or Non [Dynamite Headdy]Funny Dawg (From “EarthBound”) – Bad Dudes & zykO (originally composed by Keiichi Suzuki and/or Hirokazu Tanaka) [Psychokinetic I]Goron City – Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata and/or Hajime Wakai [The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild]Hall of Hieroglyphs – Ryoji Yoshitomi [Wario Land 4]Saria’s Song – Eimear Noone & The DIT Irish Traditional Music Ensemble [The Celtic Link: Themes from “The Legend of Zelda”]Far – C418 [Minecraft]Team Select – Jon Hey [NBA Jam]Winning Results – Kenta Nagata [Mario Kart 64]Jurassic Dope – Hiroshi Kobayashi, Michiru Yamane, Akira Yamaoka, Hirofumi Taniguchi and/or Aki Hata [Contra Hard Corps]Oh No – Girl Talk [All Day]
MAIN THEME:
Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo & Yasuake Iwata - World 8 [Super Mario 3D World]
Requests and contact:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
"The Sound Test" on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesoundtest/
Original episodes of The Sound Test LIVE, with Dale Fowler, are available through Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/_secretcave
Also available through:
YouTube
Spotify
iTunes
Stitcher

68: LIVE - 28/02/20 [Weekly VGM Radio] Feb 29, 2020

Show notes

The first episode of a (kind of) third season! This time, I'm going solo and introducing a couple of new ideas. I don't do the old features in this broadcast, but they'll be returning in the next...
This week's playlist:
Da Funk – Daft Punk [Homework]Material Girl – Gavin “zer0page” Graham (originally by Madonna)Samurai Shodown Embrace Death – Fat Bard [Samurai Shodown (2019)]We Called Upon War – Andrew Prahlow [Patriots: Soldiers of Liberty]Travelers – Andrew Prahlow [Outer Wilds]Vindicta (Boss Alt) – Ridiculon [The Binding of Isaac: Lullabies]The Grand Hall – Clark Aboud [Path of Giants]With Hammer and Hope – Robin Beanland [Sea of Thieves]The Pale Moonlight – David Wise [Tengami]Mirage Saloon Act 2 – Tee Lopes [Sonic Mania]Race 2: Bleeding Fingers – Barry Leitch [Horizon Chase Turbo]808 Love – LmanNAPOLITAN BLUES (Italy Stage) – Masahiko Hataya [King of Fighters ‘94]Paparazzi (Radio Version) – Xzibit [Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3]
WILDCARD SECTION:Chop Chop (Master Onion's Rap) - Masaya Matsuura & Yoshihisa Suzuki [PaRappa the Rapper]
Super Mario World (Arranged) - Koji Kondo (arranged by Soichi Noriki)
Primed for Battle - Trevor Yuile [Starlink: Battle for Atlas]
Lock it Up - Eminem and Anderson .Paak [Music to Be Murdered By]
Green Garden - Akifumi Tada [Bomberman 64]
Palm Desert - Michael Bartlow [Road Rash]
The Battle of Lil' Slugger (Ch 1 Boss Extended Cut) - Danny Baranowsky [Super Meat Boy]
Subterranean - Tommy Tallarico [Earthworm Jim 2]
Little Engine - Eminem [Music to Be Murdered By]
Coco-Yam Song - The Mountain Goats [Protein Source Of The Future... Now!]
MAIN THEME:
Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo & Yasuake Iwata - World 8 [Super Mario 3D World]
Requests and contact:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
"The Sound Test" on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesoundtest/
Original episodes of The Sound Test LIVE, with Dale Fowler, are available through Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/_secretcave
Also available through:
YouTube (Edited)
Spotify
iTunes
Stitcher

67: ST2 #08 - Sea of Thieves (w/Robin Beanland) Feb 21, 2020

Show notes

Sea of Thieves is a multiplayer pirate adventure complete with sailing, cutlasses, sea monsters and even interactive shanties. Though given a cartoonish and playful feel, as is often the case with Rare, its creation and continued evolution are taken very seriously. That’s exemplified in Sea of Thieves’ music, which uses an arsenal of intriguing instruments in its authentic sound. In fact, its composer, Robin Beanland, received an Ivor Novello award in 2019 for his inventive OST. But its strength, and clever use of generative elements, are to be expected from Robin – a Rare mainstay who cut his teeth on Killer Instinct before writing immensely popular scores like Conker’s Bad Fur Day.
After leaving a huge Robin Beanland-shaped hole in my first series of VGM podcasts, I was particularly eager to speak to him for ST2. As a result, this is only the first of two appearances, with the second covering his output on the Nintendo 64.
Lee Tyrrell on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
Robin Beanland on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/TheRealBeano
Also available through:
YouTube
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
and many more...
Early access, unedited interviews, LIVE shows and more:
http://patreon.com/_secretcave

66: ST2 #07 - The Banner Saga (w/Austin Wintory) Feb 14, 2020

Show notes

After composing one of the best loved game OSTs of all time with Journey, Austin Wintory was left wondering what could inspire him with the same intensity. Known as a top authority when it comes to composing modern VGM, every project he scores offers a new opportunity to explore and innovate. But, when Stoic – a team of developers led by a trio of ex-Bioware staff – contacted him about their upcoming, crowdfunded game – The Banner Saga – Austin found a veritable wellspring of inspiration.
Following the mythic narrative surrounding a variety of Viking influenced nomads and warriors, the saga is a genuinely epic tale that adapts to player choice as it unfolds. At its heart, the world is one of legend, where the sun itself has frozen in place and dead gods litter the landscape. The story is mostly told through turn-based combat and branching dialogue, while the whole experience is constantly brought to life by strong writing, distinctive art and, most importantly for this podcast, a beautiful soundtrack that shimmers with subtext.
Lee Tyrrell on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
Austin Wintory on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/awintory
Now available through:
YouTube
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
and many more...
Support, early access, unedited interviews, backdated LIVE shows and more:
http://patreon.com/_secretcave

65: LIVE - 07/02/20 (feat. Chris Abbott) [Weekly VGM Radio] Feb 07, 2020

Show notes

A brand new iteration of The Sound Test LIVE! This time, I'm joined by Shelley Moncaster for fresh VGM playlists and all the old features, including:
SFX Showdown
SongFight (BACKSTORY: https://twitter.com/GreenT128/status/1191119218038706176)
News
And a BONUS interview with C64Audio.com's Chris Abbott about the 8-Bit Symphony!
This week's playlist:
Days Like These (Head Radio Extract) – Craig Conner [Grand Theft Auto]
Boarder 70 - Somethin’ Jazzy for Your Mind Mix – Hideki Naganuma [Ollie King]
Mr. Marvellous – Jammer & Volcano
Tim Trance 3 – Tim Clarke [Marvel Blast Ultra]
Rio at Day – Allister Brimble [The Driver Syndicate/Driver 2]
Return of Django – The Upsetters [Grand Theft Auto: London 1969]
Guerillas In Tha Mist – Da Lench Mob [Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]
Triggernometry – Bill Elm & Woody Jackson [Red Dead Redemption]
Zanarkand – Nobuo Uematsu [Final Fantasy X]
Elegia – New Order [Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain]
Lament for KS – Rob Hubbard
Wastelands – Arranged by Chris Abbott, originally composed by Ben Daglish [8-Bit Symphony/The Last Ninja]
Saria’s Song – Eimear Noone & The DIT Irish Traditional Music Ensemble [The Celtic Link: Themes from “The Legend of Zelda”]
Miniboss – Brad Buxer [Sonic the Hedgehog 3]
Mathematica – PVCF of Reflex
Dead Already – Thomas Newman [American Beauty]
MAIN THEME:
Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo & Yasuake Iwata - World 8 [Super Mario 3D World]
More on the 8-Bit Symphony & C64 Audio:
https://c64audio.com
Requests and contact:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
"The Sound Test" on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesoundtest/
Original episodes of The Sound Test LIVE, with Dale Fowler, are available through Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/_secretcave
Also available through:
YouTube
Spotify
iTunes
Stitcher

64: LIVE - 31/01/20 [Weekly VGM Radio] Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

A brand new iteration of The Sound Test LIVE! This time, I'm joined by Shelley Moncaster for fresh VGM playlists and all the old features, including:
SFX Showdown
SongFight (BACKSTORY/POLL)
News
This week's playlist:
Flagship – Danny Baranowsky [Industries of Titan]Overworld (Peaceful) – Danny Baranowsky (originally composed by Koji Kondo) [Cadence of Hyrule]Maple Treeway – Asuka Ota & Ryo Nagamatsu [Mario Kart Wii]Science Facility – Fat Bard [Battery Jam]WINDY DAY – Toshikazu Tanaka [Metal Slug 5]The 21s – VincenzoButterscotch Blues – PROTODOME [FamiFood]Sunset Strip – PROTODOME [OBLITERACERS]The Volcano – Nathan McCree & Martin Iveson [Bubba ‘n’ Stix]CINDY – Yoko Shimomura [Final Fantasy XV]Bros on the Road – Yoko Shimomura [Final Fantasy XV]Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man – Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn [Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]Monkey Island Theme – Lara6683 (originally composed by Michael Land)Audrey’s Dance – Angelo Badalamenti [Twin Peaks]Saturday – Chromatics [Twin Peaks: The Return]Blank Page – 4matTrackers Folly – 4mat [Modern Closure]Overture – Nobuo Uematsu [Final Fantasy VI]Master Hand Battle - ??? [Super Smash Bros. Brawl]Crazy Hand - ??? [Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]Confrontation – Yoshitaka Azuma [Panzer Dragoon]He’s Quite the Imposition – Austin Wintory [John Wick Hex]What Is This Loneliness – Deltron 3030, feat. Damon Albarn & Casual [Event 2]
MAIN THEME:
Mahito Yokota, Toru Minegishi, Koji Kondo & Yasuake Iwata - World 8 [Super Mario 3D World]
Requests and contact:
https://twitter.com/GreenT128
"The Sound Test" on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesoundtest/
Original episodes of The Sound Test LIVE, with Dale Fowler, are available through Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/_secretcave
Also available through:
YouTube
Spotify
iTunes
Stitcher

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