Tag Archives: soundtrack

inthemix.com.au, Music, Review, Writing

The Music of Grand Theft Auto IV

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From being blamed for turning kids into cab driver killing monsters, causing the rise of stabbing deaths in the UK, causing the rise of Molotov cocktail bombings in the USA, and more generally, the fall of civil society as we know it, the Grand Theft Auto videogame series has come under a lot of criticism from a wide variety of sources.

One of the more realistic criticisms aimed at the latest iteration, GTA IV, was its poor showing in the music department. Previous iterations of the game sported what can only be classed as “epic soundtracks”, with Vice City covering the neon coated 80s and San Andreas representing the toughest 90s music. Maybe because GTA IV is set in the 00s and music just fucking sucks nowadays, I can’t help but to somewhat agree with the criticism of the game, and even more so this compilation album.

Playing GTA IV, I enjoyed the soundtrack, and its fake radio stations did what most real radio stations fail to do these days – introduce the listener to a lot of new music. I really enjoyed Massive B, the Dancehall radio station, 104.1 The Classics with DJ Premier mixing old school hiphop, Tuff Gong, the all Bob Marley radio station, and the funk of both Fusion FM and IF99.

However, what is missing from these radio stations is the absolute classics that juxtaposed the violent action with the often inappropriate music. There isn’t a single moment in GTA IV where I remember a song with a mission, although I can clearly recall doing a driveby to Spandau Ballet’s Gold in GTA Vice City, and I giggle with the memory of it every time I hear it on the radio now.

This compilation is even poorer, offering us only one song from each station, and it’s rarely the best. The haunting theme song Soviet Connection by Michael Hunter starts off the album, but honestly, it’s probably the best song on here. Damian Marley’s mash up of Bob Marley & the Wailers classic Stand Up Jamrock, and The Rapture’s No Sex For Ben are also stand out tunes.

But the selection from Massive B Munga No Fraid A is one of the more forgettable dancehall tunes. Vibe Radio Station’s selection, which in game has Pony by Ginuwine and Just Be Good To Me by the SOS Band, is a complete waste of a song by a two bit nobody, CJ’s I Want You.
There are a couple of songs that were made for, or at least launched in, GTA IV, and these include Nas’ War Is Necessary, which in my mind is Nas far from his best. However, Seryoga a Russian hiphop artist has Liberty City: The Invasion, which is quite a good track, and it’s refreshing to hear a different take on hiphop.

Another thing missing is the crazy announcers and hilariously sarcastic advertisements. Juliette Luis, Karl Lagerfeld and Iggy Pop feature as announcers in the games, but their funny comments, and the black ads between songs have been completely left off this compilation, meaning in addition to being some of the poorest music from the game, it lacks the biggest and most iconic draw of the game soundtrack. Hopefully Rockstar do the game justice by releasing a box set like they did with Vice City and San Andreas, otherwise I think there will be more violence caused by GTA fans as they snap the CDs they’ve been ripped off by.

dB Magazine, Music, Review, Writing

Amon Tobin – Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory Soundtrack

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The Super Mario Brothers theme has been sung by acapella choirs and remixed by the likes of DJ Qbert, proving video game music has come a long way since the early days of 8 bit plinks and plonks. Game designers now realise music is a synchronistic and intrinsic element to their games.

Whilst Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory is not the first video game to have a soundtrack released alongside the games’ release, it is the first one produced on the Ninja Tune label, and is quite possible the best one to marry talent and mood flawlessly. Known for his sweeping, atmospheric sound, Amon Tobin simply nails the mood of the game. It is dark, edgy, and stunning.

From the guitar stabs of The Lighthouse, to the drum and bass styled beats of El Cargo, Tobin takes every sound, every sample, and perfectly recreates the world of super spy Sam Fisher. Tobin has been allowed to create the music in his way, and the freedom and attention to detail is simply perfect. He builds stress, tension and action with different sounds and ambience, without ever compromising his definitive and distinctive style.

Tobin has layered each tune to work by itself, as well as work in the game. Each track is almost a mini soundtrack, the mood changing as the track unfolds. Certain sounds and chords are looped throughout each individual tune, and also reprised across the whole album, making the album work on three distinct but intertwined levels – as a soundtrack, as a gameplay device, and simply as music.

As a fan of Amon Tobin, Ninja Tune, Splinter Cell and movie soundtracks, I simply cannot fault this album. Tobin has excelled in bringing his edgy, dramatic and intense sound and making it work as a game soundtrack as well as an individual artist recording.