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Are There Any Up-And-Coming Composers?
The title of this topic is misleading. I'm sure there are plenty of up-and-coming composers around. I welcome any suggestions for composers that should be sought out.
But I want to bring up the perception problem. The industry has its heavyweights (Mitsuda, Sakimoto, Huelsbeck, Follins -- just to name a very quick few). The majority of them made their bones in the 80s and 90s where creativity ruled over synth quality and videogames could be regarded as a niche. Nowadays, if you name the canon of composers, I believe almost all of them would have similar beginnings. So, I guess, are there composers just in the past few years who ascended to the pinnacle? And if not, why not? Are we (and game companies) too smitten with bigger names to put others on the same level? Are we continuing to turn inward when we should be turning outward? Jam it back in, in the dark. |
Mountain Chocobo |
While I haven't heard anything else, aside from Luminous Arc and his Brawl arrangements, but Shota Kageyama might be someone to keep an eye on. I liked his contributions to the rather lackluster Luminous Arc soundtrack. While his arrangements in Brawl were rather straightforward, I enjoyed them, especially his Legend of Zelda one. I wonder where he is now since he left Procyon Studio.
Definitely jumping the gun here, but Procyon Studio's new composer, Shunsuke Tsuchiya, might be an up and comer. Of course, I haven't heard anything from him. However, the prospect of the Breath of Fire III team (my favorite BoF soundtrack), Shimomura (although probably really limited), and this new composer working on Luminous Arc 2 does seem to interest me more than the first one. There's nowhere I can't reach. |
Masafumi Takada has been making a lot of hits lately (killer7 and No More Heroes, to name a couple). He's been composing for a while, but only now has he seemed to get recognition.
How ya doing, buddy?
KALEB GRACE : Artist/Composer/Designer/Engineer/...Creator
also, I like turtles |
Masashi Hamauzu comes immediately to mind. He seems to be claiming the helm of the music of Final Fantasy after the departure of Nobuo Uematsu. His debut started with Final Fantasy X and since then he arranged the piano collection for it, scored FF7 Dirge of Cerberus, and will be composing Final Fantasy XIII.
Final Fantasy aside, Hamauzu has scored SaGa Frontier II, Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon, Musashi Samurai Legend, and the upcoming Sigma Harmonics. He certainly has the potential to achieve greatness. Most amazing jew boots
Last edited by Josh_1; May 10, 2008 at 01:34 AM.
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Wonderful Chocobo |
Yeah, the industry is mostly ruled by people who have been around since the late 80s / early 90s even though many are now freelancers. But there is some new talent for sure.
Focusing on Japan, I'd definitely agree with Masafumi Takada and Jun Fukuda. Though Takada dates back quite a way, he's now often talked about. Same goes for Shoji Meguro and Takeharu Ishimoto that orient their music towards the mainstream sector. Others to look out for are Norikazu Miura, Sota Fujimori, Asuka Ota, Kimihiro Abe, Mitsuhiro Kaneda, Hideyuki Fukasawa, and Osamu Kubota. Also, look out for more Norihiko Hibino. He's becoming a powerhouse of the industry with music production company GEM Impact and his international affiliations. Amazing this guy hasn't been around that long. Personally, I'd describe Masashi Hamauzu as a fully fledged composer (he's been around for 13 years!). Pretty sure Shota Kageyama won't be back, though Procyon Studio has potential to be an important game audio developer. It's achievements with the DS are very impressive. I was speaking idiomatically. |
I recently heard someone from Odin Sphere that has the potential to become some second Hamauzu. It's Kimihiro Abe. There is something about his rhythm and harmony that makes his compositions interesting. In perticular I'd recommend to listen to "Battle in the Labyrinth city".
Looks like Mr. X mentions him too. What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now? |
Pretty much all the Basiscape mini-composers (except Iwata, who's been around for ages) have the opportunity to be up and comers if they get more solo work. In a way, it's not unlike Hans Zimmer's studio, which saw composers like John Powell and HGW work as understudies before branching off on their own.
I'd add Masayoshi Soken, who I think has potential as a composer, Takeharu Ishimoto, who I think should leave the field immediately and never return, and Takayuki Mitsuhara, whose work on Deep Labyrinth was rather impressive. On the Western side, keep an eye on James Hannigan, who's set to break out after his Harry Potter score. I'm very interested to see what Chris Tilton does next as well. How ya doing, buddy? ![]() |
Official soundtrack releases are more likely if the composer is already known or the game company is known for releasing VGM outside the games themselves. If you like to find out about "up-and-coming" composers you need to look what doesn't get published. And even then you need to double check since just like the majority of VGM never gets official releases the majority of VGM composers are very obscure. Btw. I can't be the only one scratching my head over your mention of Follins as industry heavyweights considering Geoff Follin stopped doing VGM ages ago and Tim Follin regularly complained being incapable to make enough money for a living by composing VGM since that job is terribly underappreciated. He officially stopped doing VGM after Lemmings PSP. What, you don't want my bikini-clad body? |
Wonderful Chocobo |
Jam it back in, in the dark. |
How ya doing, buddy? ![]()
Last edited by orion_mk3; May 10, 2008 at 07:36 PM.
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Wonderful Chocobo |
This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it. |
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KALEB GRACE : Artist/Composer/Designer/Engineer/...Creator
also, I like turtles |
How could you guys forget Go Shiina.
I was speaking idiomatically. |
Go Shiina is nice, but his discography is so small that we need to see more of him to start mentioning him.
Most amazing jew boots |
Wonderful Chocobo |
Not that small. Masaru Shiina has been active since 1997 and has worked on a large number of projects. As well as his Tales of Legendia, Kyo Kara Maoh!, and Mr. Driller projects, he has contributed to Ace Combat 3, Klonoa of the Wind, Tekken Dark Resurrection, The Idolm@ster (whose inflated discography puts me off ever trying to cover him), and quite a few other works. I think he is a colourful versatile composer, though a tad overrated.
What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?
Last edited by Mr. X; May 23, 2008 at 02:33 PM.
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Really! I'm going to check those out. I just didn't find anything about Go Shiina, a few years ago I couldn't even find a picture of him...
Jam it back in, in the dark. |
I dont know how he could be overrated Mr X. I work with him often, even on a project that is currently progressing and I get extremely positivve comments from everyone I work with. That includes people like Mr Koh Otani who claimed he is one of the most talented "younger" stock of composer in Japan to engineers at Fox Studios.
To be honest, I don't know his reputation "punlicly" but I do not believe, freom all the people who I have seen comment about him, that he is overrated. I am pretty impressed with his latest work I did, although you won't hear it till September as it won't be released till then. Anyway, I'm pretty scared of your reply Mr X, you usually come up with a devastating reply. On another note, what about Derek Duke? There's nowhere I can't reach. |
Derek Duke has been working at least since Starcraft in '98, perhaps earlier. With that, WCIII, and WoW, I'd say he's arrived.
This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it. ![]() |
I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body? |
Wonderful Chocobo |
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I was speaking idiomatically.
Last edited by Mr. X; May 24, 2008 at 03:34 PM.
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