Nocturnowl
Member
In the excitement of Yooka-Laylee and the mere snippets of its music being able to whip me up into a state of giddy hype alongside Kirkhope playing us a celebratory Spiral Mountain with a Kazoo and Ukulele I had to take a trip back through a selection of Grant Kirkhope's work at Rare in particular.
This isn't covering everything, though I'm sure no one actually played Yaiba (mind you I was almost tempted for £2 entirely because Kirkhope OST) so I can get away with skipping past some of his post Rare work myself but by all means bring it up and enlighten me to the good stuff I'm missing.
Now let the gushing commence.
Banjo-Kazooie
The quintessential Kirkhope OST in my mind, that signature jaunty style he coins here explodes from all angles of the game, variation upon variation of a stages central theme changing to adapt a new area, sometimes seamlessly.
Each world has nigh on perfect music to accompany the adventure and ensures I leave humming away every time, if GAF ends up doing another one of those OSt of the generation threads for this time period this is what gets my number 1 spot.
Suppressing my urge to gush about Spiral Mountain which is my favourite track in the game Im feeling like focusing my choices elsewhere.
Click Clock Wood: Summer Variation
Its hard to argue with the BEE BACKING that accompanies an almost jolly waltz of a theme. Various environmental sounds aid in giving the tracks in Banjo a greater sense of place, which is to say I wouldnt dare remove the various chirping of birds and bug alike.
Click Clock Wood in general is quite the grand musical undertaking, housing four seasonal variations of the main theme is neat enough but theres even slight modifications to some interior themes based on the season as well as housing bonus catchy goodness with the homes for Nabnuts and Gnawty.
Inside the Church (Mad Monster Mansion)
The MMM theme in general has this almost contradictory mix of creepy cartooniness going on which is great fun, also ribbitting.
The church interior however just takes that main melody and goes full in with the church organ and bell tolling thus making it a much more intimidating piece than the one that occupies the mansion grounds.
Plus I can poorly attempt to put my own twist on things by slamming down on those Organ keys creating cacophony more than anything else, Motzand would not approve.
I could list so much more but I better pay some other games more attention.
Donkey Kong 64
Not only the man possibly behind all the music here including the infamous rap but also the voice behind Donkey Kong himself as Kirkhope supplied his voice for gorilla grunting and thus leads to many a spamming of the save button for repeated OKAYOKAYOKAYOKAY, or was that just me?
Anyway much like how DK64 is more reminiscent of Banjo than DKC as a game so is its audio and visual side. I think Ive grown to appreciate this soundtrack more as of late seeing that I finally got another dosage of DKC Wise last year, plus things will be even now Wise is invading the Banjo spiritual successor.
Since I just went through this one recently Ive got many tracks on my mind, too many in fact.
Crystal Caves Boss/Army Dillo Rematch
Two of my favourite musical things in this game are the soothing Crystal Caves theme and the many boss battle remixes of each worlds main track, I tend to think of this as a DK64 thing though I suppose it got its start in Banjo Kazooie with Gruntilda packing a souped up version of her lairs theme for the final fight.
The interesting thing to me about this boss theme is how its probably the strongest tone shift going from the standard stage track to its boss variation, while areas like Gloomy Galleon and Frantic Factory naturally have tracks that lend themselves very well to the bombastic boss treatment Crystal Caves does not share that easy transition. In turn this serves to make it one of the more memorable ones for me, I suppose it also helps being my favourite actual boss as well.
Jungle Japes
I really feel this one is worth pointing out for being the most interesting variation on the often overheard DK Island Swing as halfway through it just takes a sharp turn out of its usual home of Wiseville and takes the long scenic route through Kirkhope Town or something like that.
Familiar yet fresh and yet even with a mind bogglingly endless amount of Island swing variations on board this one still couldnt get into Smash Bros, for shame! (yet somehow against all odds they remixed the DK Rap for Melee, didnt see that coming)
In any case the DK isle theme and its bazillion variations are my personal highlight and I consider it one of the GOAT hub themes, wasnt too surprising to discover that theme was in fact a Banjo-Kazooie leftover, it has that magic about it.
DK64s soundtrack serves as another strong entry into the series musical library and Im kicking myself for not really noticing this so much until the last few weeks.
Perfect Dark
Now for something quite different, picking up where Graeme Norgate left off Kirkhope continued being the N64 era musical workhorse tackling the significantly less cartoony title of Perfect Dark, well except for those scenes with Elvis, that guy was a goofball.
Chicago Stealth has this seedy sci-fi vibe that set the street scene wonderfully in those moments where the drone patrolling the streets isnt filling the speakers with the sound of much gunfire, another incentive to stay out of its way.
Every main stage of PD also gets a sped up adrenaline fueled Xremix of its theme for special occasions which is nice touch and the foundation of my multiplayer music selection where you can just have the game cycle through a bunch of them.
Datadyne Extraction
That intro man, just exemplifies the feeling of ones shit getting real as the kids say. An example of PD music at its most electronically alien like and once again you have another pumping X variation (and also another gun constantly blaring at you courtesy of one attack copter, quit ruining my tunes gunfire!)
Goldeneye 007
I tend to think of this soundtrack as more of Graeme Norgates claim to fame, in fact I was surprised to only just find out that Kirkhope had more of a hand in this game than I thought.
In any case the 007 license presents the opportunity to tackle the franchises classic theme which is a blast in itself.
Antenna Cradle is like the Bond Theme in its final boss remix, such pumping action, such intensity, and unrelated to music such uncanny ability for Trevelyan to no sell an entire machine gun clip if hes moving.
Now Im all for the films actual score as well for the final throwdown between 006 and 007 but I gotta say I got a kick out of this lovely video that brings the game OST to the movie.
Banjo Tooie
Dont really need to explain this one, even more Banjo style platforming pieces, now with 90% more DK64 style boss tracks (Targitzan is a treat). Admittedly I do find this soundtrack to fall a bit short of my lofty expectations because BK was just that darn good. But of course theres still plenty of good music to be had, tons of it in fact and of course the inevitable conclusion of Bee Buzzing music.
Jolly Rogers Lagoon immediately taps into my accordion happy place, in a series full of upbeat tracks the first 40 odd seconds of this track might just take the cake, Ive got jaunt overload here. Kind of makes me never want to venture down to Atlantis and just stay in the pub with that odd frog fella.
Glitter Gulch Mine
Typically when I think of a Rare game and mine music its usually moody DKC series goodness, so much so that I recall being thrown for a loop when first entering this stage and hearing what my old man once called Skippy the Kangaroo music in passing. Its nigh on impossible for me to listen to this without hearing the sounds of yee hah! in my head courtesy of those bumpkin like enemies. Glitter Gulch Mine probably has my favourite set of theme variations in the game, special shoutout to the just plain weird Witchyworld take on it, got to love how the connected worlds led to some strange musical mashups.
Im beginning to think theres a ton of hidden gems in this soundtrack Id unearth on a replay, just giving myself more excuses to dive back in here.
And what a note to end the series on! Well actually thats not quite the case but even if you dont like car building there was still an upside to next console outing.
Viva Pinata/Viva Pinata Trouble in Paradise
Behold the power of Kirkhope with orchestra backing, the soundtrack for these two games is harder for me to summarise, like they remind me of watching some soothing nature documentary with just a dash of that signature style of the N64 days lurking in the background of an otherwise very classical style selection of tracks that are just great. Even when not a melodically memorable theme they still fit the game like a glove, arguably one of the most underrated OSTs of last gen and I was pretty dang late to this one myself.
Oh and more great voice over silliness here for the Pinatas themselves, now which Rare employee was behind the Bubblegum buzzing? Because I and some friends of mine are quite the fans of that one (what is it with me and Bees today?).
Bedtime Story, crumbs I could tear up to the sheer pleasantness of this track and then awaken to Oven Fresh Day with a skip in my step. I don't really have as much to say here, I think the music speaks for itself.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts
Now heres a polarizing game right here, lets put aside the squabbling for a second and thank this game for giving us a bunch of orchestrated take son BK classics as well as a few new bits and pieces, a lot of backup from Robin Beanland as well who I sometimes think of like the dark horse of the Rare composers.
Spiral Mountain
The real reason I didnt link to this earlier was to do it here, what a swerve! The plinky plonky xylophone goodness takes me to my happy place.
Grappling with Gruntilda/Grunty Challenge
So can I just play this over the final boss battle of Banjo-Kazooie? Because its glorious.
Bonus Round
Grabbed by the Ghoulies: Ballroom Disco
I never heard a track from this game until today (actually had no idea this was a Kirkhope OST), not sure what would be its highlight but its hard to ignore such a funky and zany track here
Donkey Kong Land 2: In a Snow Bound Land
Funny how some things play out, Grant handles the handheld rendition of a Wise OST and years later I think the inverse happened for Viva Pinata pocket paradise.
DKC2 would go on to be my favourite game soundtrack but a number of its tracks I actually first heard through DKL2 which had me hunger even more to actually make progress through DKC2 to hear the definitive versions of tracks like K.Rool Duel and that one track that plays in Bramble stages you may have heard of.
As for DKL2 I recall its Ice stages having my favourite track back then, oddly the real deal on the SNES didnt meet my expectations after my 8 bit enjoyment, fret not Wise, you made up for it big time with Frosty Fruits in Tropical Freeze.
In conclusion:
This isn't covering everything, though I'm sure no one actually played Yaiba (mind you I was almost tempted for £2 entirely because Kirkhope OST) so I can get away with skipping past some of his post Rare work myself but by all means bring it up and enlighten me to the good stuff I'm missing.
Now let the gushing commence.
Banjo-Kazooie
The quintessential Kirkhope OST in my mind, that signature jaunty style he coins here explodes from all angles of the game, variation upon variation of a stages central theme changing to adapt a new area, sometimes seamlessly.
Each world has nigh on perfect music to accompany the adventure and ensures I leave humming away every time, if GAF ends up doing another one of those OSt of the generation threads for this time period this is what gets my number 1 spot.
Suppressing my urge to gush about Spiral Mountain which is my favourite track in the game Im feeling like focusing my choices elsewhere.
Click Clock Wood: Summer Variation
Its hard to argue with the BEE BACKING that accompanies an almost jolly waltz of a theme. Various environmental sounds aid in giving the tracks in Banjo a greater sense of place, which is to say I wouldnt dare remove the various chirping of birds and bug alike.
Click Clock Wood in general is quite the grand musical undertaking, housing four seasonal variations of the main theme is neat enough but theres even slight modifications to some interior themes based on the season as well as housing bonus catchy goodness with the homes for Nabnuts and Gnawty.
Inside the Church (Mad Monster Mansion)
The MMM theme in general has this almost contradictory mix of creepy cartooniness going on which is great fun, also ribbitting.
The church interior however just takes that main melody and goes full in with the church organ and bell tolling thus making it a much more intimidating piece than the one that occupies the mansion grounds.
Plus I can poorly attempt to put my own twist on things by slamming down on those Organ keys creating cacophony more than anything else, Motzand would not approve.
I could list so much more but I better pay some other games more attention.
Donkey Kong 64
Not only the man possibly behind all the music here including the infamous rap but also the voice behind Donkey Kong himself as Kirkhope supplied his voice for gorilla grunting and thus leads to many a spamming of the save button for repeated OKAYOKAYOKAYOKAY, or was that just me?
Anyway much like how DK64 is more reminiscent of Banjo than DKC as a game so is its audio and visual side. I think Ive grown to appreciate this soundtrack more as of late seeing that I finally got another dosage of DKC Wise last year, plus things will be even now Wise is invading the Banjo spiritual successor.
Since I just went through this one recently Ive got many tracks on my mind, too many in fact.
Crystal Caves Boss/Army Dillo Rematch
Two of my favourite musical things in this game are the soothing Crystal Caves theme and the many boss battle remixes of each worlds main track, I tend to think of this as a DK64 thing though I suppose it got its start in Banjo Kazooie with Gruntilda packing a souped up version of her lairs theme for the final fight.
The interesting thing to me about this boss theme is how its probably the strongest tone shift going from the standard stage track to its boss variation, while areas like Gloomy Galleon and Frantic Factory naturally have tracks that lend themselves very well to the bombastic boss treatment Crystal Caves does not share that easy transition. In turn this serves to make it one of the more memorable ones for me, I suppose it also helps being my favourite actual boss as well.
Jungle Japes
I really feel this one is worth pointing out for being the most interesting variation on the often overheard DK Island Swing as halfway through it just takes a sharp turn out of its usual home of Wiseville and takes the long scenic route through Kirkhope Town or something like that.
Familiar yet fresh and yet even with a mind bogglingly endless amount of Island swing variations on board this one still couldnt get into Smash Bros, for shame! (yet somehow against all odds they remixed the DK Rap for Melee, didnt see that coming)
In any case the DK isle theme and its bazillion variations are my personal highlight and I consider it one of the GOAT hub themes, wasnt too surprising to discover that theme was in fact a Banjo-Kazooie leftover, it has that magic about it.
DK64s soundtrack serves as another strong entry into the series musical library and Im kicking myself for not really noticing this so much until the last few weeks.
Perfect Dark
Now for something quite different, picking up where Graeme Norgate left off Kirkhope continued being the N64 era musical workhorse tackling the significantly less cartoony title of Perfect Dark, well except for those scenes with Elvis, that guy was a goofball.
Chicago Stealth has this seedy sci-fi vibe that set the street scene wonderfully in those moments where the drone patrolling the streets isnt filling the speakers with the sound of much gunfire, another incentive to stay out of its way.
Every main stage of PD also gets a sped up adrenaline fueled Xremix of its theme for special occasions which is nice touch and the foundation of my multiplayer music selection where you can just have the game cycle through a bunch of them.
Datadyne Extraction
That intro man, just exemplifies the feeling of ones shit getting real as the kids say. An example of PD music at its most electronically alien like and once again you have another pumping X variation (and also another gun constantly blaring at you courtesy of one attack copter, quit ruining my tunes gunfire!)
Goldeneye 007
I tend to think of this soundtrack as more of Graeme Norgates claim to fame, in fact I was surprised to only just find out that Kirkhope had more of a hand in this game than I thought.
In any case the 007 license presents the opportunity to tackle the franchises classic theme which is a blast in itself.
Antenna Cradle is like the Bond Theme in its final boss remix, such pumping action, such intensity, and unrelated to music such uncanny ability for Trevelyan to no sell an entire machine gun clip if hes moving.
Now Im all for the films actual score as well for the final throwdown between 006 and 007 but I gotta say I got a kick out of this lovely video that brings the game OST to the movie.
Banjo Tooie
Dont really need to explain this one, even more Banjo style platforming pieces, now with 90% more DK64 style boss tracks (Targitzan is a treat). Admittedly I do find this soundtrack to fall a bit short of my lofty expectations because BK was just that darn good. But of course theres still plenty of good music to be had, tons of it in fact and of course the inevitable conclusion of Bee Buzzing music.
Jolly Rogers Lagoon immediately taps into my accordion happy place, in a series full of upbeat tracks the first 40 odd seconds of this track might just take the cake, Ive got jaunt overload here. Kind of makes me never want to venture down to Atlantis and just stay in the pub with that odd frog fella.
Glitter Gulch Mine
Typically when I think of a Rare game and mine music its usually moody DKC series goodness, so much so that I recall being thrown for a loop when first entering this stage and hearing what my old man once called Skippy the Kangaroo music in passing. Its nigh on impossible for me to listen to this without hearing the sounds of yee hah! in my head courtesy of those bumpkin like enemies. Glitter Gulch Mine probably has my favourite set of theme variations in the game, special shoutout to the just plain weird Witchyworld take on it, got to love how the connected worlds led to some strange musical mashups.
Im beginning to think theres a ton of hidden gems in this soundtrack Id unearth on a replay, just giving myself more excuses to dive back in here.
And what a note to end the series on! Well actually thats not quite the case but even if you dont like car building there was still an upside to next console outing.
Viva Pinata/Viva Pinata Trouble in Paradise
Behold the power of Kirkhope with orchestra backing, the soundtrack for these two games is harder for me to summarise, like they remind me of watching some soothing nature documentary with just a dash of that signature style of the N64 days lurking in the background of an otherwise very classical style selection of tracks that are just great. Even when not a melodically memorable theme they still fit the game like a glove, arguably one of the most underrated OSTs of last gen and I was pretty dang late to this one myself.
Oh and more great voice over silliness here for the Pinatas themselves, now which Rare employee was behind the Bubblegum buzzing? Because I and some friends of mine are quite the fans of that one (what is it with me and Bees today?).
Bedtime Story, crumbs I could tear up to the sheer pleasantness of this track and then awaken to Oven Fresh Day with a skip in my step. I don't really have as much to say here, I think the music speaks for itself.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts
Now heres a polarizing game right here, lets put aside the squabbling for a second and thank this game for giving us a bunch of orchestrated take son BK classics as well as a few new bits and pieces, a lot of backup from Robin Beanland as well who I sometimes think of like the dark horse of the Rare composers.
Spiral Mountain
The real reason I didnt link to this earlier was to do it here, what a swerve! The plinky plonky xylophone goodness takes me to my happy place.
Grappling with Gruntilda/Grunty Challenge
So can I just play this over the final boss battle of Banjo-Kazooie? Because its glorious.
Bonus Round
Grabbed by the Ghoulies: Ballroom Disco
I never heard a track from this game until today (actually had no idea this was a Kirkhope OST), not sure what would be its highlight but its hard to ignore such a funky and zany track here
Donkey Kong Land 2: In a Snow Bound Land
Funny how some things play out, Grant handles the handheld rendition of a Wise OST and years later I think the inverse happened for Viva Pinata pocket paradise.
DKC2 would go on to be my favourite game soundtrack but a number of its tracks I actually first heard through DKL2 which had me hunger even more to actually make progress through DKC2 to hear the definitive versions of tracks like K.Rool Duel and that one track that plays in Bramble stages you may have heard of.
As for DKL2 I recall its Ice stages having my favourite track back then, oddly the real deal on the SNES didnt meet my expectations after my 8 bit enjoyment, fret not Wise, you made up for it big time with Frosty Fruits in Tropical Freeze.
In conclusion:
Now please post your personal favourites and if at all possible highlight what makes them appeal to you!
