The Red Bull Music Academy launched a new web series highlighting the unsung heroes of video games–the incredibly talented creators of video game soundtracks.
Although it’s likely that those who grew up during the 1980s playing video games still remember the various bloops, bleeps, and simplistic-yet-catchy background music that accompanied these games, it’s highly unlikely that many have a clue as to who created those sounds.
That’s why this new series was created. “Diggin' In The Carts” is a new series “about the untold story behind the most influential music to come out of Japan.” This six-part documentary opens with an amazing first episode, which premiered on Thursday, September 4. The episode, titled “The Rise Of VGM,” spotlights two incredible pioneers of video game music: Junko Ozawa, one of Namco's earliest composers, and Hirokazu Tanaka, the man behind many iconic Nintendo soundtracks.
“These guys really had it down to an art form,” says “Diggin' In The Carts” co-director Nick Dwyer. “That's why we created all those little moments throughout the documentary when the music is heroically played to beautiful scenery: People should actually listen to it as music of its own, and not just as a soundtrack to a video game.”
New episodes of this series will be released every Thursday through October 9. The series’ website also includes additional content and interviews not seen in the episodes.
Look for Episode Two of Red Bull Music Academy’s “Diggin’ In The Carts” on Thursday, September 11.
