A number of my close industry colleagues have spent an enormous amount of free time the last few months dedicated to raising money for Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief through Play For Japan. One of the earliest projects discussed was a collaborative album featuring gaming's most renowned composers. It's finally coming to fruition in June, headlined by Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka.
"The encouragement I've received has energized and gives me hope," said Yamaoka in a video introducing the album. "With these artists, my goal is to channel that energy into this album and to share all the warmth and compassion I've received with videogame and music fans around the world."
The album drops sometime in early June (a specific release date is expected "soon"), and Yamaoka even managed to get Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano to spend some time and draw album art.
As for the lineup, have a look:
- == TEASER ==Akira Yamaoka (Shadows of the Damned) | “Ex Animo”
- Arthur Inasi (Harmonix) | “We Are One”
- Bear McCreary (SOCOM 4) | “Maverick Regeneration”
- Chance Thomas (Lord of the Rings Online) | “Rise Up”
- Hip Tanaka.β (Mother) | “HVC-1384″
- Inon Zur feat. The Lyris Quartet (Dragon Age) | “Remember“
- Jason Graves (Dead Space) | “Necromancer”
- Koji Kondo (Super Mario Bros.) | “Super Mario Medley On Two Pianos”
- Laura Karpman (Everquest II) w/Lisbeth Scott | “Pine Wind Sound“
- Laura Shigihara (Plants vs. Zombies) | “Jump“
- Mitsuto Suzuki (The 3rd Birthday) | “Play for You”
- Nobuko Toda (Metal Gear Solid 4) | “Reminiscence”
- Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy) | “Every New Morning“
- Penka Kouneva (Prince of Persia) | “White Cloud”
- Sean Murray (Call of Duty) | “The Temple Stone”
- Tommy Tallarico (Advent Rising) | “Greater Lights“
- Woody Jackson (Red Dead Redemption) | “Moshi Moshi”
- Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger) | “Dimension Break”