Games 3 Items

They say jazz is all about the notes you don’t play, but after the uber-talented Blueshift Big Band turned in the terrific masters for Joystick Jazz (Volume 1), we knew we needed to hear more.

Introducing Joystick Jazz: The Blueshift Big Band Plays Iconic Video Game Hits (Vol. 2) Vinyl Soundtrack, a second scooping of jazzy video game goodness presented on audiophile black vinyl, with a digital download code to boot.

For Volume 2, The Blueshift Big Band turned to classic video game tracks from titles near and dear to iam8bit’s pixelated heart — games like Castlevania, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Grim Fandango. They reimagined iconic themes as only the Blueshift Big Band can do, revivifying them through the power of brass, beats, and big band bravado.

And iam8bit pal Mark Borgions is back, too, to lend the release some of his Jim Flora-flavored visual design and artwork. You don’t have to be a jazz aficionado to appreciate the perfection available in this incredible package.

* 2LP on Classic Black Vinyl * Music by Jamal Green * Album art by Nuri Durr / So, of course, iam8bit jumped at the chance to immortalize composer Jamal Green’s soundtrack on 2xLP, pressed on classic black vinyl. We’ve also included, for your listening pleasure, a download code for the digital soundtrack. An adventure as special as Toem demands a unique approach to packaging and presentation. That’s why we enlisted artist Nuri Durr to create a photo album-inspired jacket design, and Nuri absolutely nailed it. On the outside, a humble faux-folio, complete with gold embellishments and a rustic leather-like look. And on the inside, it’s packed with — what else? — photos of all your favorite memories from the game, so you can relive them over & over as you enjoy Toem’s dulcet, peaceful music.

As C418, composer and producer Daniel Rosenfeld designs sounds to resonate in both physical and pixelated realms. Best known for his original soundtracks to Minecraft, the single best-selling video game of all time, he's developed a discography of instrumental music over the last decade that traverses electronic pop patterns, neo-classical dreamscapes, and sparse ambient motifs. The latter element has broken from the "8-bit" pigeonholing of game music and earned him accolades that reference artists like Erik Satie (The Guardian) and Brian Eno (vice). In 2015, after quietly self-releasing Minecraft Volume Alpha and Minecraft Volume Beta, Rosenfeld partnered with Ghostly International to reissue Minecraft Volume Alpha on vinyl and CD. The release garnered attention from proper music critics and the gaming community alike, becoming one of the most sought after records in the Ghostly catalog. Now, following several restocks of Alpha to fervent fan response, it is time for the soundtrack's second installment to shine. For the legion of listeners and players to, at long last, have Minecraft Volume Beta in tangible formats. Originally self-released in 2013, Minecraft Volume Beta was C418's longest batch of music to date at nearly 140 minutes. The collection features tracks that were "silently" added to Minecraft during its music updates and a few that never officially entered the game. The run time is now adapted to fit the double LP format, while digital downloads include the full set Rosenfeld's unmistakable abilities are on display; he creates a sweeping variety of musical ideas that mirror the limitless universe of Minecraft. Ghostly International is thrilled to give this unique collaboration its due treatment and hopes to see the creative inspiration which drives Minecraft and Rosenfeld continue to disperse by virtue of this unexpectedly universal music.