MIDI Week Singles: "Glider" - Pilotwings Resort (3DS)

"Glider" from Pilotwings Resort on the Nintendo 3DS (2011)
Released: Promotional Release
Composer: Asuka Ito
Developer: Monster Games / Nintendo SPD

Before I picked up the N64 Pilotwings soundtrack, I would have told you that this composition for the 3DS was a great arranged version of that song.  What I was actually hearing was an entirely new song, similar in style and flavor to Dan Hess' compositions from the N64 game, but a new song all together.  And a beautiful, slightly jazzy (Is it jazzy?, I don't actively listen to jazz) song this is too.

This just felt like the right song to go with on an overcast cool (presently 69° F, or 21° C) Portland morning and I'd been wanting to put this song up for a while.  

I find this song to be a great mix of melody, one that you can recall to memory and hum/whistle and calming enough while you try and aim your hang glider towards the next thermal so that you can climb towards the floating landing platform.  If Nintendo wanted to be jerks they could have had someone else compose some raucous tune to keep you on edge or feeling frantic as you circle your way up the thermals.  But no, instead we are given this soothing jazzy (there's that jazz again) little number that I would want pumped in over some sort of speaker device the next (and first) time I go hang gliding.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

I Couldn't Escape the Memory

MIDI Week Singles: "Forest Theme" - Super Amazing Wagon Adventure (PC)

"Forest Theme" from Super Amazing Wagon Adventure on the PC (2013)

Composer: sparsevector

Soundtrack Released: Self Released

Developer: sparsevector

Publisher: Self Published

Before I wrote up today's article, I don't think I realized that sparsevector Amenábarred (or Rodríguezed too) this video game.  Think what The Men Who Wear Hats did with their Oregon Trail parody, Organ Trail, but instead of the zombie apocalypse, it's about heading out west, to Oregon (I presume since I haven't beaten the game) to strike it rich panning/mining/dynamiting for gold.  So more like Oregon Trail, but with automatic weapons. . .and rabid squirrels. . .and a retaliatory herd of deer. . .and a meteor shower. . .in space.

"Forest Theme" is the beginning song that you will hear every time you start up the game as it's the starting area.  It's that first song that sucks you into the retro-esque-ness of the world.  If you're going to be picky, as I occasionally am, the music here is beyond what you would actually find in the original Oregon Trail game and even possibly the 8-bit NES music processing chip, but the flavor is still there.  Basically it's a catchy little ditty that does its job very well.

And if you liked this one song, then you can hop on over to Mr. vector's bandcamp site and download the album for free (there's even a great rap remix version of the "Desert Theme").

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

We'll Be Coming Back Together

MIDI Week Singles: "Filmoa" - ActRaiser (SNES)

First off, how the hell have we not done any music from ActRaiser!?  That is now changing!

"Filmoa" from ActRaiser on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1991)

Composer: Yuzo Koshiro

Released By: G.M.O. Records ALCA-105

Developer: Quintet (Now part of Square Enix)

There are so many amazing tracks from the ActRaiser soundtrack that I should probably just do a Game Scores article. . . I will do a Game Scores article about the music from ActRaiser.  But today, I am going to highlight the music from the first action sequence in the game, the forest stage in Filmoa.  I remember thinking when I first played this stage the the music reminded me of music that I was like to find in a Castlevania game, which is never a bad thing when it come to comparisons.  Even just listening to the music makes me wonder why I'm not playing the game right now.

What's interesting to me about "Filmoa," is that it doesn't scream "YOU'RE IN A FOREST OF DEMONS!"  All the music tells me is that this game is going to be exciting and there will be some amazing music the accompany you along the way.  "Filmoa" is like the opening track on an album, put there up front to hook the audience, meanwhile wondering if this song is going to be the only good thing on the whole album.  Then you remember the title track (to be covered in the upcoming Games Scores article) and you feel reassured.  Or maybe you don't.  The point is, I love this song which is why I'm sharing it with y'all today.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

Schlaflos , rastlos, such ich. . .

MIDI Week Singles: "Haters Gonna Hate" - Tiny Barbarian DX: The Serpent Lord

"Haters Gonna Hate" from Tiny Barbarian DX: The Serpent Lord on the PC (2013)
Released on BandCamp
Composer: Jeff Ball
Developers: StarQuail Games

And yet another game that I have yet to play purchased from Humble Flash Bundle: Modern Retro.  I was actually on the fence about buying this particular bundle until I watched the video and heard the music from Super Amazing Wagon Adventure and Tiny Barbarian DX: The Serpent Lord.  While the concept of SAWA was influential in and of itself, it was the clip of music from TBDX:TSL that really made me cough up whatever amount I decided to fork over that was over the average amount to get everything from this bundle.

"Haters Gonna Hate" makes me think of Souleye's music from VVVVVV, but with a blood dripping claymore in one hand, the skull of a fallen foe in the other while charging down a hill of bones towards a scantily clad virgin on a stonehenge-esque altar who is about to be sacrificed to the evil Serpent Lord.  There's a little more light hearted aggression here, which is perfect for the type of game that TBDX:TSL looks to be.  I am only a little afraid of finding out that I am in fact terrible at the game and the only enjoyment I am able to extract is this great song from a equally great soundtrack.  And really, that wouldn't be too terrible of a thing.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian
A Magic Missile Shoots and Fireball Explodes

MIDI Week Singles: 'Opening Menu' - Blackwell Legacy (PC)

"Opening Meu" from Blackwell Legacy for PC (2006)

Composed By: Peter Gresser

Released By: Something Else Works

Developer: Wadjet Eye Games

Hey, why not?  Trifecta on Blackwell Legacy.  The opening track is pretty good, slow, spooky piano melody layered with even slower, spookier cello.  The timing is off, which makes it work.  It all adds up to a pretty solid spooky track.  Which I suppose is appropriate in a game about ghosts.

-D

MIDI Week Singles: "Music 3" - Tetris (NES)

"Music 3" from Tetris for the NES (1989)

Composed By: Hirokazu Tanaka

Released By: Nintendo

Developer: Alexey Pajitnov

I chose this song for today because is entered my head unbidden.  Then I got to thinking about how Time has sealed the 'tetris theme' as the Tchaikovsky song dance of the sugar plum fairy (Music 1 on the NES version).  In fact, for some the 'Tetris theme' has eclipsed Tchaikovsky as the home of that song.  I've certainly heard "Oh, it's the tetris song!" linked with that melody before.  To that end, I want to say that the above track was always a nice departure, after having heard SugarPlum Fairy repeat a billion times.  

Composed by Hirokazu Tanaka, Music 3 is a cool theme and I don't mind listening to a few dozen rotations.  It is most certainly not a staple of Russian Classical Music.  Incidentally, Tanaka did other compositions for Nintendo, including the oft-paired contemporary of Tetris on the NES:  Dr. Mario!

Finally, I want to note that Tetris was a Family Fun Time game for me, growing up.  It stands as the only game we own that wasn't given for a birthday present, Christmas or from relentless badgering.  In fact, I don't remember asking for Tetris, my Dad just really liked it, so he went out and bought it when he was out returning the rental.  

-D

MIDI Week Singles: "Battle of Hope" - Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA)

"Battle of Hope" from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance on the Game Boy Advance (2003)

Composed By: Ayako Saso

Released By: DigiCube SSCX-10083~4

Developer: Square Product Development Division 4

As weird as it may sound, I don't think this is a great song, nor is it the best song on the album.  It's even the Game Boy Advance compression of the song and not the uncompressed version that's available on the second disc of the soundtrack.  What this song does though, is remind me of how much fun I had playing Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, how much time I spent playing that game (125+ hours I believe), the fact that I bought it a second time after thinking that I had lost the game along with me Game Boy Advance only to find both stuffed in the couch cushions of my parent's couch.  To me, this song is mostly about nostalgia.  It's also a good song that captures the feeling of battles in this Game Boy Advance title in the Final Fantasy Tactics series.

While FFTA was a watered down version of the masterpiece that was Final Fantasy Tactics, it was still very much engaging (It's the game that introduced the now staple Judges to the world of Ivalice).  It had a light hearted feel littered with darker elements that would not have worked in the original 1999 title.  "Battle of Hope," I feel, embodies that sense of fantasy and adventure that I look for and want to feel anytime I play/read a fantasy story in a medieval-type setting.  What Ayako Saso brings is perfect for the what is used for the majority of the battles, or at least what I remember playing.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

Set Sails For Those Lands Unknown

MIDI Week Singles - "Cosmo Canyon" - Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

"Cosmo Canyon" from Final Fantasy VII (PS1).

Composed by: Nobuo Uematsu

Final Fantasy VII original Soundtrack

Publisher:  DigiCube and SquarEnix

Today I took some joy in humming the Cosmo Canyon theme all day at work.  Cosmo Canyon was the first song from Final Fantasy VII that really got me excited.  Jaconian and I have both talked about our conflicted relationships with Final Fantasy VII, and one of the points of conflict was once the soundtrack.  In my first playthrough, I didn't find the music interesting.  I may have been biased, because Square had chosen to leave Nintendo.  I'm confident this is the case because when I imagine FFVII coming out on a Nintendo console, I am pleased at the thought.  Anyhow, despite this bias, when I got to Cosmo Canyon, I really dug the theme.

I love the whole tone of the song.  The banjo line repeating in the background, and the rotation of the bass.  It's really nice, steady groove.  And then the whistle melody comes in, and it's just so damned catchy.  And cool.  The song builds and gets pretty dramatic while never losing that cool groove.  Like the desert at twilight.  No, really, that's what this song makes me think of, the coolness of the shade in a hot, dry climate.  I love this song, and it sounds even better in my mind.

-D

MIDI Week Singles: "Left 4 Dead" - Left 4 Dead (PC)

"Left 4 Dead" from Left 4 Dead on the PC (2008).

Composed by: Mike Morasky

No official soundtrack release

Developer: Turtle Rock Studios and Valve Corporation.

I love how simple this song is.  Back when I was working, I would find myself whistling this song as I walked down hallways, while folding laundry, waiting for people to finish using the bathroom to I could go in and assist them (typical assisted living stuff).  It's just a sad little melancholy (redundant I know) diddy that has just a smidgen of hope left.  Considering that Left 4 Dead is a first person shooter involving infected/zombie-types, "Left 4 Dead" is a rather peaceful and calming track, wonderfully juxtaposed with all the mayhem that takes place shortly after this music stops.

I specifically chose the Left 4 Dead theme from the first game as opposed to one of the many variations from Left 4 Dead 2 because I just wanted the theme without any twangy embellishments, although I do love how the theme was molded to suit each location in L4D2.  But for today, the end of three straight weeks of Dead Space posts, I thought this vocally sung song would be perfect.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

Where Their Road Ends, That's Where Mine Begins

P.S. Holy shit!  Did you know that Mike Morasky was the lead/senior crowd technical director on the Lord of the Rings trilogy!?  Yeah, neither did I.  

MIDI Week Singles: "My Heaven" - Silent Hill (PSX)

"My Heaven" from Silent Hill on the Playstation (1999)
Silent Hill Original Soundtrack
Composed By: Akira Yamaoka
Record Label: Konami
Game Developer: Konami

Confession time.  I have not played Silent Hill yet.  I have the game on my PSP, but I would really like to play the game in a darkened room with headphones and I haven't had too many times available that would not make me look/seem like a creep.  But I did acquire the soundtrack awesomely enough from a Silent Hill community website.

So not having played the game, I have no emotional or nostalgic attachment to any of the songs, which was somewhat nice when I first listened through the soundtrack.  The song "My Heaven" stuck out to me among all the other great styled songs that you would be happy to find on any well crafted horror soundtrack.  I think what it was for me was the static/white noise/drone that ran through the song while rusted metallic drums were frantically drummed in the back/foreground. 

I could probably analyze this song and infer meaning where there isn't, especially not having played the game.  And then there's the obvious contrast between the sounds in the song with the title.  I just think it's a great, unsettling song.



~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian
All I Heard Was An Unearthly Silence

MIDI Week Singles: "The Penitent" - Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem

"The Penitent" from Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem on the Nintendo Gamecube (2002).

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem Sound Track
Composed By: Steve Henifin

Record Label: Nintendo Power

Game Developer: Silicon Knights

I love the music in this game, not to mention the game itself, but when this song came up, I thought, "Yeah, this song contains pretty much all of the elements of Eternal Darkness."  "The Penitent" taken from Brother Luther's stage in Oublié Cathedral during the time of the Spanish Inquisition.  There's the rain sound effect, the monk chanting, the quintessential Eternal Darkness "doom-boom" drum beat and ambient drones going on throughout the song.  It even has a scare chord.  It's great!

I feel that this is one of those songs that makes you a bit wary at the start, lulls you into a sense of mild foreboding, but that you'll make it out okay, then Pious Agustus chimes in with his dialogue from the game, then horriblescreachingscreamingnoisechord comes in and finally the drones come back and the song ends nearly two minutes later after you have begun to question your own sanity.

I personally love it when a single song is able to capture the essence of an entire game.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

MIDI Week Singles: "????" - ???? (??)

"Manifest Destiny" from the film Ravenous (1999)

Composed by Damon Albarn

Ravenous Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Production Studio: Heyday Films

Distributed by: 20th Century Fox

Get it?  Because it's April Fools Day!  Although rather than do something completely different or dickish by saying that we will no longer be writing MIDI Week Singles or that Dr. Potts and I have decided to close down our site altogether, I thought that doing a MWS-type post with film music instead of video game music would be acceptingly appropriate.

So I chose "Manifest Destiny" from the 1999 film Ravenous.  This song did not feature too prominently in the film, playing in the background while Lieutenant Boyd decides that he would eat to live rather than live to eat.  Apparently the looping that Albarn does in this song is very characteristic of his style, but, even 16 years after buying the soundtrack, I still haven't looked up to see what else he has done.

This really is one of my, not only favorite songs from the soundtrack, but I would put it up there as one of my all time favorite orchestral songs; right up there with "Mvt. II: Allegretto" from Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92.  It's a "simple" song in that nearly everything is looped.  The intro guitar/sitar/demon-possessed banjo plays the exact same thing from the beginning to end with other instruments layering on top of it until the end of the song when nothing else except that one instrument is still playing the same thing, in the same tempo at the end.  I find it brilliant and frustrating at the same time.

If I had a greater musical vocabulary and education, I could write a dissertation on just this one piece and it would be glorious and hailed around the world as a masterpiece in its own right.  It's still April 1st.

Anyway, check out the rest of the soundtrack for Ravenous if "Manifest Destiny" interested you at all.  Michael Nyman composed the other half of the soundtrack that Albarn didn't do (obviously) and the two compliment each other very well.  Your best bet would be to find a new copy (not available through Amazon) or just listen to the album via youtube (cursory search turned up only a handful of songs and not the entire soundtrack); or try to locate it at your local used CD/record store.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

Where I Question What I'm Seeing Here Is Real

P.S. Apologies to those who visited and "tried" to listen to the song before 1pm PDT.  I did not realize that the whole song was not included in the video that I uploaded until listening through after posting.  The song is now up in its entirety.

Stage Level Start - Battletoads (NES) - Stage 3 - Speeder Level

To get in the right frame of mind for this post, I've provided this convenient animated gif.  Then please refer to the MIDI Week Singles post for the accompanying music. 

The speeder level is everybody's (least) favorite, or at the very least, most memorable Battletoads level.  That's just how it is.  For one thing - it's really, really hard.  But for another:  it's really, really fun.  It's that rare combination of impossibly, frustratingly, hair-pulling-ly difficult and yet a ton of fun and I just want to do it again.

I beat it a couple times.  I used Nintendo Power, I followed the maps to see what was ahead of me.   I even figured out that you can jump a full-sized wall, if you time it just right.

But... oh man, the first time I got to that final run, when the speed doubles;   It's like the naked at school dream.  Suddenly, the bottom drops out.  Wha?  They actually expect me to do this?  This has to be some sort of joke.

But it's not a joke.  And you can do it.  I did do it.  More than once.  All that careful timing from before boils down to rhythm.  Up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down, up down.  Keep it consistent, if you are a fraction of a second late, you will die.  It's a rush!

Battletoads was a product of its time.  Apart from being a blatant TMNT ripoff, it suffered from some classically-shitty NES design features.  For example, at the beginning of stage 3, before you get to the speeders, you can just sort of fall to your doom executing a very simple jump.  It is maddening, because you need to save your lives for the nigh-impossible feat ahead of you.  But no, some sort of weird collision detection issue will send you into the bouncing balls of death. 

Despite these sorts of design flaws, it was a lot of fun, and very ambitious.  Who doesn't like the idea of racing an anthropomorphic frog through some sort of brain/intestine tunnel at breakneck speeds?

MIDI Week Singles: "John's Theme (A Sharp Miner)" - Rochard (PC)

"John's Theme (A Sharp Miner)" from Rochard on the PC (2011)

Digitally Released Album

Composer: Marcus Kaarlonen

Game Developer: Recoil Games

I'm sure I've talked a bit about this, not specifically about Marcus Kaarlonen's Rochard soundtrack, but about realizing that you find a song to be amazing the first time you listen to it.  It's something special when it happens with music from video games.

For me, a fair amount of video game music is about nostalgia, that I can remember times playing those specific games based on the music.  You play a game and the songs, while they may not be the best song outside of the context of the video game, hold a special place in your heart.  With that in mind, I love that feeling I get when listening to video game music for the first time and all I can do is sit back and take in the beautifulness that is assaulting my brain.

"John's Theme (A Sharp Miner)" did that very thing to me the first time I heard the song.  I haven't even played Rochard, which says, to me at least, that the music is able to stand alone from the video game.  This piece has epic space saga written all over it.  It's a love child that John Williams and Alan Silvestri would have had in the late 80s early 90s, and what a child it is too.

The point is, "John's Theme (A Sharp Miner)" is a great song which also happens to be from a video game.  So poo-poo on all the nay-sayers of the quality of video game music.



~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian
Dig This Sound

MIDI Week Singles: "Dreams of the Shore Bordering Another World" - Chrono Cross (PSX)

"Dreams of the Shore Bordering Another World" from Chrono Cross on the Playstation (1999)

Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda

Record Label: Digicube SSCX-10040

Game Developer: Squaresoft

This song came up earlier while procrastinating from doing my homework and I thought, "Why have I not written a post about this song yet?"  I had no good answer, you y'all're getting to listen to this today!

Despite the fact that I don't feel that Chrono Cross was a particularly good sequel to Chrono Trigger, it was a good game that had a great soundtrack.  This track is used as the overworld theme once Serge crosses over to the "Other Aruni."  It's beautiful as a stand alone piece, yet has that special something that allows it to be played over-and-over as theme while your characters traverse the world.  I also really enjoy the simplicity of track, that it is performed by five voices: violin, piano, guitar, bass and a voice; especially during a time when I felt a lot of music from video games were trying to layer too many voice because the hardware at the time allowed more than limited number previously on the 8 and 16 bit consoles.

In the end, if you ended up having a negative view of Chrono Cross, at least give the soundtrack a try, great tracks like "Dreams of the Shore Bordering Another World" fill the entirety of the album.  You might be missing out otherwise.



~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian
I Reached The Shore And Saw It Come

MIDI Week Singles: 'Speeder Level' - Battletoads (NES)

  
"Speeder Stage" from Battletoads on the Nintendo Entertainment System (1991)
Composer: David Wise
Record Label: unknown
Game Developer: Rare

 

Battletoads: a blatant TMNT ripoff that was still a lot of fun.  Arguably it's the better game.  It does feature some catchy tunes, and none more so than the Speeder Bike theme from the third level.  This level is infamous for its difficulty, and for many gamers, the fun stopped here.  But despite it's incredible difficulty, the speeder stage was a ton of fun.  And who doesn't love a good, upbeat racing theme, perfectly crafted for endless looping?

It is worth Noting that this track was composed by David Wise, previously featured here for his work on Donkey Kong Country 2, another game from developer: Rare.

-D

MIDI Week Singles: "Zoness" - Star Fox 64 (N64)

"Zoness" from Star Fox 64 on the Nintendo 64 (1997)
Composer: Hajime Wakai
Record Label: Pony Canon PCCG-00421
Game Developer: Nintendo

First off, did you know that with this song (and 22 others), this was Hajime Wakai's first soundtrack that he composed?  Sure he worked on Yoshi's Story doing sound effects, but this, right here is his first soundtrack.  Damn.

That aside, the music used in the Zoness stage in Star Fox 64 was probably my favorite track from the entire game.  Coupled with the fact that Zoness was one of those stages that you had to make the conscious decision to go to meant that you either enjoyed the level, enjoyed the music or you hated it and wanted to get to Sector Z to finally destroy both of those damn missiles before one of them collided with the Great Fox.  

But for me, it was the music in Zoness.  After completing the game you were awarded with being able to listen to the soundtrack and I don't know why I never got around to purchasing the soundtrack when I first had the chance, but since then I've been able to acquire the whole thing and this was the first song I listen to upon fixing all the ID3 tags; or maybe I made that part up, but it sounds good anyway.



~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian
Instrumental

MIDI Week Singles: 'Battle Against Masked Man' - Mother 3 (GBA)

"Battle Against Masked Man" from Mother 3 for the Game Boy Advance
Composer:  Shogo Sakai
Game Developers: Nintendo, Hal Laboratory, Brownie Brown (music)
Publisher: Nintendo

I stumbled on this track when I was listening to video game songs on youtube.  I left it running so it could 'free associate,' and wasn't really paying attention to what was playing.  But when this song came on, it grabbed a hold of my attention! Now I really want to play Mother 3 (which could also be called Earthbound 2).

This is a seriously disturbing track. The core of it is just a really weird bassline, but on top of the bass someone is having a coniption at the keyboard and effects unit. And during the breaks in the weird sounds, I hear the bassline, and I want to latch onto it for comfort, but there is no comfort to be found there. I'm a sucker for disturbing music in proper doses, and this really takes the cake. I'm going to go take a shower now.

If this song interests you, or check out starmen.net for the complete soundtrack, over 3 hours long! There are also fan remixes, which is cool, too! Also available on itunes.

-D

MIDI Week Singles: "Dementium: The Ward" - Dementium: The Ward (DS)

"Dementium: The Ward" from Dementium: The Ward on the Nintendo DS (2007)

Composer: Jools Watsham

No Official Soundtrack Release

Game Developer: Renegade Kid

I think that's the name of the track.  I saw it a few years back but I have since forgotten  so you'll just have to trust me for the time being on this one.

Being the only track in the entire game (although there may be credits music that I might know about if I had managed to finish the game) which plays during the title sequence, it is a very effective piece of music.  And you know, for only ten seconds worth of music , this is damn good music.  

Think about it.  You have ten seconds to convey the mood of an entire video game.  That's the same length as the "Overture" that Koichi Sugiyama wrote for Dragon Warrior / Quest  and three seconds shorter than Hirokazu Tanaka's "Title Theme" to the original Donkey Kong.  But, unlike Sugiyama's "Overture" and Tanaka's "Title Theme," which were never meant to repeat indefinitely, Jools Watsham's title music to Dementium: The Ward loops perfectly and I have no qualms about listening to it for 3 minutes straight.

Mr. Watsham previously had this song available through the old Dementium: The Ward site, but it is sadly no longer available so to Youtube it was where I had to locate this eight year old gem.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

I Am Not Afraid To Show You Who I Am

MIDI Week Singles: "In Case of Trouble" - Bastion (PC)

"In case of trouble" from Bastion (PC)

Bastion Original Soundtrack

Composer: Darren Korb

Game Developer: Supergiant games

Choosing a single can be tricky business.  For example, albums are often front-loaded with the catchiest songs coming first.  However, if you stop there, you may miss the best stuff on the album.  Still, that said, I'm going to go with track 2 from the Bastion soundtrack.  I'm just a sucker for jangly acoustic guitars,  and I like how this song isn't in a hurry, waiting a full minute before the larger arrangement kicks in.  As with much of the soundtrack, Darren Korb does a great job mixing melody and ambiance.  

I have been toying with the idea of doing a song from the Bastion soundtrack for some time.  But it was last weeks single from the 'Gun' soundtrack that tipped me over.  Bastion is heavily influenced by western sounds, but uses them in a different way from Gun, mixing in electronic sensibilities and what sounds like the 'arabic scale' at times.  Bastion is another score from one of those fantastic Humble Indie Bundles.

-D