Top 10 VGM Albums of 2019
While plenty of great VGM albums released in 2019, a few stood out from the pack. It was no easy task sorting my favorite albums of 2019, and I think you’ll agree that no matter where you rank each of these albums personally, they all deserve our attention.
10) Relax’N by Steven Morris
If you’re familiar with Steven Morris, then you’re aware that he is an expert multi-instrumentalist. I can’t begin to imagine how much care went into ensuring that each instrument had a clear voice, but suffice it to say that I’m constantly discovering new sounds upon each listen (now on my 5th listen). The easiest way to describe this album is Chicken Soup for the Gamer’s Soul: it’s warm, comforting, and delicious without being needlessly complex.
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9) Multiplayer 5: Connection by Multiplayer Charity
The sixth album from Multiplayer Charity, Connection, celebrates “love in all its forms by combining the talents of dozens of artists performing disco, orchestral, Bollywood, electronic, and other renditions of some of your favorite videogame melodies.” As with all Multiplayer albums, proceeds from sales go directly to charity—in this case, Cherish International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit helping the underprivileged in both the U.S. and India. Although the album could have benefited from a shorter runtime, that isn’t to say this won’t be an enjoyable listen for most people. I found myself discovering new VGM artists, and I most definitely felt the love on almost every track. In that way, Connection succeeds in conveying its simple premise—love connects us all—and I can’t think of a more appropriate message for today’s world.
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8) History Will Eat Itself by BlackearacheXD
The first full-length album from Marvin Dawe aka BlackearacheXD sees the musician honing his arrangement skills while allowing his prog aesthetic to blossom. History Will Eat Itself is a triumph because it challenges preconceptions about cover albums and music in general. In a time where our attention is often divided and media is more bite-sized than ever, it’s a bold move to trust that listeners will stay engaged, even when listening to a ten-minute track. Fortunately, BlackearacheXD trusts his listeners, and I’m sure that after listening to this album, you’ll trust him too.
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7) EPOCH by Materia Collective
Chrono Trigger has quite the reputation in the VGM community and for good reason. Despite having never played the game myself, I can recognize at least a half-dozen tracks from the OST which speaks volumes to the power of the game’s music. The fine folks at Materia Collective have done a tremendous job paying tribute to the game and its soundtrack, and I found quite a few surprises on EPOCH. If I had to describe the album succinctly, I would say it’s a more relaxed affair, a cocktail party rather than a booze cruise. You might find a few outliers, but for the most part, this album’s charm is in its comfortable, yet intriguing atmosphere.
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6) Reminiscence by Patti Rudisill
Patti Rudisill and Paula Bressman have teamed up once again to provide nine high-quality tracks on REMINISCENCE: Ethereal Game Music for Strings and Harp. As with their previous album, Goblets and Gauntlets, the arrangements are simple, yet elegant, and the chemistry between them is stronger than ever. In fact, it’s impossible to review this album without mentioning the almost hypnotic effect of pairing Paula’s harp with Patti’s violin. REMINISCENCE is a gateway to the past, a clarion call to anyone who wishes to slip into that special world made of dreams and memories. Whether you’ve played these games or heard these tracks before is inconsequential—by the time this album ends, you’ll be reminiscing about each and every exquisite moment brought to life by Patti and Paula.
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5) Sacred Groves by Psamathes
When I first saw the album art for Sacred Groves, I only had one question—what exactly is Celtic VGM? Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Psamathes to answer this question. Album opener “Kaer Morhen” delights the listener with reverb-soaked choir vocals while lead vocals weave in and out of the mix like a professional ballet dancer. Everything that you hear on this album is coming from one musical source, Psamathes. With Sacred Groves, Psamathes proves herself as not only a vocalist and arranger, but also as a storyteller. The album gently guides the listener through everchanging dreamscapes, some fantastic and others daunting. By the end of the journey, I can promise you one thing—you’ll be desperate to return to Sacred Groves.
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4) Brasslevania by The Game Brass
If I had to describe Brasslevania in one word it would be this—decadent. If you thought the frosty melodies of Snowtopia were rich, wait until you hear this expanded ensemble. Three French horns, three trumpets, two trombones, and a tuba practically overwhelm the senses, and that’s not counting the additional musicians on the album (I’ll get to that later). Album arranger Thomas Kresge makes full use of the expanded ensemble with varied and dynamic tracks that provide both thrills and chills. As the album progresses, it becomes clear that this is not a one-note dish; The Game Brass want to deliver a satisfying, well-rounded experience.
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3) Metal Trainer by Ro Panuganti
Metal Trainer pays tribute to the original Pokémon installments, Red and Blue, composed by Junichi Masuda. Even if you’ve never played a single Pokémon game in your life, chances are that you’ve heard at least a few tracks from these games. The soundtrack has completely saturated (some would say oversatured) the video game music world for years, but that notoriety and recognizability comes with a heavy price—how do you make Pokémon music feel fresh?
From the opening moments of “Pokémon Master”, it’s clear that Metal Trainer is going to be a singular experience. The mastering by AHmusic is crisp and clear, the arrangements are perfectly balanced, and the energy is palpable. Every instrument shines, whether virtual or live, and the guitarwork is some of the best I’ve ever heard. Ro is at the top of his game whether churning out prog metal anthems like “A Wild Encounter” or creating more ambient tracks like “Pokémon Hospital”.
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2) Fields of Hopes and Strings by String Player Gamer
Picking up where he left off with his Strings of Determination series, String Player Gamer ups the ante by enlisting the help of several collaborators and mastering engineer, AHMusic. The result is his finest effort, with stunning performances by all involved. Not only is this one of the most professional-sounding records I’ve ever heard, it’s also one of the most creative.
Video game music is a phenomenon in many ways because it doesn’t abide by traditional genre boundaries. String Player Gamer puts this theory to the test and flattens genre boundaries like a WWE wrestler. One second you’re listening to the pulse-pounding metal riffs of “Chaos King”, and the next you’re listening to the whimsical “Scarlet Forest”. What’s even more impressive is that String Player Gamer’s signature violin is never lost in the shuffle—it’s a common thread that binds this album together and cements it as one of the best albums of 2019.
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1) Between Earth and Sky by Julia Henderson
The moment you’ve all been scrolling for is finally here—the best VGM album of 2019. At this point, Julia Henderson’s voice is almost infamous in the VGM community, but after this album, her skills as an arranger and producer should be infamous as well. Each track on this album is a delight, perfectly crafted to highlight a certain mood, theme, and setting.
My favorite track on the album, “Battle With Magus”, sees Julia teaming up with rock maestro Lorenzo de Sequera and perfectly encapsulates what makes this album so great. Not only is Julia able to bring amazing vocal performances to the table, she’s able to bring the best out of her many collaborators on this album. This album is the perfect embodiment of the VGM community, thanks to Julia’s collaboration, creativity, and passion.