Racing Archives - The Greatest Game Music

8-Bit Rally Soundtrack

8-Bit Rally Soundtrack, poisoncut, 2011

Despite the album title, this is not one of the many retro exercises in NES-style chiptunes. Instead, composer poisoncut’s work here makes full use of contemporary sounds and production techniques. At the same time, he subtly alludes to the music of the games that inspired 8-Bit Rally – the Lotus and Top Gear franchises. In a way, poisoncut is in a fortunate situation. The Lotus and Top Gear soundtracks never really developed an unmistakable signature sound, despite some recurring stylistic features. This means that poisoncut doesn’t need to mimic particular musical gestures. Instead he is free to work within his own style of melodic, high-octane electronic music. And in the end, that is enough to maintain consistency with 8-Bit Rally’s musical inspirations.

The 8-Bit Rally soundtrack differs most obviously from the Lotus and Top Gear scores in its melody-driven nature. One listen to opening track “Renegade Racer” confirms that poisoncut is more willing than Barry Leitch and Patrick Phelan to hit listeners hard and fast with catchy melodies. Combine this tendency with heavier beats and 8-Bit Rally’s music is deliciously in-your-face and fuss-free. poisoncut’s melodic chops are evident throughout the album, as he serves up both memorable hooks and more long-winded melodies. The latter are also introduced on “Renegade Racer”, as a measured synth melody powerfully unfolds on top of pumping beats. It’s a perfectly judged combination of contrasts. Insistent, beefy beats deliver the necessary speed rush, while the determined melodies tell players that they are still in control of the frantic racing action around them, ready to capture first place.

It’s a strategy that poisoncut deploys throughout the album to predictable but always great effect. Just take second track “Midnight Diversion”. The Lotus and Top Gear franchises have always excelled at this sort of nocturnal racing music – take Lotus Turbo Challenge 2’s “Night” or “Las Vegas” from Top Gear, maybe the franchise’s defining moment. What poisoncut delivers is just as fantastic, his chrome-polished, sleek melody an irresistible stadium filler ready for 1980s chart action. The self-assured way in which poisoncut presents his melodies cements his pop credentials. Always given enough room to breathe and to make their mark through repetition, these melodies never outstay their welcome either, each track moving seamlessly onwards. And it’s never a monotonous rush, as cues rise and fall in intensity with pinpoint precision and to maximum effect.

Apart from its melodic one-two punches, what makes the 8-Bit Rally soundtrack so supremely entertaining is its variety. Without fail, poisoncut responds to each location’s character – not always in surprising terms, but always with verve and enthusiasm. It’s here that 8-Bit Rally surpasses its musical progenitors. poisoncut’s work is more responsive to its locations than the Top Gear games. Equally, 8-Bit Rally‘s tracks are more developed than the short racing cues of the Lotus franchise. For example, “Space Drive”’s opening arpeggios hint at a melody rather than exposing it, preparing the track’s more ethereal nature. Once the lead melody comes in – bubbly and a bit dreamy – “Space Drive” becomes unexpectedly and delightfully playful. Listen to the lead melody’s echoing notes, which trigger small, unpredictable cascades of shooting stars.

The 8-Bit Rally soundtrack knows how to pace itself and so “Space Drive”’s levity segues into “Phantom of the Road”’s grimy bass beats. Fuzzy around the edges and disappearing in the haze, the track’s rhythmic foundation adds to the music’s eerie mood. A nagging synth pulse attacks an expectedly thin, lonely lead – and then, the album’s most melancholic melody turns the self-confidence of previous tracks inwards, but still maintains their head-nodding, catchy progression. It’s moments like these that showcase poisoncut’s ability to manipulate moods while keeping the album as a whole musically coherent.

That even applies to the moment when “Phantom of the Road” gives way to “Distant Journey”’s irresistible sugar rush. Taking its cue from 90s techno – in the best possible way – “Distant Journey” hammers home its Major-key enthusiasm with the album’s most memorable melodic idea. It’s the perfect, carefree environment to introduce 8-Bit Rally’s first chiptune elements, a joyful shout out to classic game music. And then the music reaches for the stars as “Distant Journey” soars even higher, its euphoria exploding and rushing through the solar system at warp speed.

It’s for the end of the 8-Bit Rally soundtrack that poisoncut reserves his most creative concoction. “Miles of Funk” is a fascinating track, both retro-inspired and futuristic in its take on funk music. Opening with a down-and-dirty, strutting bounce, “Miles of Funk” heads to the after-race party with some wild, temperamental chiptune soli. At the same time, its confidently grooving rhythms and more traditional melodic material anchor it in funk’s classic, effortless cool. Not to mention that “Miles of Funk” is just as supremely danceable as the rest of the album. It’s the perfect close to an album that builds on past musical styles rather than simply trying to mimic them.

01 - Renegade Racer poisoncut 03:01
02 - Midnight Diversion poisoncut 02:58
03 - Space Drive poisoncut 02:55
04 - Phantom of the Road poisoncut 02:57
05 - Distant Journey poisoncut 03:14
06 - Miles of Funk poisoncut 03:26
07 - Cockpit View (8-Bit Rally Version) poisoncut 02:57

Extreme Bike Trip Soundtrack

Extreme Bike Trip Soundtrack, Big Giant Circles, 2013

Extreme Bike Trip – both game and soundtrack – are a product of the era of digital technologies. Both are short, sharp blasts of fun that precisely know their purpose. Before the dawn of digital distribution channels, it’s unlikely they would have seen the light of day as standalone releases. They also never pretend to be more than what they are – but within their limited scope of ambition, they achieve everything they’re aiming for.

As a game, Extreme Bike Trip is based on an exceedingly simple mechanic. Race with your bike from left to right, tilt your bike forwards and backwards to not lose balance, and pick up gas canisters to make it as far into the race course as possible. Review site 148Apps nicely summed the game up as “simply a fun way to spend a few minutes”.

That’s also the perfect description for the Extreme Bike Trip soundtrack, courtesy of Big Giant Circles (aka Jimmy Hinson). His work on this score continued his collaboration with developer Roofdog Games. Hinson had previously worked with them on Pocket Mine and the Extreme Road Trip franchise. Of course, Hinson had been active in the game music scene long before. He had started out in 2004 as a contributor to game music remix website OCRemix. In 2009, Jack Wall recruited Hinson to contribute music to blockbuster title Mass Effect 2 – most definitely a high-profile debut for a former game music hobbyist. While Hinson is one of the few indie game composers to have also worked on AAA titles, the majority of his output underscores smaller-scale games such as Extreme Bike Trip.

The crackling chiptunes dance pop that he fills the Extreme Bike Trip soundtrack with shares the game’s virtues. Ignoring some short filler tracks, Extreme Bike Trip clocks in at just over ten minutes. However, its music does all it can to make these few minutes an experience jam-packed with fun. Of course, Hinson’s trademark musical style combining chiptunes with contemporary electronics is the perfect sound for a retro racing game.

Stylistically, the Extreme Bike Trip soundtrack continues and refines Hinson’s work on Extreme Road Trip 2. Vigorous dance beats underpin exuberant chiptunes melodies, with the odd hard rock riff thrown in for good measure. With no time to lose, “Extreme Bike Trip Theme (In The Zone reprise)” gets the blood pumping straight away. It quickly marries modern electronic rhythms with a chiptunes melody drunk on endorphines. With its unpredictable arpeggio progressions, the melody feels like it can hardly contain its giddy enthusiasm. The track’s second melodic idea is a more focused creation, keeping its sights firmly on the finishing line.

“Kinetic Jumps” amplifies this adrenaline-charged happy-go-lucky feeling. Here the Extreme Bike Trip soundtrack makes its clearest reference to 1990s four-on-the-floor techno. Against a bed of crashing, bouncy techno beats and claps, Hinson pits soaring chiptunes pop melodies. In this rhythm-heavy environment, the melodies take on an anthemic, instantly head-bopping quality that serves the music’s purpose: to give gamers both a rush of excitement and the heroic feeling that they are able to keep control of their vehicle at ever higher speeds. Both fun and triumphant, “Kinetic Jumps” cleverly calms down during its last third before revving up again for the loop. And while Extreme Bike Trip might not be a ‘big’ game, its music never feels less than lushly arranged. Sample the range of arpeggios that Hinson uses to flesh out the soundscape at the treble end on “Kinetic Jumps”.

Finally, “Pop A Wheelie” boasts the Extreme Bike Trip soundtrack’s most intricate and rewarding arrangements. Now, the beats move away from straightforward techno. Instead, they follow a knotty, intriguing trajectory mirrored by an elastic, bassy synth melody. The break beats’ increased complexity finds its match in “Pop A Wheelie”’s greater melodic range, covering a soaring guitar solo as well as a rhythmically accented chiptune melody that puts emphasises every single one of its staccato notes, as if to really hammer home how powerful and awesome it is.

All this is mere preparation for the track’s unstoppable finale though. At 3:35, “Pop A Wheelie” breaks into the album’s most stunning moment. Hinson piles layer upon layer of ecstatic, wobbling melodies and synths sky-high like there’s no tomorrow, reaching higher and higher until the music turns into a small super nova of blissfully united electro and chiptunes colours. The Extreme Bike Trip soundtrack finishes soon after it begins, but it sure does end with a bang.

01 - Extreme Bike Trip Theme (In The Zone reprise) Big Giant Circles 2:06
02 - Kinetic Jumps Big Giant Circles 4:11
03 - Pop a Wheelie Big Giant Circles 4:33

Fast RMX Soundtrack

Fast RMX Soundtrack, Bjulin / Manfred Linzner / Martin Schioeler, 2017

One of gamers’ great frustrations (at least at the timing of writing in 2020) remains Nintendo’s steadfast refusal to revive its classic F-Zero franchise. The last time fans got to enjoy a new F-Zero title dates back to 2004, when F-Zero Climax was released for the Game Boy Advance – only in Japan, adding insult to injury for Western gamers. Thankfully, German developer and Nintendo loyalist Shin’en Multimedia seemed determined to fill the gap with its Fast franchise. Kicking off in 2011 with WiiWare title Fast – Racing League, the franchise went from strength to strength with 2015’s Fast Racing Neo for the WiiU and 2017’s Fast RMX, a launch title for the Nintendo Switch. All three games received applause from reviewers for their stellar presentations and gameplay that created an overwhelming sense of speed, as well as its Ikaruga-style system of polarity switching to receive extra speed boosts.

Fast RMX essentially served as an expanded version of Fast Racing Neo, including all of that earlier game’s racing tracks and DLC, while adding a few new courses of its own. This was reason for game music fans to celebrate. Fast RMX gathered all of the outstanding music written for Fast Racing Neo and added more content still, arriving at 2+ hours of music spread across almost 50 compositions. The masterminds behind the score(s) were Shin’en Multimedia veterans Manfred Linzner and Martin Schioeler, joined by relative newcomer Bjulin.

On his website, Bjulin recalls how exciting it was to realise his childhood dream of scoring a game for a Nintendo console – one that would turn out to be an ongoing project for years. At the same time, Bjulin openly reflects on the steep learning curve he had to endure while working on Fast Racing Neo. One early track that required electric guitars went through 40 revisions before Linzner and his team signed off on the composition.

Arduous as the process of creating the Fast RMX soundtrack might have been, the amount of care and attention to detail that has gone into it is evident from the start. This is one of the best electronic game soundtracks of the 2010s – and at two hours of strong material also one of the longest, making it an even more impressive accomplishment (even if the game borrows three compositions from Linzner’s Nanostray HD Sessions arrange album). Keeping in tune with the game’s obvious reference points – the F-Zero and WipeOut series – Fast RMX’s music harkens back to the 90s, findings its roots mainly in trance, rave and techno to evoke the required sci-fi racing atmosphere.

What makes the Fast RMX soundtrack exceptional is the composers’ maximalist approach that turns almost every track into an astoundingly elaborate concoction. This is electronica with a nearly symphonic depth, such is the richness of the arrangements. It’s not so much that the music’s material itself is extraordinarily complex – it’s the sheer number of layers and ideas that the composers cram into every single piece which turns the score into such a rewarding experience. Sure, the constant beats are indispensable for a racing game like this, but it’s the head-spinning number of piled-up rhythms, colours and melody fragments whizzing by that create a feeling of jaw-dropping speeds. Repeat listens are absolutely required to keep track of everything that’s going on in these dazzlingly dense compositions.

With the score running at over two hours, such a constant onslaught could grow tiresome. However, the Fast RMX soundtrack keeps things varied enough to instead register as consistently daring and grandiose. The cues’ ebb and flow is flawlessly realised, each track sustaining its 4-5 minute runtime (looped) with ease. There’s enough tunefulness in each piece to give it structure and often guide it to melodic peaks, made all the more soaring by the fierce adrenalise rush fuelling these compositions. Once the composers add an electric guitar on tracks like “Mueller Pacific” and “Chouko City”, the music blows through the stratosphere and turns as epic as one could hope for in a sci-fi racing game. Other cues are more rhythm-focused, such as the nervy counterlines and vocals samples on “Zenshoh Habitat” or the polyrhythms of “Kenshu Jungle” that back dissonant, slow chord progressions.

Almost every piece on the Fast RMX soundtrack manages to find its distinctive approach – few cues here sound alike. Some compositions fittingly underscore their respective race course’s location, often with a subtlety that belies the score’s full-on attitude. “Antarctica” sports the expected tinkling arpeggios and crystalline sparkles, but what really sets the freezing scene are the more spacious, transparent acoustics. On the other hand, “Iceland” approaches its chilly setting with leaner textures and knotty breakbeats. Hand percussion makes a welcome addition to the soundtrack’s plethora of rhythms on “Pyramid Valley” and “Sendai Outpost”. Meanwhile, “Mori Park” charts new territory thanks to some subterranean wood percussion that boosts the score’s explosion of colours.

Other examples of the composers’ inexhaustible creativity abound. “Storm Coast” is the Fast RMX soundtrack’s most apparent throwback to 90s techno with its bright staccato leads (and the occasional string overlays are an unexpected, but fitting surprise). “Hangar Games” couldn’t have a broader grin on its face as it combines a poppy electric guitar melody with four on the floor beats. “Sunahara Plains”’ hummable hooks recall the sing-along quality of Linzner’s Iridion scores, while the music mixes its treble focus with some of the score’s heaviest beats. The duo of “Waimea Coast” and “Alpine Trust” beautifully encapsulates the score’s breadth. The first track catches listeners off guard with its soothing piano lead and lighter tones, while “Alpine Trust”’s alternately shredding and screaming guitar presence takes the composers’ everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach to its hugely satisfying conclusion. As far as futuristic racing soundtracks go, they don’t come any bigger than Fast RMX.

01 - Cameron Crest Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:17
02 - Kuiper Belt Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:07
03 - Zenshoh Habitat Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:52
04 - Mueller Pacific Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:53
05 - Kenshu Jungle Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:02
06 - Antarctica Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:46
07 - Tapaneca Vale Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:39
08 - Chuoko City Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:17
09 - Pyramid Valley Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:08
10 - The Haze Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:32
11 - Scorpio Circuit Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:45
12 - New Zendling Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:50
13 - Iceland Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:20
14 - Storm Coast Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:13
15 - Hangar Games Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:12
16 - Zvil Raceway Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:04
17 - Alpine Trust Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:24
18 - Mori Park Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:09
19 - Daitoshi Station Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:56
20 - Willard Mine Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:55
21 - Neo Kyoto Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:03
22 - Sunahara Plains Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:46
23 - Cevo Canyon Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:53
24 - Hibashira Speedway Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:30
25 - Walmea Coast Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:34
26 - Avalanche Valley Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:30
27 - Sendai Outpost Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 3:58
28 - Caldera Post Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 4:49
29 - Credits Bjulin / Linzner, Manfred / Schieoler, Martin 2:07

Formula 1 Soundtrack

Formula 1 Soundtrack, Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis, 1996

If you developed a racing video game in the mid-90s, there was apparently little choice other than to score it with electronic beats. And few companies knew this rule as well as Psygnosis. After all, they actually helped write this musical law with their enormously successful Wipeout franchise. Those games helped to take video game soundtracks into the mainstream like few other titles before.

Keeping this in mind, it’s surprising that 1996’s Formula 1 received a straight out, pure-bred hard rock/metal score. The masterminds behind Formula 1‘s revved-up beauty of a soundtrack are Mike Clarke and Stuart Ellis. While Ellis joined the project as a session guitarist, Clarke’s name will be more familiar to game music aficionados. As Psygnosis’ Sound Director, Clarke had mainly worked on Amiga titles before leaping into the CD console era. He would later return to work on the less remarkable Formula One 99. However, more helpful musical references for Formula 1 from Clarke’s career are Lifeforce Tenka and Destruction Derby Raw.

All three scores are guitar-driven howls of instrumental force. But the Formula 1 soundtrack doesn’t go for the grime and grit of the lesser Destruction Derby Raw, or for Lifeforce Tenka‘s processed, haunting feel. Instead, Formula 1‘s pristine instrument sounds and the technical exactitude of its hundreds-of-notes-a-minute guitar soli match the immaculate high-tech precision of the racing cars that this music underscores.

Psygnosis also licensed music from guitar virtuosos Steve Vai and Joe Satriani for the Formula 1 soundtrack. That of course meant that the pressure was on Psygnosis’ in-house musicians to match such instrumental prowess. Thankfully, when necessary, Stuart Ellis certainly lives up to the note-shredding standards set by these guitar gods. At the same time, Formula 1 never turns into a hollow display of instrumental pyrotechnics.

“Track 1” kicks proceedings off with rock-solid, crunchy hard rock riffage and a comfortable groove. Its bluesy feel might be a rarity on the album, but smoothly eases listeners into the album. “Track 7” later revisits the same sort of groove-rock feel. It’s the kind of metal that’s confident enough to rely on a great riff and let it work its magic. Of course, there’s no shortage of guitar showmanship during these tracks’ soli.

“Track 2” and “Track 11” are more pressing and urgent affairs. The music picks up speed and mental images of cars racing at breathtaking speeds are impossible to suppress. Ellis once more proves that his riffs are just as excellent as his soli, and like other cues, “Track 2” slows down to catch its breath at the beginning of its last third, before putting the pedal to the metal for a furious finale.

When you put together fast cars and hard rock, it’s difficult not to think of “Highway Star”. And indeed, “Track 3” does sport shades of Deep Purple. A Hammond organ not only adds splashes of colour and character, but also underlines the influence that Ritchie Blackmore’s work has on Formula 1‘s sound. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Van Halen are other valid points of references that identify the Formula 1 soundtrack as a first-rate representative of classic heavy metal.

Things only get better with “Track 4”, whose soli tear into the song with hair-raising intensity. Still more interesting is the cue’s central riff. It’s a rhythmically tricky, yet unexpectedly grooving show stopper that might be the album’s most creative single musical idea. It regularly trades places with monolithic jack hammer riffing, backed by the album’s first pronounced use of double bass drums. True, the drumming and bass lines of Formula 1 don’t attract as much attention as the guitar fireworks. Still, their rhythmic support is never less than flawless and at all times maintains the album’s exuberant energy.

After the heaviness of the preceding cues, “Track 5” is a welcome breather. With its care-free attitude, “Track 5” barrels down the race track with a big grin on its face. Of course, there’s still space for lightning-fast guitar soli that lead to a huge, euphoric finale. That moment of exhilaration is followed by the Formula 1 soundtrack’s most creative concoction, “Track 6”. Clarke and Ellis prove their versatility and mix in funk elements that are as energetic as their rock counterparts, but lighter on their feet. The cue’s stroke of genius is the way it electronically chops up the guitar riffs during its B section. It then tosses shreds of the riff across the stereo field, in a way that cleverly matches the tracks’ opening stuttering funk rhythms, but in entirely unexpected ways.

The score’s other noteworthy genre experiment takes place on “Track 10”. A particularly sludgy riff and growling bass lines make for the Formula 1 soundtrack’s grimiest track yet. Unexpectedly, Clarke and Ellis balance this focus on the bottom end with swelling and tinkling synth pads. Initially (as on “Track 9”), their job is to provide the guitar soli with an amorphous, cinemascope-sized backdrop, so they feel even larger than life than they already did before. But then, “Track 10” even drops guitars entirely during its mid-section. Instead, it throws in an unexpectedly atmospheric section dominated by those whale call-synths – before crashing back into the grinding opening riff with fierce abandon. You couldn’t ask for a more satisfying conclusion of one of game music’s best metal scores.

01 - Track 1 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 2:38
02 - Track 2 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 2:53
03 - Track 3 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 2:54
04 - Track 4 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 2:48
05 - Track 5 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 2:58
06 - Track 6 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 3:05
07 - Track 7 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 3:16
08 - Track 8 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 2:34
09 - Track 9 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 2:52
10 - Track 10 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 2:51
11 - Track 11 Mike Clarke / Stuart Ellis 3:13

Mickey’s Speedway USA Soundtrack (N64)

Mickey’s Speedway USA Soundtrack (N64), Ben Cullum, 2000

For a few years, it felt like Rare just couldn’t help producing outstanding games for the Nintendo 64, titles that were bound to be classics – Blast Corps, GoldenEye 007, Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, Perfect Dark… it seemed that Rare couldn’t go wrong. That winning streak came to an end in late 2000 with Mickey’s Speedway USA. The verdict from reviewers was almost universally that yes, this was a decent enough game, with the usual depth and amount of content one had come to expect from a Rare title. But compared to its spiritual predecessor Diddy Kong Racing, Mickey’s Speedway USA fell decidedly short – unlike GoldenEye 007, this was not a game that transcended its origins as a licensed title.

In other words, this wasn’t the kind of game one would expect to produce outstanding music to rival Rare’s best scores. To make the Mickey’s Speedway USA soundtrack an even less likely success, it was the first – and so far only – game score written entirely by Ben Cullum. Outside of Mickey’s Speedway USA, Cullum mainly provided character voices for several Rare titles (including Falco in Star Fox Adventures, for which he also wrote additional music). His career continued outside of the game industry, writing his own songs and some for his brother Jamie Cullum, as well as creating TV show themes and producing records. As such, Mickey’s Speedway USA remains a one-off in Cullum’s body of work – but he no doubt makes the most of this opportunity.

There’s an intriguing parallel between the Mickey’s Speedway USA soundtrack and an earlier Rare classic – David Wise’s Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll. Both scores have no other ambition but to please and entertain listeners. There are no hidden depths to be explored on either work – all they want to do is provide breezy fun, and that’s what they’re delivering. Of course, Mickey’s Speedway USA needs to maintain its upbeat facade for much longer than Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll had to. Far too often, game soundtracks that are required to sound cheery throughout their run time use this as an excuse to churn out superficial, flimsy compositions. What’s so impressive about Cullum’s work here is just how much musical substance he pours into his relentlessly playful template – surpassing even Wise’s work on Diddy Kong Racing. Cullum’s mission is simple, but his music is anything but.

Given the cartoony license, there was no way for Mickey’s Speedway USA to not sound cute, but in Cullum’s capable hands, that consistently adorable character never turns cloying. The meat of the Mickey’s Speedway USA soundtrack are its racing cues and here Cullum uses a mix of jazz and 70s funk to energise the music, give it a nice touch of class and create a constantly swinging, celebratory mood that doesn’t grate.

First racing track “Indianapolis” establishes the soundtrack’s stylistic hallmarks. For its melody leads, the track swings back and forth between catchy brass fanfares and ebullient solo flute (on other tracks, hammond organ or xylophone fill this role). Cullum’s intricate arrangement of the piece turns it into a fully developed short instrumental that rarely stands still, continuously developing new quality material while never outstaying its welcome either. Rare’s technical prowess is evident in the quality of the instrument samples, providing the crucial warmth and immediacy that this music needs to make its full impact.

With 22 racing tracks, one might expect Cullum having to stretch his smooth formula beyond breaking point, but that’s not the case. Almost each cue delivers an impressive amount of inspired new melodies and rhythms, so that the never-changing mood of the score doesn’t matter much. And while Cullum doesn’t find an individual approach for each circuit (how do you identify characteristic underscoring for cart racing in Seattle or Washington, DC?), he varies his template sufficiently, imbuing it with local colours where possible.

For example, “San Francisco” mixes in disco strings that give the music a lovely swoon backing its dance energy, while its funkier than usual rhythms feature cowbell and a more pronounced bass line. “Las Vegas” goes for lush big band jazz amidst some of the soundtrack’s most detailed arrangements, while “New York” switches to more uptempo jazz to underscore racing in this bustling metropolis. “Malibu”’s smooth jazz is of course the opposite to “New York”’s urgency. Cullum even accomplishes the minor miracle of making the Christmas music leanings of “Alaska” (sleigh bells and all) digestible and less than cloying. Yes, all of this is scoring by stereotypes, but Cullum manages to elegantly integrate these clichés into his template, rather than letting them dominate his music. Only occasionally does he strain for effect – see the intrusive water sound effects that mar the otherwise charming “Chicago”.

The most obvious stylistic divide within the Mickey’s Speedway USA soundtrack is that between tracks for city races and cues that underscore rural locations. Again, Cullum colours in within with the lines, but he does so with his usual panache and dependable penchant for quality compositions. “Grand Canyon” has a subtle but effective synth backing whose sustained chords suggest the location’s wide-open spaces and majesty – without neglecting the need to still score the cart racing action. “Dakota” throws a steel guitar into the mix, backed by warm strings that add some welcome touches of idyllic Americana. Fiddle, harmonica and banjo bring wiry energy to “Everglades”, which further benefits from a spirited piano lead. Metal percussion and mouth harp make their debut on the lean, propulsive “Oregon”.

While these instruments might appear far removed from the urban sophistication of the jazzier tracks, Cullum bridges the divide with ease. No matter what stereotypes his instruments and arrangements draw upon, they all contribute to the Mickey’s Speedway USA soundtrack’s ceaselessly fun and buoyant nature. It’s an unlikely contender for the title of Rare’s last great N64 score, but Cullum’s work has far too much charm to deny it this honour.

Conversion notes

If anything, the Mickey’s Speedway USA port for the Game Boy Colour received a warmer welcome from reviewers – arguably, there was less genre competition on the handheld than on the N64. Eveline Fischer was responsible for the substantial GBC soundtrack, using some of Cullum’s material and doing a credible job at maintaining the density of his arrangements. Unfortunately, Cullum’s compositions rely on their jazzy, colourful timbres for much of their impact – a quality that is inevitably lost on the Game Boy Colour score, which turns a bit tedious during its extended running time.

01 - Indianopolis Cullum, Ben 2:53
02 - San Francisco Cullum, Ben 3:14
03 - New Mexico Cullum, Ben 3:04
04 - Grand Canyon Cullum, Ben 2:18
05 - Alaska Cullum, Ben 2:55
06 - Las Vegas Cullum, Ben 3:12
07 - Philadelphia Cullum, Ben 2:58
08 - Dakota Cullum, Ben 3:08
09 - Seattle Cullum, Ben 2:40
10 - New York Cullum, Ben 3:11
11 - Yellowstone Cullum, Ben 3:05
12 - Washington, D.C. Cullum, Ben 3:28
13 - Everglades Cullum, Ben 2:57
14 - Malibu Cullum, Ben 2:19
15 - Oregon Cullum, Ben 2:27
16 - Texas Cullum, Ben 3:08
17 - New Orleans Cullum, Ben 2:37
18 - Results Cullum, Ben 3:04

Psybadek Soundtrack

Psybadek Soundtrack, Mike Clarke, 1998

Including Psybadek in a list of “The WORST Playstation Game[s] Ever Made” (as a YouTube reviewer does) is probably taking things a bit far – remember that there were loads of horrendous shovelware for Sony’s console, particularly in its later years. Still, Psybadek remains a bit of a mystery. This is a game by one of the 32-bit era’s most successful and trendiest developers (Psygnosis), released in between heavy-hitters by that company like the WipeOut, Colony Wars, Destruction Derby and Formula 1 titles. Yet, according to both contemporary and more recent reviewers, Psybadek falls flat on its face, with nary any redeeming features. At least Psybadek’s mix of racing and platforming elements showed that the developers were thinking outside of the box, even if that genre combination was ultimately poorly implemented.

As Gamespot noted in their review though, there’s one aspect where Psybadek – unexpectedly – shines: its score. Their claim that “the soundtrack is easily one of the best in video games anywhere” might sound like hyperbole. However, this is indeed one of the era’s best electronic game scores and far better than what you would expect to find in a game with such an otherwise poor presentation. Thanks be to veteran composer Mike Clarke, who had delivered numerous soundtracks for Psygnosis since the early 1990s, including one of the best metal scores ever to grace a video game: Formula 1.

For the Psybadek soundtrack, Clarke takes a very different – and arguably more creative – approach. He works with a big beat framework for each track’s rhythmic base during the first half of the score. He then combines these rhythms with retro-styled melody leads that oscillate between jazzy and psychedelic (maybe the game’s dunderheaded title achieved one good thing – inspiring Clarke to attempt this genre fusion). His approach isn’t unprecedented – Propellerhead’s “History Repeating” had set the template for this combination of contemporary beats and suave James Bond-style brass sounds the year before.

Still, it’s not a style often heard in game soundtracks – kudos to Clarke for pulling off an electronic racing score that dares to differ from the late 1990s norm for the genre. Without the need to emphasise a futuristic setting, the Psybadek soundtrack is a much warmer and melodic creature than, say, the WipeOut and Extreme-G scores. Instead, the music embraces a fuzzy sense of nostalgia to welcome listeners. Just take the vintage sound Clarke often clads his instruments in, as if they were playing through an old transistor radio. It might sound incongruous on paper, but Clarke never pushes the effect too hard. Instead, his clever audio engineering lends the modern rhythms a distinctive, colourful edge. It also prepares the ground for moments like the jazzy trumpet solo on “Track 1”, which perfectly suits the cue’s retro-flavoured undercurrent.

The Psybadek soundtrack ingeniously revisits this mix of old and new from different angles as it proceeds. “Track 2” expands on the previous cue’s strung-out mood with a wild combination of biting vintage keyboard arpeggios, acerbic guitar lines, surf rock episodes, hip-hop rhythms and jittery sound effects that twitch through the multi-coloured haze. It’s a thoroughly heady trip that can feel like a woozy drug-induced dream, but Clarke always remains in control of the track’s flow. During its almost seven-minute run time, the cue’s elements develop organically – witness the percussion- and guitar-led build-up towards the end of its second third – and any sudden shifts consciously underscore the piece’s entertainingly unpredictable nature. “Track 4” is equally fun – this time, the contrast is between urban elements (more pressing rhythms, sounds of cars) and rural inspirations like a harmonica lead. Once more, Clarke makes this unlikely combination work beautifully.

The second half of the Psybadek soundtrack goes off on various tangents – but there is no dip in quality. “Track 5” and “Track 7” hew more closely to racing game music conventions of the era, with their greater reliance on techno rhythms. Still, their spacey synth pads float through the stereo field like translucent gates to the stars, warped by forceful solar winds – enough to recall the trippy atmosphere of earlier compositions. “Track 6” takes an almost diametrically opposed approach. Far more acoustic than electronic, the composition introduces Mariachi trumpets, swiftly strummed guitar melodies, lavish string orchestrations and increasingly busy drums to end up as the score’s most upbeat cue. Ultimately, “Track 6” is simply another clever way for the soundtrack to tap into its obsession with 1960s music, this time recalling the ‘acid rock played by orchestra’ approach of Love’s masterpiece Forever Changes.

“Track 8” goes for a much more dramatic sound, opening with sampled African chants before segueing into the soundtrack’s heaviest bass line and some hand percussion. Clarke once more displays his penchant for experimentation, marrying these locally specific influences with an anthemic staccato synth melody. Its timbre is much colder than the surrounding textures, but the chanting and the dominating staccato lead nicely match each other’s flair for big gestures. The Psybadek soundtrack fittingly closes with its most unclassifiable cue. “Track 9” goes from dry guitar riffs and bouncy 4/4 dance beats to increasingly dense layers of electronica – before it all breaks down into a pounding big beat episode and mutant surf rock. Again, it’s a combination that shouldn’t work, but Clarke pulls it all together into a kaleidoscopic whole that continually surprises – a mirror image for the entire Psybadek soundtrack.

01 - Track 01 Clarke, Mike 4:51
02 - Track 02 Clarke, Mike 6:38
03 - Track 03 Clarke, Mike 5:30
04 - Track 04 Clarke, Mike 7:37
05 - Track 05 Clarke, Mike 3:19
06 - Track 06 Clarke, Mike 3:30
07 - Track 07 Clarke, Mike 3:31
08 - Track 08 Clarke, Mike 3:20
09 - Track 09 Clarke, Mike 5:23

Racing Hero Soundtrack

Racing Hero Soundtrack, Hikoshi Hashimoto, 1989

Starting with Hang-On in 1985, Sega commenced a run of classic arcade titles that made full use of the company’s revolutionary Super Scaler technology, providing a spectacular illusion of 3D gaming unrivalled by anything on home consoles. However, not all Super Scaler games are equally well-remembered. Take Racing Hero, obviously an update of the Hang-On formula of lighting-fast motorcycle-racing. With its colourful, impressively fluid graphics, varied courses and solid gameplay, Racing Hero was hardly a disappointment upon release. However, it also didn’t differentiate itself much from previous Sega arcade racers, which had turned into their own genre. And since no arcade compilations on consoles included Racing Hero, the game has mostly slipped from view when fans consider Sega’s arcade glory days.

Still, there’s much to like about Racing Hero – including its soundtrack. It was the debut work of Hikoshi Hashimoto, who would kick off a decades-long game music career with this title. Of course, previous Sega arcade racers like OutRun had set the bar high with their pioneering scores. Thankfully, Hashimoto proudly and successfully walks in the footsteps of his predecessors, crafting a score that feels like a summary of everything that made these 80s arcade soundtracks such a blast. It’s certainly an auspicious debut by a composer out to prove himself – and as it turns out, Racing Hero ranks as the best score of Hashimoto’s career.

Disregarding a few shorter cues, the Racing Hero soundtrack consists of four substantial compositions. As on other Sega arcade scores of the era, these are surprisingly lengthy tracks – each clocking in between five and six minutes. Hashimoto is clearly up to the task of sustaining such extended cues, thanks to his lush arrangements and melodic gifts. “BGM 1” kicks things off on a comparatively laid-back note, using its jazz influences to create a relaxed groove perfect for a carefree cruise along the beach. Using the electric bass almost as a second lead instrument, Hashimoto builds a supple foundation for his expansive keyboard soli. On “BGM 1”, these soli provide more expansive melodies, stringing along a series of shorter 80s pop-inspired hooks. Occasionally, these border on repetitive, but Hashimoto does a fine job at judging their staying power correctly, moving on to new musical ideas just in the nick of time.

The entire Racing Hero soundtrack maintains this uncomplicated, fun attitude – but that doesn’t mean the music is superficial or lacks intricacies. On the contrary, Hashimoto makes full use of the sound hardware at his disposal to create full-bodied compositions that would have been impossible to recreate on home consoles of the time (unless they sported a CD drive). “BGM 3” takes the rhythmic complexities of “BGM 1” a few steps further, building from a syncopated, bumpy bass line with pronounced stop-start dynamics.

Melodies contrast with the roiling bass underneath and are as soaring as they are elsewhere on the score. However, note how this time each phrase fades out on a sustained note rather than leading straight into the next tune. Other details cement “BGM 3” ’s standing as the soundtrack’s most playfully experimental track – take the high-pitched synth rhythms on the left and right stereo speakers, pulsing in different metres to each other and the underlying bass. It’s a surprisingly heady mix, anchored as always by Hashimoto’s strong pop hooks.

The Racing Hero soundtrack’s other two cues are more straightforward in their approach, but just as great. “BGM 2” and “BGM 4” are cut from the same cloth, underscoring the adrenaline rush of speeding down a highway at 300 km/h. Pumping rock drums and a riding bass line open “BGM 2” before one of 80s game music’s most anthemic, grandstanding melodies (and that’s saying something) kicks in. If any proof is needed that Hashimoto knows how to pen a stadium rock-sized tune, “BGM 2” delivers in spades, while its relentless bass races the music along. That surplus of pent-up energy catapults the track’s B section into majestic synth-pop/rock heaven. Hashimoto crafts yet another magnificent power anthem that skyrockets even higher when powered by the soundtrack’s most densely layered countermelodies and rhythms – so far.

Because if there’s one way to describe “BGM 4”, it ‘BGM 2 on steroids’. Even more energetic than that earlier track – taste that single-minded bass that fires up the cue – “BGM 4” is a glorious finale to this ode to motorcycle racing. Hashimoto combines even more musical layers on top of each other than before – finally, the drums also get to play a significant part in shaping the music’s rhythms. They underpin the flurry of great melodies that somehow burn even brighter than on “BGM 2”. It’s fitting that “BGM 4” is the Racing Hero soundtrack’s most melodically rich composition – Hashimoto’s keyboard soli are more extended and complex than before. Still, they don’t entirely abandon catchy pop hooks either. There’s no better finale for a score like Racing Hero than this joyous wall of sound – a victory lap that celebrates the pure, unadulterated joys of racing games.

01 - BGM 1 Hashimoto, Hikoshi 5:37
02 - BGM 2 Hashimoto, Hikoshi 6:17
03 - BGM 3 Hashimoto, Hikoshi 6:17
04 - BGM 4 Hashimoto, Hikoshi 5:50

Top Gear 2 Soundtrack (Amiga)

Top Gear 2 Soundtrack (Amiga), Patrick Phelan, 1994

At least in its SNES incarnation, the Top Gear franchise remains quite fondly remembered to this day. However, looking at contemporary reviews, it’s evident that the series has always proved somewhat divisive. More than a few critics pointed out that the Top Gear games presented a no-frills, arcade-style approach to racing that produced solid but not necessarily spectacular results. The fact that developer Gremlin Graphics (later Gremlin Interactive) used the Top Gear games to effectively regurgitate its Lotus titles only amplified the feeling of ‘been there, done that’. Still, Top Gear 2 remains the franchise’s best-regarded entry – while it played like a mere expansion pack of its predecessor, it made enough tweaks to improve upon Top Gear.

That was on the SNES though. Once Top Gear 2 reached the Amiga in 1994, reviewers were decidedly less pleased with the game. Several highlighted its lack of innovation and the fact that the title didn’t meet the standards set by the Lotus games a few years earlier. The one area in which the Amiga port ultimately did excel was its soundtrack, matched within the Top Gear franchise only by Barry Leitch’s Top Gear Rally. After Leitch had set the musical foundations for the Top Gear and Lotus franchises, Patrick Phelan had taken over composing duties on both series, further developing their electronica-heavy scores and mixing in contemporary mid-90s influences.

The Lotus and Top Gear series have indeed generated lots of fond memories amongst vintage game music fans due to some standout compositions. However, what’s intriguing is that before Top Gear 2, none of these games actually managed to put together a consistently strong soundtrack experience (take Lotus Turbo Challenge 2, which outside of its excellent intro and ending cues only consists of short course themes that don’t achieve much). Phelan’s Top Gear 2 soundtrack (on the Amiga) is the series’ first score that satisfies all the way through – yes, it’s only three tracks long, but each composition hits the mark.

Again, things aren’t all that straightforward though once you look at the various versions of this score. Top Gear 2 originated in 1993 on the SNES, so one might assume that this soundtrack is the one to go for. But while the SNES score (like the Genesis port) features five rather than three tracks, it is the chain’s weakest link. Its tone is significantly thinner than what the Genesis and Amiga muster and has nowhere near the impact of those versions. It tries to overcome this caveat through significantly faster tempi but ultimately only feels rushed and relatively insubstantial.

The Genesis port fares better – it can’t match the Amiga samples’ power but offers some intriguing alternative perspectives on the same melodic material. The Amiga version mostly succeeds based on its anthemic melody declamations. On the Genesis, the same tunes are heard on rubbery synth notes that fade into each other, creating more complex textures.

While the Lotus and Top Gear scores were products of their time, they incorporated more than just 90s electronica. Nowhere is this more obvious than on the Top Gear 2 soundtrack’s “Burn Rubber” (“Canterbury Plains” on the console versions). There’s no shortage of memorable melodies in the Lotus and Top Gear games, and Phelan delivers one of these franchises’ best tunes: a triumphant, 80s-inspired melody line backed by proud synth fanfares that’s ready to get the crowd at a sold-out stadium concert roaring. The elastic, forceful bass gives the catchy composition a contemporary edge before the melody segues nicely into a note-shredding solo that’s as enthusiastic as the rest of the music, while kicking the cue into a higher gear. The interaction between melody and chordal accompaniment (those fanfares) is a bit more complex than one might expect, underpinning this perfectly-written power anthem with some welcome substance.

The melodies on “Destructive Comment” (“Ayers Rock” elsewhere) are as enduring as on “Burn Rubber”, but here the Top Gear 2 soundtrack gets a bit more adventurous. Initially, “Destructive Comment” rocks harder than what’s come before – its stomping drums and driving rock bass again show how Phelan pushes the Amiga to its limits on this score. But then the cue introduces a floaty synth pad backdrop and a lead melody whose watery timbre lands the music in trance territory. Typical for its genre, the trance lead on “Destructive Comment” is more repetitive than the synth-rock tune guiding “Burn Rubber”. However, Phelan cleverly changes the melody’s pitch to help its longevity, and its almost hammered staccato nature takes on an unexpectedly dramatic character when placed against the spacious, static synth backdrop. Like “Burn Rubber”, it’s a hymn to the joys of high-speed racing, only realised with different means.

“Night Train” most firmly plants its feet in 90s electronica with much more pronounced grooves and house piano riffs (and yes, this is the track with the famous “You might be missing some of the benefits that stereo can provide” voice sample). Still, the Top Gear 2 soundtrack keeps dishing up subtle surprises, as Phelan mixes his electronic influences with a robust acoustic bass that delivers a fantastic, tight rhythm. It lays the foundation for the horn samples and handclaps Phelan mixes in later – now the score has arrived on the dance floor, thanks to a perfectly concocted house/funk hybrid. As on previous tracks, Phelan also uses breakdowns judiciously to sustain his reasonably long compositions and organically shape their flow. It took a little while, but Gremlin’s signature racing games finally produced a genre classic.

01 - Burn Rubber Phelan, Patrick 4:00
02 - Destructive Comment Phelan, Patrick 4:48
03 - Night Train Phelan, Patrick 4:09

Top Gear Rally Soundtrack (N64)

Top Gear Rally Soundtrack (N64), Barry Leitch, 1997

After two generally well-received entries in the Top Gear franchise, developer Gremlin Interactive must have felt that the series needed a bit of a shakeup. That was probably correct, given Top Gear 2 had felt like an expansion pack of Top Gear – and considering that these two games didn’t look very different from Gremlin’s earlier Lotus trilogy of racing games. The result was Top Gear 3000 – the original trilogy’s black sheep, with its sci-fi trappings and weapons system. While swiftly forgotten, Top Gear 3000 kicked off the Top Gear franchise’s experimental phase. The results of this attempt to reinvent the series and keep it relevant hit the Nintendo 64 in quick succession: Top Gear Rally, Top Gear: Overdrive, Top Gear Rally 2 and Top Gear Hyper-Bike. Reviews for all these titles were reasonably strong, with critics commending Top Gear Rally for its realistic gameplay and accurate physics.

The Top Gear Rally soundtrack saw the return of a familiar name: Barry Leitch, who had scored the first two Lotus games and Top Gear in the early 1990s. The second half of the decade saw him returning to racing games with a vengeance. After Top Gear Rally, Leitch wrote two (!) unreleased soundtracks for Twisted Edge Snowboarding before penning music for Rush 2: Extreme Racing USA, California Speed and San Francisco Rush 2049. For Top Gear Rally, Leitch took an unusual approach. Rather than emulating CD-quality sound, he used 8-bit samples (“[…] probably the only N64 game ever to use [them]”, Leitch mused in an interview). Like on a 16-bit machine, the samples were produced live off the hardware. This made Top Gear Rally one of the most advanced examples of this production technique due to the N64’s comparatively advanced audio capacities and the number of samples available.

And indeed, Leitch’s approach bears fruit throughout the Top Gear Rally soundtrack – it’s one of the best-sounding scores on the Nintendo 64, with samples that are spacious, vivid and crisp. As such, they perfectly realise the music’s ambitions. These are lavishly arranged compositions that can best thrive on their dense electronic rhythm layers when rendered with clarity and power. The exception to this rule are the sometimes almost painfully distorted rock guitars – a common occurrence on the N64. However, this score’s guitar sounds are way ahead of most other soundtracks on the console that sample this instrument.

The strength of Leitch’s samples allows him to pull off his significantly less melody-focused approach, at least compared to other Top Gear scores. On a cue like “Title Screen (PAL)”, Leitch is able to let his syncopated beats carry the music for sustained periods without having to use much in the way of melodic elements to hold interest. “Mountain”, the score’s most driven and abstract cue, grabs listeners’ attention with its build-up of polyrhythmic, sometimes harsh synth lines. On this occasion, the score’s borderline grating, industrial guitar sound plays in the music’s favour – at times, it’s hard to tell whether the rough chords are synths or guitars. The added grittiness is one of the main features that sets the Top Gear Rally soundtrack apart from its franchise predecessors – fittingly so, given the grimier surroundings these cars have to race through.

While “Mountain” sees Leitch at his most rhythmically playful and adventurous, his work is never less than meticulously constructed. Just witness how he adapts his trademark staccato melody figures into something more skittish and high-strung to suit the track’s twitchy nature. He then carefully and subtly weaves the result – a nervous pulse that suddenly peaks and trails off – into the composition’s fabric.

This attention to detail is just as apparent in how Leitch structures his lengthy track, which all clock in at 6-7 minutes looped. Take “Title Screen (PAL)” – aka “Strip Mine” on the NTSC release before Leitch was asked to create a more aggressive title screen cue for the Japan and Europe versions of the game and simply recycled one of the racing cues. He develops the composition with consummate ease – first, he focuses on melodic development during the track’s first two sections. After the breakdown, the trance beats alone carry the music, contrasting with what’s come before. And once growling guitars back these beats, the music turns more and more urgent, arriving at a spectacularly powerful conclusion – before heading into the loop.

So yes, while the Top Gear Rally soundtrack is far beat-heavier than previous franchise scores and derives a fantastic amount of excitement from its dramatic rhythms, Leitch doesn’t forsake the melodicism that characterised his Lotus works and Top Gear. Instead, he finds a way to organically adapt his melodies to the faster-moving, more rugged musical environment of this score. “Jungle”’s sleek, 80s pop-inspired synth leads are a throwback to Leitch’s previous racing scores, shining like polished chrome. They soar above a rhythmic undergrowth that is very different from his earlier racing soundtracks – several layers of coarse guitars that deliver both melody leads and sludgy riffing. Leitch plays up the contrast between his gliding melodies and the monster riffs underneath to full effect. Synth choral voices add to the melody’s majestic feel, while the simple yet wonderfully effective rock drumming effortlessly propels the cue along and underlines its anthemic tendencies.

“Coastline” also uses rock drums to complement its electronic beats, but in a more creative way. Here, the drums take on a huge, pounding sound that contrasts with the complex electronics and another catchy staccato melody that once more isn’t far removed from what Leitch had written for Top Gear. However, “Coastline” ’s main melodic idea interestingly sounds like something out of Graeme Norgate’s Blast Corps, backed here by intriguingly fidgety electronics. However, Leitch’s best-developed melody arrives on final track “Desert”. As you would expect, the cue is arider and less densely arranged than other pieces, giving a ringing, steely guitar sample sufficient space to evoke the underscored location elegantly.

And then the score serves up its least Top Gear-esque melody – an introspective, tentative creation, progressing almost entirely in two- or three-note steps that usually move downwards. First, Leitch develops the melody for over a minute by splitting it across the two stereo channels and playing with call-and-response patterns. Then he actually manages to twist the initially downcast melody into a surprising statement of determination as it climbs the scale and reaches its defiant yet still passing conclusion, the notes fading away almost as soon as they’ve taken the melody to its peak. On a score that is never short of ideas, it’s the most unexpected moment and further proof that the Top Gear Rally soundtrack is capable of marrying a full-on electronic adrenaline rush with compositional elegance. Like the game itself, the Top Gear franchise’s music successfully enters a new era.

01 - Title (PAL) Leitch, Barry 6:20
02 - Coastline Leitch, Barry 6:47
03 - Jungle Leitch, Barry 6:50
04 - Mountain Leitch, Barry 6:54
05 - Desert Leitch, Barry 7:02