Welcome to GamesRadar's daily blast of all things pertaining to the ever-growing field of game music. Each post will introduce new sounds, games, composers and fan-made remixes of gaming's greatest aural achievements.
May 13, 2010
Game: Amplitude (2003)
Song: Everyone Says Hi
Composer: David Bowie and Tony Visconti
I bag on the tired "Ch-ch-ch-changes" headline all the time. After all, just because there's a popular song with the word "changes" in it doesn't mean you have to reference it 90 times a year. That said, I'm no Bowie hater. I have a late-blooming, latter-day appreciation for the groundbreaking, multi-talented man, all of which stems from his track "Everyone Says Hi,"easily one of the best songs from 2003's Amplitude - aka Harmonix's pre-Rock Band, pre-Guitar Hero music title that carved a path for Activision to mine.
The song comes from Bowie's 2002 album "Heathen." This is a trancey,trippyremix of Bowie's somber original (check thathere) that is absolutely perfect for a game like Amplitude. It's a bountiful feast for the senses, visually thanks to Harmonix's drug-induced virtual landscapes, and aurally to this clever, punchy re-imagining of Bowie's delivery.
Amplitude is also home to Freezepop's Super Sprode, which became so popular it appeared in Rock Band years later. I was fortunate enough to see the group perform this live atPAX 2007, and encourage every living thing to attend PAX's concerts. They're an unending stream of positive vibes from like-minded gamers, especially when songs as silly and playful as Super Sprode bounce around the hall.
Finally, if you find yourself disenchanted with Rock Band, Guitar Hero and the whole music game scene, seek out Amplitude for similar gameplay untouched by excessive deal-making and over-marketing. There's also PSP's Rock Band Unplugged, which is essentially Amplitude covered up with Rock Band's branding. Still a fantastic experience, so check 'em out.
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