Overview

When video game fans think of video game music, they tend to think of the Super Mario Bros. main theme or the interludes and sound effects from Pac-Man or maybe Galaga. When video game music fans think of video game music, they often tend to think of music from Final Fantasy, Castlevania, and maybe Mega Man or Super Mario games. When asking someone about game music, Streets of Rage 2 isn't usually the first thing that pops into mind. But without this monumental and landmark soundtrack, one might forget an important turning point in video game music history.

In 1992, Sega released the much anticipated sequel to its fighting/action game Bare Knuckle with Bare Knuckle II (known as Streets of Rage 2 in the United States). Not only was it a great action game, but this is also the first game where a composer kept the copyright to his music. His name even appears on the title screen. This kind of attention to game music or its composer was so uncommon it was unheard of at the time. Even today with the increase of game music fans, mention of the composer is rarely seen on a title screen (though the games of today play out more like a movie with opening credits, etc.).

For 1992, the Streets of Rage 2 soundtrack was far beyond its time. This soundtrack sets the pace for all video game techno soundtracks, years before techno soundtracks were commonplace in video games.

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I have so many favorite tracks on the album, but if I have to choose just one, it would be the "S.O.R. Super Mix." I've never felt so much emotion in an electronic dance track. Just hearing the first few haunting tones gets me riled up and motivated. These days I'm easily moved by electronica favorites like BT and Paul Oakenfold. But at the same time these guys were just starting to get their name out in the late 80's and early 90's, Yuzo Koshiro was writing dance floor anthems that have still yet to be heard by the masses. While no one in London's trendy clubs is shaking and sweating to "Go Straight" right now, who's to say they couldn't be? Good dance music is good dance music. But in this case, this is great dance music.

For fans of harder hitting dance music, tracks like "Never Return Alive" and "Jungle Base" are really going to hit home. Arguably the hardest hitting song, "Expander," was actually written by Motohiro Kawashima. This track will make you move no matter who you are. With its raunchy synth bass, panning synths, and the fastest tempo on the album, you will move. Kawashima assisted Koshiro and it's a real treat to get a chance to hear his works. "Expander," along with "Mad Max" and "Little Money Avenue," are really great tracks. Although Koshiro did not compose alone on this soundtrack, the consistency in style is never an issue. All of the tracks flow together well and make for a wholesome experience.

In contrast there are a few tracks that I usually skip because I feel they lack the intensity and feeling that the rest of the soundtrack provides. "Good End" is just too "lonely" of a piece for me. It is a little monotonous and lacks some substance. Without drive, it always makes me want to not beat the game, which doesn't resonate since it's the ending theme. In addition, while "Too Deep" gets its ambient point across, I don't think it holds up against the rest of the other tracks on the album. The piece also includes some sound effects that are very grating and catch me off guard because they sound like a ringing phone.

Yuzo Koshiro pushed the primitive Sega Genesis sound processor to its limit with this soundtrack. The voice samples are all clean and the sound effects are as thick and realistic as the primitive FM synthesizer would allow. It only takes a minimal understanding of music for a video game player to admit that during gameplay it's the music that gets all the attention. Whereas Squaresoft's latest offering at the time, Final Fantasy IV, had a great soundtrack (and arguably timeless in the realm of game music), the sound quality is weak. Streets of Rage 2 sounds like what most people considered "real music" — and it still does today. I've never had a complaint when listening to this CD around friends (unless they just don't like electronic music in the first place). "This is video game music?" It's always a question/statement that I love to hear.

Summary

But on the whole, if you haven't been convinced by now, everyone who is a fan of game music should at least hear this album at some point. The game is great, and the music is great in the game, but when the music stands on its own — that's where Yuzo Koshiro really shines. Even though he's an amazing game composer with epic and soaring orchestral soundtracks like Ys and the highly acclaimed ActRaiser, it's humbling to know that he also is the pioneer for good electronic dance music in games, and maybe even electronic dance music as a whole. After all, BT claims that video games and game music have been a big influence on him. Maybe Koshiro had an influence on him and others like me who can say we are where we are today because of Yuzo Koshiro.

Overview

This soundtrack is groovy. Oh yes. Your eardrums will dance as your fists and feet pummel countless foes into the pavement in this old school beat 'em up for the Sega Genesis. In addition to being one of the best fighting games of its time, Streets of Rage 2 (also known as Bare Knuckle II in Japan) features some of the baddest beats ever to grace a video game soundtrack.

Yuzo Koshiro is the principle soundtrack composer for Streets of Rage 2 with Motohiro Kawashima providing a few tracks. The soundtrack itself features an assortment of highly eclectic musical material from ethereal techno to funk-fusion to the hippest-hop to insane breakbeats to blues infused bar music. All pieces, however, heavily dabble in the style of early 90s underground techno that Koshiro is no stranger to due to his work on The Revenge of Shinobi and Bare Knuckle. It is impressive to consider the fluidity through which Koshiro adapts his music to suit the confines of the specific gaming environment while noting the extremely limited sound capabilities of the Sega Genesis sound drivers.

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"Go Straight" is the first stage track. The bass very nearly thumps to the rhythm of shaking fists and furious feet. The mixing in this piece is exceptional considering the limitations of the sound hardware. Koshiro keeps things musically interesting while attempting to get the most out of the limitations of the Genesis sound capabilities; for instance, his use of panning in the left and right speakers is creative and keeps the melodic material briskly moving forward without becoming too repetitive. "In the Bar" is a wonderfully dreamy piece featuring a briskly walking bassline, framed by exquisitely delicious chord choices and wonderful melodic voice leadings. There is a semi-improvisational feel that adds a jazz mystique to the overall character of the piece. This piece grooves incredibly well and loops back to the beginning quite effortlessly.

"Never Return Alive" is quite an apt title as this piece is intense! Fans of the original Bare Knuckle soundtrack will instantly recognize this music as the boss theme and it works wonders in the same purpose here, aiding and abetting in the rise and release of tension, keeping the player engaged and quite nervous! The saw wave drills into your mind and serves as a nice synopative measure to keep the edgy nature of the musical material intact throughout the piece's duration. The harmonies are totally awesome and the dissonance has a very creepy musical effect as well. "Spin on the Bridge" features some absolutely wicked breakbeats! Think of hip hop on crack... that's what this is. I can only imagine how amazing this piece would sound with modern day musical tools but, as it stands, this piece is still absolutely amazing. The percussive ideas are excellent but the musical excellence of this piece is furthered within the buildup of the melody along with the dispersal of harmonic layering at key points to really drive the intensity of the piece to abrasively awesome levels.

"Dreamer" is very appropriate in helping the player to reach a dream-like state within the gaming experience. The electronica arpeggiations that flow so easily in the beginning help to greatly define and bring out the ethereal quality of the piece. The echo effect is a very nice creative touch in regards to the mixing to add to the ethereal tone. While a large majority of the soundtrack is more geared towards breakbeat and progressive techno, there are definite implications of trance being used in this song which strengthen the diversity of the soundtracks cumulative musical style. Stylistically, I would define "Alien Power" piece as trip-hop, but there is also a bit of ethnic drum percussion which adds a different flavour to the mix. Whatever it is, this piece is strange and a bit creepy... which is of course awesome.

I'll conclude by mentioning three more interesting pieces. "Ready Funk" is everything the name implies. It is a piece of music which is a bit repetitive but serves a nice function as a side-stage musical 'break' between the main stage theme sections. "Too Deep" plays when your character gets 'sucked down' into a secret elevator in the middle of a baseball stadium. The opening notes of the piece are amazingly strange and almost bewildering and the piece replicates the basic drum and bass attitude of the late 80's early 90's hip-hop movement. Very effective in a strange context. Finally, there are definite traces of funk within "Slow Moon". The secondary melodic 'call and answer' really keeps the main melody from becoming flat. A very nice orchestration idea occurs where the bass and a large portion of the drums are taken out to allow the melody to thrive and then are brought back into the mix to very good effect.

Summary

So that's the jist of it. The soundtrack itself is a hypnotic whirlpool of good tunes and brash beats. One thing I enjoy about this particular soundtrack is the idea that it is in your face at all times. What you will find is a lot of aggressive vibes within the compositions which often trickles between dark and dissonant to extremely dark and dissonant with brash beats serving as supportive columns to what turn out to be highly groovacious musical structures. The melodies are often catchy and easy to listen to. Alongside the action, the music is very fitting. A difficult balance to strike and yet it's pulled off quite well. This might well be a worthy addition to your collection and is now easily available in the Yuzo Koshiro Best Collection Vol. 3.