The idea popped in my head after I started doing a number of remixes and original tracks that was beginning to form a consistent style. This music was also not particularly attached to any projects. So for a while, I was kind of presenting myself as both a game composer (Calum Bowen) with all sorts of different types of music and also a solo artist (bo en) with a specific style. In an ideal world I would love to say present everything together as I’d like to think that people who liked some of my music would like others but I think in the end the way I was presenting this music was a detriment to both bo en and Calum Bowen. Being both simultaneously, the specific image and sound that I was trying to cultivate with bo en was being compromised. On the side of Calum Bowen, the freedom I felt in being able to post anything regardless of style or genre also felt a little restricted when I knew that there were people expecting a certain kind of music because of the bo en stuff I had posted. So the split was born!

While there’s still remnants of bo en on the Calum Bowen page (after all, that style is certainly something I’d love to compose game music in), it’s been a good experience so far and I’m honoured by the support I’ve had in such a small amount of time. 

The first song I’ve officially released as bo en is miss you. It was featured as the first track on the japanese electronic music compilation fogpak #6.

Patrick of Make Believe Melodies said tons of lovely stuff:

“One of FOGPAK #6′s best comes from…I believe…the first foreign contributor, mus.hiba-pal Calum Bowen with his “Miss You.” It’s a perky jaunt aided by warped vocals, handclaps and late-song chanting.”

Hihiwhoopee also did a really nice write-up for those who can speak japanese/google translate mainly focusing on my re-release of winter valentine as bo en - here. After which, in their collaboration with tomad from maltine records, they played miss you on their radio show RUGBY – write-up here.

There’s a ton of really exciting things that I have planned from both bo en and Calum Bowen so keep ya eyes pealed! 

In the meantime, have a little listen to this jazzy title theme I’ve written for Thief Story!

I started working on a new game with Todd Luke that looks a little bit like this!

I finished making a short game with Armel J Gibson entitled MOSHIMOSHI which got a really lovely review on IndieStatik!

I also released the soundtrack to a game I’d been working on for a long time with Satellite Play called Marble Time.

It’s a super chill, nintendo-style, jazz, feel-good soundtrack with artwork by Alex Van Dorp.

The whole OST is an exercise in re-harmonisation of one main theme (set out in the titles first track). I had a hellova lotta fun making it so I hope people enjoy it! There’s a killer (free) remix by rukunetsu on there as well!

The game’s got some mindblogglin puzzles so feel free to check it out here!

I had to post this because it’s amazing! I sent Zackery Wilson (amazing composer!) some of my piano arrangements and I got this great performance back! It’s really spurred me on to complete the rest of them!

Since collaborating with mus.hiba on our track(s) for 9-bit Blizzard I’ve gotten a lot more attention than I’ve probably ever had before!

Here’s a list of press releases related to the track:

Reviews/Features

Destructoid on 9-bit Blizzard

Reviewed by MakeBelieveMelodies

No. 10 in 10,000 TRACK PROFESSIONAL’s top 15 tracks of February 2013

Mixtapes

MEISHI SMILE’s DO YOU REMEMBER LOVE mixtape

spazzkid’s Peculiar Snooze Patterns mixtape for Matinée As Hell

Harmful Logic’s Romantic Landscapes Mix

We’ve also had 2 wonderful remixes done by i-fls & yano munenoli

Thanks to everyone who listened and posted about it! It’s really been amazing to see this track get so much attention.

As part of the Super Ubi Land kickstarter, I’ve put together a 9-track EP of some of my favourite tracks from the OST so far (including 3 unreleased secret tracks!) There’s also piano sheet music inside and a little thank you pdf! The EP is available in any of the reward bundles over 10$.

Click Here to go to the Super Ubi Land Kickstarter page

Tracklist:

1. Main Theme
2. Bonus Boogie
3. Midnight Lake
4. March of The Green Lands
5. Frost Fandango
6. Shop Theme
7. ? ? ?
8. ? ? ?
9. ? ? ?

You can stream tracks 1-6 on soundcloud right now

For those keen to catch those secret tracks – they’re being played during the Indie Power Hour on Alpha Omega Radio. We also got Kickstarter of The Week as well as featured game on the site! Check it out here.

This soundtrack has been (and will continue to be) my baby for the past 8 months so I really hope those who are interested enjoy it.

Download for free above or get the whole album here.

Tonight at 2am, I will be releasing a new track in collaboration with good friend mus.hiba entitled Winter Valentine. It’ll be released on 9bitrecords‘ 9-bit Blizzard winter-themed compilation. Here’s a preview:

I also to made some super lo-fi TV theme for Theo Davies’ sweet video:

The collaboration I mentioned in the previous post has been release! Zack put together an amazing visual representation of all the MIDI data that went into our collaboration “Lil’ Chip’s Big Adventure”. Check it out here:

Download/Stream Here

We’re working on an even more wild and extensive collaboration which’ll be taking a look back through the history of one particular prolific game series! More to come soon!

Finally, another track to share. This one is for the game Escalated Strange. It takes influence from traditional japanese music, glitch/trap & an old school JRPG sound:

Wii U Daily

Interview With Andrew Augustin (Art/Programmer/Designer of Super Ubi Land) on Nintendo Station

And oddly enough, Japan’s Yahoo Headlines

To follow this, I also appeared on a Game Composer’s Round Table podcast hosted by JustPressStart next to Darren Korb (Bastion), Jeff Ball (violinist on Gears of War 3, Mass Effect 3), Zack Parrish (Cute Things Dying Violently, Valdis Story), Shannon Mason (Sapphire Skies). It was an awful lot of fun and I felt honoured to be there since feeling a little less experienced than most around the table. I’ve got to thank Zack Parrish big time for suggesting that I appear on the podcast!

Incidentally, I’ve also just finished a collaboration with Zack which has been featured on AlphaOmegaRadio. It’s a ridiculous romp through the various sounds of game music present and past. It will be released for free download very soon, so I’ll be sure to post it then.

There is a lot of music, however, which I can post right away! So here it is:

Frost Fandango from Super Ubi Land

This is an upbeat, wintery tune that places that familiar tune into the context of 808s and 5/4 rhythms!

What I’m Working On (05/01/2013)

A montage of various pieces I’m working on right now! You’ll hear a little from the upcoming HD android remake of Up Up Ubi, a few remixes for various projects, some music from my theatre work in Italy and some Super Ubi Land pieces that are in the works.

I’ll hopefully have lots more news and a whole OST to share very soon as I’ve Lost My Marbles nears the end of development.

Somnambules

I recently came back from a week long residency in Italy. This  was my sophomore collaboration with Yael Karavan. Together  with Tanya Khabarova & Mike Bignell, we devised and  performed two nights of the newly formed piece Somnambules.

Following the success of it’s premiere in Italy, there are plans     to take the performance to Brighton, London and Edinburgh in  the new year.

Super Ubi Land

Myself and Andrew Augustin have been working harder than ever to put together an application package for the Indie Games Festival awards. You can see much of the progress in the trailer we put together here:

However, this is not the biggest news of all. We have been in touch with Nintendo and have subsequently been invited to port Super Ubi Land to the Wii U eStore and develop any other games for both the Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS. Thanks to the incredible kindness of both AckkStudios & Emily Rogers who both helped tremendously, we are truly making our way forward in the industry! It’s a very exciting time!

I’m hoping to share some more music and more news soon as the year is certainly not over yet!

After having worked with Peter Gardner at Dot Brighton’s 48 Hour Game Jam about a month ago, I now have the pleasure of linking you to his game The Ocean Doesn’t Want Me: http://www.madewithmonsterlove.com/?page_id=56

In other news here’s some pictures of my new “studio”, a.k.a. my bedroom!