I started this feature several years ago to highlight some of the (largely obscure) music I love, posted a handful of times, and then, in my typical fashion, let it drop off. But, perhaps because of new inspiration, I’ve decided to restart it (though I make no guarantees about regularity).

Music has always been serious business for me. My collection is carefully curated and meticulously organized, with nothing being added until it has been thoroughly vetted.

However, that takes a lot of time, particularly since thorough vetting, for me, means listening to new music (preferably multiple times) while basically doing nothing else. I’m not really taking in the music if I’m writing, reading, chatting, or even working on art. As a result, my new music tends to pile up until I have dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of new songs to go through. This is especially true following any given Bandcamp Friday (when I’m likelier to be freer with my money, as Bandcamp waives its own fees and all proceeds go to the creators).

For this week’s post, since I’ve spent a fair bit of time this month vetting my latest batch of new(ly acquired) music, I figured I’d highlight some of the albums I’ve been going through.

Austin Wintory – ABZÛ

I’ve known of ABZÛ for years, and the game itself is in my backlog, though while I’ve bought a few other of the composer’s albums, I didn’t get around to this one until a recent sale on his Bandcamp. And the hype was right. At once atmospheric, stirring, and melodic, this gorgeous orchestral soundtrack makes perfect background or meditation music.

The album is also available on Apple Music (and you can probably also search it up on Spotify, but seriously, don’t use Spotify. It’s terrible for musicians).

Pokérus Project – Critical Hit

The Chilean vgm musician/rock band’s latest full studio album contains a mixture of mainly classic tunes from games like the original Castlevania, Mario Kart 64, a few Legend of Zelda titles, and Undertale, as well as a charming performance of “Peaches” from the 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie. Features their signature heavy riffs, big backing sound, and instrumentation that provides a fresh take on well-loved tunes, in a range of styles from piano-forward ballads to pounding shredfests, without ever getting particularly heavy.

Aside from Bandcamp, you can find the album on Apple Music, streaming services, and other stores.

Super Guitar Bros – Breath of the Wild

I’ve loved this acoustic/classical guitar duo since I first heard their music over ten years ago. And a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild album by said duo? Say no more. These selections feature most of the most memorable music from the game, in their usual straight cover style. As usual, the translation to guitar duet does an excellent job of both encompassing the depth and the character of the originals, impressively so in the case of those tracks like “Riding” and “Labyrinth” in which the original was heavily reliant on, if not entirely comprised of, solo piano. A great way to relax with calming tunes, revisit the soundtrack, or both.

Find it also on Apple Music.

The OneUps – Songs for the Recently Deceased

An older album from one of the original vgm live bands, this is a testament to how long it takes me to go through music, as it was recommended to me for last Halloween. (Oops.) I likely passed over this album previously among their discography because I’m not usually as big on horror-type songs. However, while this album highlights plenty of horror-themed sources, the tracks lean more towards the jazzy side of The OneUps’ offerings, with flavours of latin, funk, and lounge as smooth as butter. Of course, both the performance and the production of largely acoustic instruments—including saxophone, solo violin, upright bass, and vibraphone—is top-notch. This is a fantastic jazz album for any collection, and any time of year.

Find it also on Apple Music.

That’s all for this week. Anything you’d like me to highlight next Monday?