Quest Vibes Introduction
A monthly playlist of video game soundtracks and gaming-related music curated by me for you.
Every quest needs its Bard
Music has played a huge part in my life over the years. It is one of the first ways I tend to connect with the friendships I make that have lasted since my adolescent days. My father's favorite band was Pink Floyd, and my mother's was ABBA, so my musical range didn’t have any boundaries. Growing up with Turkish music in the household was also a significant influence on my favorite artists. On road trips, we were either heading to the Dark Side of the Moon or sobbing to the hits of Ibrahim Tatlises. Fun fact: Tatlises translates directly to “sweet voice.”
High Notes
In high school, I was in three different bands, playing the drums, bass, guitar, and even singing. The latter of which I have no idea how I got away with because I can’t sing at all. Just after graduating, I was enthralled by the indie hipster scene of music blogs like Gorilla vs. Bear, BrooklynVegan, and Pitchfork. I felt I could also add to this by having a unique take with my own passions at the time, which were one part Electro/House and one part Swedish music. New York had a fantastic few years during that time, watching the rise of Justice and Ed Banger Records in gritty clubs and catching Swedish artists like Miike Snow and Peter Bjorn and John live frequently. These unique styles of music genres and living in this music hub inspired me to start my own music blog, Sey Something (2006 - 2010). I loved posting about the shows, clubs, and new remixes that dropped, and it always culminated with my personally curated year-end lists of the best albums of the year and favorite remixes.
One thing I truly miss from those days, which now as I write it, I realize was over a decade ago, was the curation part of the whole thing. Someone commenting or emailing me just to let me know they discovered a song or album because of my platform gave me all the fuel I needed to curate more music for fans.
Good Game Lobby
Now, in 2024, I am shifting gears a bit. I started Good Game Lobby to build a community around indie developers and gamers. My time will be focused on writing about, streaming, playing, and commenting on indie games.
One area I never focused on was gaming soundtracks. I always loved games with gripping soundtracks, but nothing ever resonated with me like it has in the last year. Don't get me wrong, I loved the soundtracks of FF7, Crystal Chronicles, Link to the Past, and more. I mean that it wasn't the same feeling I had with other music at the time. I now have that itch I want to scratch again.
Quest Vibes is the culmination of years of music curation, focusing mainly on gaming soundtracks and gaming-related music. Enjoy the June playlist, and make sure to follow and save it. The playlist is refreshed every month. Do you have any recommendations, or are you a composer who works in gaming? If so, contact me directly or comment below, and let's vibe together. As always, GG!