An incomplete collection of music I've done over the past few years for TV, podcasts, indie films, game jams, writing groups, or my own bizarre impulses.

Music I've Done For Various Projects

Here's a draft of a tune that will probably become a Progger tune at some point. This one's just me on all the instruments. Electro-jazz-ambient-DnB goodness!

Raijin (mix 2)

Here's the first draft/iteration of a tune inspired by the wonderful 11:59 Songwriters' Group in Austin, and prompted by the word "Fathom." Some deep dark maritime vibes up in here. But with, like, 808s n shit.

Unfathomable

Two 1990s SquareSoft games that made an enormous impact on my young imagination were Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI (or, as we called it in my day in 'Murica, Final Fantasy III). I always thought the two games' protagonists, Terra and Crono, would make a solid team. I would read the hell out of that fan fiction mashup, particularly if Neil Gaiman went ahead and did it. So Neil, if you're reading this, let's get to it, mkay?

My other main musical influences are certainly at play here, too – the likes of John McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Michael Brecker, etc. Not coincidentally, those American jazz artists were huge in Japan in the 1980s and '90s, and almost certainly influenced my favorite game composers. It all comes full circle.

Narshe artwork by Orioto, Terra artwork by Mujumonster, Crono artwork by Akira Toriyama.

Crono and Terra Get Beers in Narshe

Ideas like that pop into my head and won't leave sometimes. I tried adding more layers but sometimes solo piano is the only answer.

Monsters Within

Resistance to oppression is a common theme in history, literature, film, and games, and we're witnessing it in real life today.

My favorite games often revolve around the resistance to aggression from oppressive powers: the people of Hyrule desperately resisting Ganon; Mysidia standing up to the invasion of Baron; the people of the Bionis doing everything they can against invasions from Mechonis; the Returners rising up against the Gestahlian Empire. 

Like music, games are an outlet for creativity and exploration, and they make our lives better. But both art forms are often tied to troubling aspects of reality. We're witnessing an innocent nation being invaded by a more powerful neighbor and it's horrifying. I hope the other nations of the world give it the help it needs to resist this oppression.

The brave, suffering Ukrainian people are inspiring me this week. My heart also goes out to the majority of peaceful Russian citizens who are utterly against this madness. I'll never forget my anger at my own country in the spring of 2003. Wars of aggression are always bad for everyone but the extremely evil.

The Return (Five Theme)

This tune is the theme music to the extremely cool podcast by the extremely cool literary web-mag Longreads! I was honored to get to make this for them, they're brilliant people and they really are saving the world a little every day by spreading high-quality long-form narrative journalism around the globe.

Saving The World A Little (Remix) (theme to Longreads Podcast)

Another cue for a commercial that never made it to air, but I like how this turned out too. Cheeky hip hop beat meets Pulp Fiction guitar. Or spy movie. Or whatever.

Enchilada With Bullets

A tiny piece of theme music from the short film "Rihanna's Anatomy," created for the Austin 48 Hour Film Project in June of 2019! This project was a joy to work on and over way too soon.

Theme To Rihanna's Anatomy (edit)

This was for a damn fun project. I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy cranking out industrial metal tracks. Turns out... I really, really enjoy it.

Back To The Meat Grinder

Composer, keyboardist, saxophonist, arranger, producer. Leader of JazzFunkRock band called Progger. Worked with fancy people like Bruno Mars, the Black Pumas/Adrian Quesada, Snarky Puppy, and many more over the years.

Music I've Done For Various Projects

Brian Donohoe (composer/producer/musician)