Site Contributors :: Zeugma

Biography

My interest for instrumental music that would later become an addiction began at 13, after finding out by myself that mainstream music wasn't worth being listened to all day long. I then progressively switched to classical (Bach, Wagner, Mozart, etc.) as well as synthetic (Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis, Mike Oldfield, etc.) instrumental music. Movie soundtracks eventually earned a quickly growing place on my shelf, as I found myself to be extremely receptive to the feelings and ideas communicated through these illustrative works.

A few years later came SNES emulation, and with it, my very first Japanese RPGs: Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger. Enough said! These two games and their unforgettable soundtracks immediately appealed to me, and I began searching for tracked music on the web. Discovering that video game music was lightyears ahead of what I had imagined (yeah, having played Mario and Sonic games on 8-bit consoles didn't really help) drove me to a real thirst of knowledge directed to this Terra Incognita of instrumental music. By following reviews, advice, and discographies, I've been listening to an astounding diversity of styles and genres from around the world that together define the amazing landscape of video game music.

The idea of reviewing was in the beginning a way to practice and improve my English skills. As I was paying more attention than ever to the albums I chose, trying to put their music into words, I discovered a lot of things that I wouldn't have noticed without making this effort. It has eventually become a real pleasure to analyze tunes, to feel the emotions they illustrate, to try and find the reason why they have been composed.

After a two-years-long break due to my studies, Square Enix Music Online offered me the opportunity to start reviewing again as a staff writer. I already knew the site for its valuable reviews and its thorough and precise contents, so I accepted the offer for staff placement on the site, and discovered the support and knowledge of a great community! Now I'm hoping that I'll still have enough time for music now I have my engineering diploma, though am currently taking an extended break from the site. Only time will tell, I guess...

Contributed Reviews