Essential Listening: Ridge Racer Infinity

Author's note: I'm not too knowledgeable with music genre so apologies if I described wrong genre for some of the songs featured in this post.

Official artwork for RoBKTA's Ridge Racer Infinity (Image: Firaga Records)

First time I discovered Spotify, there was a time when I had privileges to stream some of Namco Sound Team's best works, despite for obvious reasons there weren't any Ridge Racer soundtracks on the platform. Thanks to some suggestions by the app, I get to discover some new bangers outside the racing genre, including "Zero" from Ace Combat Zero and "The Unsung War" from Ace Combat 5, the two tracks that accompanied me through my early months of my mainstay office work. Continuing from there, I decided to dig down Tekken stuffs on the streaming platform especially with the fact that Kazuya Mishima got announced for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. You know what that means? It means streaming "Moonlit Wilderness" for clear skin, among others, also "Infinite Azure / Moonsiders 1st".

But even then, all those things don't last that long. Months after discovering the first two songs, the entire Ace Combat 5 OST is taken off Spotify (and Apple Music), meaning I can no longer stream "The Unsung War" for some reason. However, it wasn't until the next year that the pain became worse, as the entire catalogue from Namco Sound Team got taken off as well, saying goodbye to all the musics save for one Pac-Man game OST for some reason. An infuriating decision it has been, but even then Bandai Namco's handling on the OST department wasn't that great, for instance they weren't able to put newer tracks on the Tekken 7 album, and other Namco games on the streaming platforms (which should've included Ridge Racer as well). As of this post, the entire catalogue are streamable but only if you live in Europe or use a European VPN for that matter, which either way it sucks and only adds the long list of tracks that are region-locked that I can't stream and tracks I had to add as Local Files. (which also includes Mountains from Message to Bears, something a certain Filipino artist mutual of mine would able to stream on regular basis.)

Although things have gone dire for Ridge Racer as a franchise, with last couple of games not being as successful as their predecessors and ended up having its assets floating on Drift Spirits mobile game in Japan, there are actually three ways you can stream RR OSTs: Number one is that Mijk Van Dijk, a prominent Dutch DJ, has three of his Ridge Racer Vcompositions available to stream; number two is through Kohta Takahashi, one of the franchise's mainstay composers and better known for the brain behind R4's "Move Me", who came up with Reiwa Type 4, an album in which he envisions of how would a latest Ridge Racer installment would sound like; last but not least, though, just recently dropped as of late, and its name is Ridge Racer Infinity.

Timelapse (a very basic one) of @RoB_KTA's new album logo. It was a pleasure to be a part of this project and work on something I really enjoy. I hope we can do more of these in the future!#RidgeRacer pic.twitter.com/B300WiaOvm

— 𝙍𝙀𝘽𝙀𝙇 🏎️ (@rebellion765) June 16, 2022

Ridge Racer Infinity is described as a love letter to the iconic franchise consisting 10 remixes of select Ridge Racer bangers, created by RoBKTA and featuring names like Andrew Elmore, RoboRob, Tudd, and ViRix Dreamcore, all courtesy of Firaga Records, plus the logo work done by Rebellion765. It is a work of art meant to fill the hole of Ridge Racer's absence both in video game installments and streaming platforms, as well as carrying the immense impact that the franchise's soundtracks have since its first years. It is something that you can listen while getting your work, in any form, done or while driving down the road pretending yourself driving a 1999 Assoluto Bisonte in a slow motion.

Ridge Racer Infinity covers almost all the major Ridge Racer installments, from R4's iconic menu music "On Your Way" to Rave Racer's "Blue Topaz", not to mention the handheld installment got some love with "Disco Ball" and "Night Stream" as well. Lots of love is obviously given to Ridge Racer Type 4 soundtracks, being the most represented in this remix. The first track "On Your Way" really tackles the atmosphere where you'd find yourself preparing for a race in your own team's garage, building up for whatever upcoming race you'll be driving. "Lucid Rhythms" meanwhile gives Tetsukazu Nakanishi's masterpiece a modern EDM touch, the same with "Burnin' Rubber" which also brings some original samples to the table, and "Your Vibe" which also features RoboRob's craft along as well. "R4cin' All Night", though, feels like an original concept which, although based on "Movin' In Circles", touches more on "Urban Fragments" and "One More Win", and is all possible through Tudd's magic as well; the synth keyboard does complement the piano well.

"Disco Ball", though, is definitely a strong favorite of mine. The overall vibe does have some DDR but it doesn't change the fact that the remix is a "Cranked Up to 11" of the original, and even when you overlay it with a Ridge Racer PSP gameplay, it fits like glove. It makes a decent driving music as well. Another PSP track, "Night Stream", brings up some modern EDM fun at slower BPM compared to the original, made possible by ViRix Dreamcore's collaborative work. The song feels like it's taking a more chill approach.

(Image: RoBKTA on Twitter)

From other installments, "Drivin' U 2 Dancin'" does give some hint of AJURIKA, made complete with soundtrack-appropriate samples and some interesting guitar work that tops it. Later on, the soundtrack pulls a little Darude - Sandstorm on you before going back to the usual beat which I find it cheeky and a fun addition in that. "Blue Topaz", the sole arcade represent (Rave Racer), gets a funk treatment and yet it still gives an edge which made the track as enjoyable as the original, although the vibe might be closer to the PSP arrange of Blue Topaz partly due to the slower BPM. Even then, it still makes a good company for driving, of which this also applies to "Deep Drive" from Rage Racer as well, but in its case, it feels like a "mission accomplished" type of beat given its status as the last track in the album.

Overall, Ridge Racer Infinity is literally Christmas coming early for Ridge Racer fans, with the sound card never to be declined and on par with the original works on the franchise. It is something to cherish amidst the uncertainty of a new game in the franchise, as well as a showcase of yet another video game soundtrack classics not on streaming platforms given a remixed love. An undeniable impact that the Ridge Racer franchise had in terms of soundtracks gave inspiration for other composers for their music, soldifying its status as one of the video game franchises with iconic soundtracks. Ridge Racer Infinity is no one's exception, giving some of the icons a modern-day vibe while incorporating the existing vibe that made them in the first place. Clearly, it is a passion project not to be missed.

Ridge Racer Infinity is available both digitally and physically. You can stream or buy the album on major streaming platforms, and you can order physical copies in the form of CD or tape to get two track downloads! More information available through clicking this link.

~[R]