Akira Yamaoka is one of the most important and influential names in the world of video game music. He is a Japanese composer, sound director, and musician best known for his work on the Silent Hill video game series, for which he not only composed the characteristic musical score, but also wrote the special sound effects, making him immensely influential in the medium.

Born in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan in 1968, Yamaoka’s early passions revolved around sounds and electric music. He learned classical piano beginning at age 7, soon after switching to the electric organ. In high school, he also picked up the electric guitar and worked with the school orchestra. He gained an appreciation for rock music from listening to Rush, Pink Floyd, and Mr. Big, the latter of which he’d later gain some inspiration for when writing video game music.

After graduating from high school in 1987, Yamaoka found work at the prominent video game company Konami. Here he put his musical studies and instrument proficiencys towards composing the soundtracks for many games, such as the Super CD-ROM2 version of the popular Vic Viper series and the 1992 side-scrolling hit Gradius III. He also composed the title theme for the long-running Quarth series alongside Hidenori Maezawa.

In 1999, Yamaoka had already established himself as a proficient composer within the video game industry. He had combined his extensive gaming experience and his rock and classical musical knowledge to write memorable and evolutionary game soundtracks and it was from this that his work on Silent Hill almost single-handedly defined the series and its anthologized style.

Yamaoka has since become best known for his minimalist, industrial-tinged sound signatures, with electronic and distorted sound design elements, quiet, threatening ambience themes, and haunting classical influences that combine to form an expressionist wash. His textures have since become well-known, providing a contrast to the that often adds its surface level gothic horror themes.

The Silent Hill soundtrack immediately became famous among both gamers and film enthusiasts, and remains among the most memorable video game scores to this day. In addition to the four Silent Hill titles composed by Yamaoka, his distinct and dark-atmospheric style was also utilized in numerous other games, as in the metal-driven score of Travis strikes Again and the experimental folk of ZoE2: Love love children.

Yamaoka was fortunate that his work on Silent Hill gained such recognition; throughout his career, he also composed additional tunes and sound designs for various titles in the long-running Castlevania games. In 2006, Yamaoka created original music and sound design for the unique mystery thriller Shadow of the Colossus, climbing to international fame and earning him a fascinating musical piece for the 2007 Independent Games Festival award-winning title, Everyday Shooter.

Since then, Yamaoka has gone on to return to his rock roots with the experimental band SIRAL, and creative work for the horror film series Perturbation along with numerous remixes and compilations. He has worked on various other video game soundtracks as well, such as Otogi III, Final Fantasy VII, and Ishin no Arashi Shippitsu.

Yamaoka’s place in the world of video game music is untouchable. His genre-defining compositions and sound design work as demonstrated in the Silent Hill series has influenced countless games to this day. His later works demonstrate his expansive musical abilities, expanding out into other genres such as rock and experimental electronic music. Yamaoka demonstrates the ultimate evolution of sound design and composition skills in video games through the decades of his gaming career.

Tatsuro Yamashita, born March 2, 1953 is a Japanese singer, record producer, composer, songwriter, arranger and actor. He debuted as a musician in 1973 with the band Apryl Fool, and after three years joined the band Sugar Babe where he recorded his first solo album as a composer and singer.

Since then, Tatsuro has released dozens of albums as a solo artist and as part of other musical collaborations. His musical style blends elements of city pop, rock, jazz, soft rock and popular music of the 1970s and later.

Throughout his career, he has cooperated with countless renowned songwriters and created many timeless hits including “Tin Pan Alley,” “Love Talk,” and “Lemon Tree.” He has sold more than 20 million records and has been awarded dozens of accolades.

In addition to his work as a musician, Tatsuro has also appeared in various TV shows, movies, and stage plays such as “Kabuki-za,” which earned him two awards. He also starred in the film “Sanpei,” released in 1984.

Apart from his work in the entertainment industry, Tatsuro has been involved in various charitable causes, such as: serving as the representative for the UN World Food Programme in Japan, arranging a program entitled “Database Aid” which helps impoverished people in African countries, and launching the project “Jukebox Charity” with which his fans can make donations to collect musical equipment for less fortunate children.

Tatsuro has been awarded with multiple accolades from both his fans and his peers in the entertainment industry for his lifetime achievements. In 1994, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government “for his distinguished achievements in the field of popular music” and in 2004, he celebrated 30 years of his musical career with the release of his 40th album. This album, sold over three million units and achieved platinum certification. Recently, Tatsuro released his 13th studio album.

Despite his busy music career, Tatsuro finds time to exercise and has recently entered ultramarathon races. He has also expressed interest in the traditional Japanese instrument Koto which he also performs during concerts.

Tatsuro is widely respected throughout Japan for his innovative musical style, his iconic performances, and generous contributionsto charity. His career clearly imposes a remarkable recognition among the music industry in Japan and beyond. Tatsuro Yamashita is certainly one of Japan’s most important and influential musicians, highlighting the importance of international music in the 21st century.

Änglagård is arguably the most influential progressive rock band to originate from Sweden during their brief trajectory. From 1992-1996, the members of the band brought a unique, intense and overwhelming experience to their fans, filled not only with captivating melodies but also rich layers of musicianship and harmony.

The band was formed in 1991 in Gothenburg, Sweden by three music students of the local College of Music and Drama; Thomas Johnson, Tord Lundström and Mattias Olsson. Although the three members had all studied classical music and been members of orchestras that had performed in international festivals, at school they found themselves exposed to rock, jazz, and blues as well as prog and classical music styles.

The members had already been playing together for a while before they conceived the idea of Änglagård. With their vision of creating challenging music which drew influences from a mix of different genres, they soon found themselves invited to take part in various musical projects.

The resulting band featured maybe the most talented personnel ever in Swedish progressive rock. Thomas Johnson played violin, keyboards, bass and mandolin, Tord Lundström was the vocalist, with guitars and flute, and Mattias Olsson was on drums. From 1992 to Existence (1995), Änglagård would use a cellist, Maria Eriksson (whom would join the group at their third liveperformance) to instill an extra depth of classical reference into the band’s instrumentation.

In 1993 they released their debut album “Hybris”, (Relativity Records & Softprogressive) to a great critical success. The sound that was created on “Hybris” was a dynamic and overwhelming mix of classical, folk, and progressive music. Featuring such diverse instrumentation as flute and violin, this album achieved world-wide success and is acknowledged today as one of the greatest progressive rock releases.

During the following years they performed concerts all over Europe, culminating in the “Epilog” Mission, which showcased four newly written songs. Despite the increasing recognition of their music, the band was always considered the under-dog by respective labels who just did not seem to get how to market and promote the unique entity that was Änglagård.

In January 1996, their sophomore album “Barnet På Vägen” was released. Seemingly influenced by jazz, funk and krautrock as much as prog, this album was more accessible than Hybris, and hinted at the remarkable live capabilities of the band.

But it did not stop there. In May 1996, ÄnglagÃ¥rd released two ep’s on different labels; “Burlesque” on Chrome Records, and “Limits” on Musea – although predominantly instrumental, these had sublime melodic elements and is arguably the quintessential work of the band in their later years.

Unfortunately the shortcomings of their labels did not pertain to releasing the band’s work although, and their lack of creative support lead to the band to folding in 1996. The members would go on to pursue successful music careers outside of Änglagård, Marias work with F.A.V.P. as well as Thomas and Mattias joining Dungen.

Despite their relatively short time as a band that lasted all of 5 years, with one full length album, two ep’s, and various singles, ÄnglagÃ¥rd and arguably left at least one unique and lasting impression on the history of progressive rock in Sweden and the world over. Whilst the group may once have been, by all accounts, a dispiriting conflict between creative insight and business plans – for the prog-fan, ÄnglagÃ¥rd will forever remain a firm favourite in the genre.

To this day, two decades on, Änglagård’s influence can be felt through the diverse music –from prog, post-rock, krautrock, to math-rock – being created both in Sweden and abroad. For anyone who wants to get a taste of how progressive music that draws from a mix of genres should be experienced, look no further than the work of Swedish progressive rockers Änglagård.

In the end, with their incredible blend of styles, haunting melodies and complex structures, Änglagård have secured their place in the pantheon of the most important and influential progressive rock bands.

Cornelius has had one of the richest careers of any musician in Japan. Emerging from the streets of Tokyo in the late 1980s, he sought to forge his own path in the Japanese music scene with his unique sound and style firmly rooted in an eclectic mix of cultures. Utilizing a variety of different instruments including the Yamaha QY10 and TR-808, as well as parlor organs, vintage analog synths, electric guitars and a variety of synthesizer workstations, he evolved his own distinctive and entrepreneurial approach to music production.

Cornelius was born in 1965 to a Tokyo jazz musician. Raised in a musical setting from an early age, he was exposed to all manner of genres in his formative years, from jazz and classical sounds through to Frankfurt dance music, East Asian traditional music, and obscure rock records. It is from such a variety that Cornelius developed a multform before it was even officially enunciated in the music industry. This in turn inspired the foundation of his own record label, Trattoria, and recording arts community under the same banner.

Focus of Cornelius’ first works was on Tokyoits roots, such as the Blue Beatles album (1989), Third Man Rising (1990) and FM (1991). A more experimental nature was seen in his subsequent works, including the compilation album The First Question Award. Cornelius sought to open up more avenues with the emergence of new technologies and broader influences, displaying skills in beyond beatmania and Computer Music (1993), Instrumental Street (1997), and Fantasma (1997) – all acclaimed for their cutting edge electronic production.

Collaborations with international artists have further distinguished Cornelius’ career. In 2000, he collaborated with internationally renowned musical genius of YMO Koji Makaino and Ryuichi Sakamoto on the seminal Point (2002). Going it alone, Cornelius released Sixtynine (2006), bridging folk, jazz, world music and electronic sounds, in an effort to elaborate on a more sonic experience. His latest venture, CM, showcases Cornelius’ multidisciplinary approach to composing and performing. Across the last twenty years Cornelius has solo released 10 albums, 1 DVD and 3 books, and remains one of the world’s most influential and pioneering independent artists.

Having firmly established himself, Cornelius then sought to stretch the potential of the music industry. After the closure of Trattoria, he founded another record label, Telstar Records, which explores more of uncommon collaborations and multimedia projects, such as their yearly networking and music conference “Starwatchers” (2006-2010), alongside CM. Working mainly as a solo artist but also with a variety of artists from the Japanese indie-rock scene, Cornelius’ blend of diverse cultures and technology has pushed boundaries through the ability to walk multiple musical lines at once and leaves a considerable legacy of influence.

In 2011, Cornelius was recognised as one of the greatest Japanese music artists of all time, receiving the Da Vinci Prize for Music Creation. He was also inducted into the Japan’s Hall of Fame.

Today, Cecilious is not only a celebrated, trail blazing icon and distinctive figure, but is also widely respected for his eagerness to dispel cultural boundaries and limitations, while serving as a blueprint for inter-cultural collaboration and innovation in music production. He has since gone on to create a visually dynamic and mesmerising sonic syntheses, rooted in the present yet stretching the envelope of chance and creativity.

シートベルツ (The Seatbelts) is a Japanese jazz and blues band formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 1997 by composer Yoko Kanno and musician/producer Tsuneo Imahori. Since its inception, the band has gained international acclaim as a pioneering musical group and the originators of a distinctive genre in the jazz world – noir jazz.

Yoko Kanno was born in 1964 in Sendai, Japan. During her childhood, she was exposed to a variety of musical genres but was strongly inspired by classical music and jazz. She attended a junior college and eventually became an accomplished classical music composer and arranger, working mainly as a freelancer on television and film scores. She also formed SSTV Egg, an electronica band. In 1997, Kanno would team up with Tsuneo Imahori to form シートベルツ.

Tsuneo Imahori was born in 1953 in Miyagi, Japan. As a young adult, Imahori cut his teeth in the Tokyo underground music scene. He joined the band The Cold Days in 1972 and formed his own project, Ghost, in 1976. After a stint with Strawberry Garden, Imahori began to focus on his own solo work, learning the guitar in the process. Imahori collaborated with Kanno in 1997 to form The Seatbelts and he composed and arranged the majority of the band’s tracks.

The Seatbelts provides a musical platform for both Kanno and Imahori’s creative energies. In 1998, they released their self-titled debut album, featuring the ground-breaking single ‘Tank!’. This popular jazz instrumental track is often cited as one of the earliest pioneers of what would come to be known as ‘noir jazz’. Notably, The Seatbelts made numerous recordings with the late jazz trumpeter, Lee Morgan.

Since their initial debut, The Seatbelts have provided unforgettable music for many iconic anime series and films. The most notable of which would be Cowboy Bebop. This science fiction anime series was a commercial success, garnering The Seatbelts a cult following around the world. The band would go on to create theme songs for other TV series, such as Macross Frontier, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Kids on the Slope, Eureka Seven and Ergo Proxy.

The Seatbelts have performed extensively in Japan, North America, Europe and Australia. Yoko Kanno often leant her vocal performances to the band’s live shows. While the majority of their tours focused primarily on instrumental music, The Seatbelts would often incorporate songs like ‘The Egg and I’ and ‘Felt Tips’ that featured Kanno’s vocals.

In 2000, The Seatbelts released their sixth and final album Blue. This album saw them continue to showcase their eclectic noir-jazz sounds. After several live shows, The Seatbelts went on an extended hiatus in 2001 and Kanno and Imahori resumed their solo careers shortly afterwards. The band has made several sporadic appearances ever since and even held a one-off reunion show and mini tour in 2013.

The Seatbelts are cited as influential musicians in the Jazz genre by artists including John Scofield, and more recently, Thundercat. A testament to the quality of their work and their pioneering fusion of jazz and electronica. Without The Seatbelts, the jazz landscape would be significantly different. With their extensive discography and strong cult following, The Seatbelts remain one of the most distinct and pioneering jazz groups of our time.

不失者 or Fushitsusha is a seminal Japanese psychedelic post-rock band formed in Tokyo in 1979. Formed by members Keiji Haino, Jun Kosugi and Maki Miura, Fushitsusha has become one of the most influential and revered acts in the underground Japanese music scene.

Born in 1952 in central Tokyo, Keiji Haino began playing music and writing songs through teenage bands and solo performances. After high school, he furthered his musical studies as a professional where he met and formed a friendship with Maki Miura, then a music student, who he convinced to join Fushitsusha on guitar. The final member of the band, bassist Jun Kosugi was a childhood friend of Haino’s from Tokyo. Miura and Kosugi would play secondary roles to Haino, setting up his amps and calmly conducting during performances.

The trio’s first record came in 1979 in the form of a self-titled EP on Jugafu Records. The title track laid the foundation for their music to come, a nine-minute electric jam rooted in traditional Japanese music with intense guitar and occasionally robotic vocals—driving an avant-garde sound unlike anything heard before.

By the 80s, Fushitsusha had become an influential underground band in the Japanese social and musical landscape, completing national tours and playing in thousands of local venues. The band quickly followed the EP by a vinyl LP, ‘The Record of 1980’ in 1981, featuring re-recorded versions of many of their earlier songs. It would be their first album and the first release of many over the next several decades.

Over the next decade, Fushitsusha released more than 15 recordings, including albums, EPs, and compilations. All of these include a mix of psychedelic rock, ambient experimental and post-rock. Each of these albums are notable for their unique sound, environment and atmosphere, created by each member’s commitment to prolonged improvisations and true sonic intensity. Amidst the noise and guitar solos, the mixture of composed pieces and live experiments featured on each album seamlessly melt together.

Haino’s voice became a central figure in these recordings, employing layers of high-pitched yelps, whimsical nonsense and expressive sounds alongside airy synthesizer solos. This vocal performance, along with Haino’s individualistic experimental principle, created a process of discovery drawing listeners and musicians alike into the world of Fushitsusha.

In the early 2000s,Haino had become for a short period linked with French music, playing acoustic solo shows with experimental electronic composer Christian Fennesz—also leading to two album release with 2006’s An Unreleased Chronicle. However, Fushitsusha still remains active—calling for packed hometown performances, limited vinyl pressings, and even a 2017 collaboration with Slovakian artist Vladislav Vancula.

Since its origins four decades ago, Fushitsusha has resonated with their fanbase and musical communities worldwide through a series of stunning and mesmerizing recordings. Each of these collections continues to reveal aspects of Japanese culture—as Haino explores sounds equal parts emotional, expressive, and surreal throughout the repertoire of one of the most daring and inventive groups in music.

Mahmoud Ahmed is an Ethiopian singer and songwriter whose music has helped to shape both contemporary popular Ethiopian and international music. Born in 1941 in the capital city of Addis Ababa, Ahmed was preceded by three generations of musicians in his family. By the time he finished school, he had already decided music would be his life’s passion and profession.

Ahmed played professionally with a local band, performing at Alga bar and the Imperial Hotel in Addis Ababa, though he remained mostly unknown to the Ethiopians since his music was at the time still heavily influenced by Egyptian rhythms and could be heard mainly on the audios imported records. He cultivated a similar style over the rest of the 60s and the early 70s though it was his 1977 album “Ere Mela Mela” that truly set the tone and gained recognition in Ethiopia both through music and television, as the song became the theme of the national television Mid Rim Tsehay (Good Morning) show.

In 1978, Ahmed’s career catapulted into prominence as the composer Getatchew’s Maraki released the album “Éthiopiques vol 4: Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale 1966-1974”. The Ethiopian jazz influence was a massive voice for the genre and part of Ahmed successful equation – his ability to mix traditional Ethiopian music with global Jazz rhythms. As Ahmed craft took many turns and divergences, leading him to adopt innovative sounds from other countries like Mali, Ghana, Egypt, and Brazil into his diverse repertoire of rumba and bazuka songs that carefully illustrated the flavours that make up contemporary Ethiopian music to this day.

Ahmed fame spread swiftly across the globe, due in no small part to Western musicians incorporating music from the Éthiopiques series into their own production. This integration onto the world stage exposed Ahmed and Ethiopia to a broad international audience, with Uganda, France, England, Kuwait, the U.S., Mexico, Morocco, Japan, India, Jordan and Canada, amongst many other countries, experiencing his talent. Moreover, it was in 1990 at the International Jazz Festival in Montreaux where Ahmed became acknowledged in a most distinguished way for his unique art.

He continued in this vein; producing new styles and opportunities with his albums Kosta Kule, Shemonte, Biye, Jegchaw, Segaa Nanniyee, Tezeta, Sidematew, Mekenie Bel and Aram. He has done, similarly to Mercury Stellar or Alpha Blondie, collaborated with well-known musicians from different genres and countries, which gave him numerous awards at different international music festivals.

Throughout the span of his career, Ahmed music sang social and political songs with evocative charm that bridgsm to key humanist issues such as economic and social justice. This, in turn, has transformed Ahmed’s genre of success as a top Ethiopian musician to that of a storyteller at the forefont of alternative Ethiopian music.

In short, this is why Mahmoud Ahmed—now in his 79th year—is a legend at Ethiopia’s heart and one of its cultural heroes, having had some of his most acclaimed albums re-released as an international deluxe edition seven decades into his career. His name and influence have grown in regards to East African music, and rightfully, Ahmed is still warmly receiving invitations to perform in world-wide Festivals such as Kafa Tchela and Carifesta of Venezuela, where audiences stand enraptured by his resonant plaudits that echo back through time after every encore.

Alexander Guy Cook, popularly known as PC Music founder and digital music producer A. G. Cook, is one of the most groundbreaking figures in the music industry today. Cook has transformed modern music and challenged the norms of pop culture by using his innovative production techniques and his unique approach to creating songs.

Cook was born in1991 in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. He started solo songwriting at the ageof 13, exploring punk and alternative music before forming his first band at the age o14. He was also highly interested in digital music production, making mixtapes as a teenager. Cook went on to study Digital Music at Goldsmiths Collge, University of London and graduated in 2014. He applied what he had learned about music production to a unique, genre-blending style. He was widely praised for successfully combining radically different sounds and styles to create truly cutting-edge music.

In 2013, Cook and friends founded the PC Music label in response to a dull music scene. Inspired by the intern networks and the marketing strategies of K-Pop, J-Pop and online cultural subgroups, Cook’s creativity poured into the development of PC Music and its various releases. The label soon gained prominence and attention from some of the biggest names in the music industry. Cook’s vision for the label encouraged musicians from various different genres and backgrounds to experiment, and use innovative technologies in their music.

Shortly after the launch of PC Music, Cook was hailed as a pioneer in modern pop music. He was praised for combining various elements including echo-house, narco-pop and hyper pop sounds combined with elements of vaporwave, happy hardcore, and UK Garage. This combination of drastically different sounds revolutionized and modernized pop music. He also began to produce remixes and new versions of classic and outdated pop songs.

In 2015, Cook released his debut album ‘7G’, a modern amalgamation of genres, which showcased his signature avant-garde style.The album was praised for its far-reaching sonic vision and its innovative approach. It contained a collaboration with respected Irish musician and producer Irish Helms, which showcased Cook’s unique sound design.

Following the success of ‘7G’, Cook went on to create a series of EP’s released under the PC Music label, further cementing the popularity of the genre. In2016, PC Music released its first full-length album, ‘Gemini’, featuring many of the songs Cook wrote during the label’s early years. The album epitomized Cook’s revolutionary approach to electronic music production, and it quickly catapulted him into the mainstream music limelight.

In 2018,Cook released his second album, ‘Apple’, blending various styles of music blended together in a futuristicstyle. Following the success of ‘Apple’,Cook’s star only continues to rise. His innovative approach to music production and blurring of genres has made him one of the most influential figures in modern music. Cook’s influence on the music industry has been immense, inspiring musicians and producers alike with his creative vision. His innovative approach to pop music production has solidified him as one of the most important figures in 21st century music.

Rakim Mayers, professionally known as A$AP Rocky, is an American multi-talented entertainer from Harlem, New York City. He is best known as a rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and model. His close confidants refer to him as Pretty Flacko and Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye. Rocky’s success and notoriety have been a result of his inventive remix style of rap, juxtaposition of words, and warbling ad-libs. He is part of broader hip-hop movement known as the A$AP Mob.

Rocky was born on October 3rd, North American Time Zones. He spent his childhood in Harlem and was raised in poverty by his mother. Rocky was exposed to hip-hop at an early age as his brother was already rapping and producing music. As he grew up, he observed the difficulties of his family’s life and began to rap with his brother and friends as an escape. His older brother also served a major role model in his mind, thus his brother’s death at the age of thirteen was a very difficult time for Rocky. Despite the circumstances, Rocky continued to take every experience as a lesson and use it to grow musically.

In 2010, Rocky’s career got off to an impetuous start when he released his debut mixtape ‘LiveLoveA$AP’. The reception was overwhlemingly positive and he eventually signed a $2.7 million deal with Sony/RCA Records. People took notice of his unique crossover of rock, electronic and rap, thus inadvertently causing a vital shift in the United States’ music industry.

The following year, A$AP released his debut solo studio album ‘Long.Live.A$AP.’ His single “Wild for the Night” was a top 10 hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop Billboard chart, and the album reached number one on the rap board. The album surpassed expectations and received both critical and commercial success. This attention allowed Rocky to tour and perform across North America, Europe, and Asia. Alongside this success, Rocky has been featured in a variety of outlets such as Complex magazine and XXL Magazine.

As his career continued to evolve and blossom, he released his second studio album at the end of 2015. The album was titled ‘At.Long.Last.A$AP.’ and featured artists like Musician and composer Alan Braxe, US Rapper Kid Cudi, multi-instrumentalist Miguel, British Dialect MC Devlin, and UK Dance duo Disclosure. Earning a perfect 5-star rating from music magazine Rolling Stone, the album further cemented Rocky’s name as one of the forefronts of modern-day rap.

Apart from music, Rocky has made appearances in a few films. His first feature-length film was Dope which was released in 2015. He was also featured in ‘Zoolander 2’ released the following year. He has had endorsements from Puma, a clothing line he created called “AWGE”, and Under Armour.

Today, A$AP Ferg and Rocky are continuing to take on the world. With Rocky always making sure to come back to his roots in Harlem, he is constantly pushing everyone to get out their comfort zones. Much of his discography has taken on much darker overtones and has shed more light into the darker corners of his life. Nonetheless, his lyrical prowess gets the point across perfectly.

In a couple years Rocky has taken music industry by storm and it is just the beginning. His unique style and imprint on the music industry is evident and there is no sign of him slowing down. He has overcome tremendous odds and continues to take over the rap game, millions of fans worldwide will continue to watch what he does next and stand by him every step of the way.

Formed in Berlin in 2010, A Winged Victory for the Sullen is the musical collaboration between American composer and pianist, Adam Wiltzie, and compositional liaison of the Berliner Philharmoniker, Dieter Moebius. Specializing in emotionally charged neoclassical and post-classical music, the band has achieved critical and popular appeal on a global level for its signature sound rooted in classical, ambient, and electronic music.

Adam Wiltzie grew up in the Washington, D.C. Metro area, and studied music, improvisation and composition with various teachers, soon discovering that his specific style existed in the gap between musical genres. After working for a short period as a recording engineer in New Orleans and touring as a live sound engineer in the US, Wiltzie departed for Europe in 1998, where he made a name for himself in the flourishing underground experimental music scenes in Brussels and Berlin. Meanwhile, Dieter Moebius had just released his critically acclaimed album “Blotch” on Clone Records when a close friend connected him to Wiltzie. Could he help Dieter learn how to record in the digital domain? The two answered in unison, “yes”, and their collaboration began from there.

After developing an immediate musical kinship, the duo swapped their first compositions back and forth via snail mail, eventually compiling a lengthy and varied collection suitable for their debut album. Much of what Wiltzie and Moebius were writing fit into the categories of ambient and post-classical, so it made sense that the first result of their collaboration be an album entitled “A Winged Victory For The Sullen” (hence the name of the project).

Upon its release in 2011, A Winged Victory for the Sullen garnered international attention and featured in the acclaimed soundtrack to Lars von Trier’s critically acclaimed film Melancholia. The project quickly became the vehicle for Wiltzie and Moebius’ collaboration, and the two began touring internationally over the next several years. It was during this period that they released their second album “Atomos” (2014), which received multiple Grammy nominations as well as awards from various music publications such as Pitchfork. In 2015, the duo released Atomos Part 3 as a digital mini-album, followed by a full-length release in 2016.

In 2016, A Winged Victory for The Sullen announced a return to Sony Records for their third album The Undivided Five (ISLANDS) (Sonar Kollektiv/Sony Red, 2019). Released on June 7, 2019, The Undivided Five was met with overwhelming critical and popular acclaim around the globe for its epic and expansive sound.

A Winged Victory for The Sullen have achieved a distinct sound and been able to reach a global audience, especially in the area of movie soundtracks, and over the past decade. The duo’s continued collaboration and musical pursuits have seen their paths happily intertwine in a shared dream of sonic exploration, one that has taken their music to the heights of achievement throughout the last decade, and look to be fruitful in the years to come.