Yacht Club Games may be a studio with only a few titles under its belt, but it certainly knows how to turn heads. The developers of the legendary Shovel Knight are back this month with Mina the Hollower: a charming Zelda-like that has already won over critics (with a Metascore of 91, it is already making its mark as one of the year's must-plays).
Naturally, Jake Kaufman is back on music duty. He had the wonderful idea of releasing Mina’s original soundtrack on a "name your price" basis on Bandcamp as soon as the game launched last week. It is now available across two volumes on all streaming platforms.
The OST once again perfectly complements the adventure game's Game Boy aesthetic. The composer specified in his album description that it was largely created using the handheld console's native sound chip, along with the Konami Sound Cartridge (052539 / SCC+). It is also worth noting that the legendary Yuzo Koshiro (Streets of Rage, Ys, Actraiser) contributed a few tracks to the project.
Furthermore, this is a deeply personal album for Jake Kaufman, who dedicated several tracks of the Mina soundtrack to loved ones he lost during the game's development.
Each of the bands in the Music Hall (tracks 84-92) is dedicated to a close family member who I lost during Mina's production.
- Cliff and the Crawdads' set list is for my mom, a lifelong fan of Zydeco and Cajun music.
- The Cat Choir sing their hearts out for my beloved partner, the mother of my stepchild.
- Scotty is a farewell to my maternal grandfather, at whose house I first learned the piano.
I feel unending gratitude and love for my teammates at Yacht Club Games, who stood by me through my most challenging times, believing in me even when I doubted myself. Working with them gives me purpose, and they are a constant source of inspiration.
-Jake
Find all listening links for Mina the Hollower (Original Soundtrack, Vol. 1) by Jake Kaufman on its dedicated page:
→ https://nwpl.ing/mina-the-hollower-vol-1
