Update: added clarifications about the re-recording of Rémi Gazel tracks by Christophe Héral.
For many people of my generation, Rayman was their first contact with video games as a medium. The cartoon hero, a true mascot for publisher Ubisoft in the early 2000s, celebrated his 30th anniversary last year. The hero of the eponymous platformers is now at an age where he might have his first back problems and loans to pay off. That doesn't stop him from treating us today with the release of a gargantuan album compiling music from the different versions of the very first game released in the 90s.
The unique thing about this 139-track album is that it compiles tracks from the PlayStation 1 game, but also from the Jaguar, Game Boy Advance, and Game Boy Color versions—offering all the variations of the themes that accompanied players as they explored the wacky and colorful world imagined by Michel Ancel and Frédéric Houde.
Depending on the version, different composers worked on the music. However, Christophe Héral remains the name that appears most often in the credits along with Rémi Gazel, who sadly passed away in 2019. It should be noted, however, that these are not the original versions from the game released in 1995. Without stating a reason, but likely due to rights issues regarding Rémi Gazel's heirs, all the music in this anniversary collection was reinterpreted and re-recorded by Christophe Héral—which earned the game a fairly polarized critical reception upon its release last February. More about that on Christophe Héral's Instagram.
Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition offers, in addition to the original game, countless bonuses like artwork, exclusive interviews, and essential accessibility options to make progression easier in this demanding platformer.
To learn more about the music of Rayman, I highly recommend checking out this deep dive by the up-and-coming YouTube channel Under The Tunes, which deserves far more views.
Find all listening links for Rayman – 30th Anniversary Edition (Original Game Soundtrack) by Rémi Gazel, Christophe Héral, Kabcorp on its dedicated page:
→ https://nwpl.ing/rayman-30
