While I wrap up this semester and get ready for a relaxing summer, here’s another great sample of forgotten game music.

Traffic Department 2192 has an epic, bombastic score despite working with an incredibly limited selection of Sound Blaster instruments. Two particular pieces, INTRO and INTRO2 (so cleverly named), deserve special recognition for sounding like grand orchestral scores within their technical constraints. The two pieces play one after another during the game’s opening sequence and do a good job contrasting the triumphant beginning with the decidedly dark, somber shift in tone.

The soundtrack for Traffic Department was composed by three people: Robert A. Allen, John Pallett-Plowright (who only wrote one song), and Owen Pallett (also known as Michael Pallett-Plowright). Allen and Owen Pallett composed INTRO and INTRO2 respectively. Remarkably, Pallett was just 13 years old when he composed INTRO2! Little things that put your own life in perspective, and it makes the game’s music that much more engaging.

EDIT: Since this posting, Owen Pallett was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the soundtrack for Her. That’s some serious talent!