I spent a LOT of time digging through the PS1 back catalog of video games, listening to random OSTs, looking for hidden gems, in long forgotten, bad 3D video games that still somehow got an amazing soundtrack. I think the quintessential example is my pick for today, the 5th track on Assault Rigs, an obscure (figuratively and literally) game released in 1996 by Psygnosys, a legendary game development company best known for Lemmings and the Wipeout series.

Assault Rigs - Track 05 (1996)

Looking at gameplay footage, it seems I did not miss out too much by not playing this game as a kid… however hot damn what a soundtrack. Funny that the wikipedia article explicitly mentions the “inappropriate music”. I also have a hard time seeing how this music fits the game in any way; but it seems Psygnosys had already figured out its music department and recruited some breakbeat heads at the soundboard.

The track itself… I could re-release it today on Salt Mines or Kalahari Oyster Cult under the Roza Terenzi or Reptant moniker and you would fall for it, right? Such a nice, happy mood break track, with just a touch of acid, a trance-era piano riff, and finally a nice tribal vocal sample. Everything in this track brings a grin to my face, easy listening, almost called for in its progression, yet still deeply enjoyable.

Hope you like this track, and see you soon for more deeply hidden PSX gems.