We started Escape Pod Audio to bring something new to the increasingly commercialized games industry as well as to lend our talents to a love which has given us both careers in games and interactive software.
Since the day in 1993 that Chris asked for Laura's help (and the use of her perfect pitch) in transcribing the soundtrack to
Star Fox SNES for their high school marching band, these two composers have been friends and collaborators.
We're nostalgic about games we loved from our childhood, but we see the same originality, humor, beauty, and emotions in today's releases. Our music reflects both our golden gaming memories as well as bright expectations of an industry with ever-expanding horizons.
Well, we’re not just idealists: when it comes to crunch time, studios and publishers need quality results quickly. That’s why we’ll work with you to deliver what you need, when you need it.
“Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock-n-roll.”
- Shigeru Miyamoto
Laura is a musical genius and keyboard prodigy who can compose for any genre specified. She's as comfortable with funk, rock and jazz as she is familiar with numerous classical styles. Her edge on the competition: perfect pitch.
Besides wanting to be the next John Williams, her main music influences include the SSX and Katamari Damacy games, and she enjoys the music in Ico and the Hitman series.
From 2000 to 2003, Laura designed and produced video games for Codemasters, the UK’s largest games publisher, with MTV Music Generator 2 and games from the award-winning Operation Flashpoint series among her credits. She has been published and quoted in such industry publications as EDGE and Gamasutra.com.
In her spare time, Laura is a Sr. Product Manager at AOL's Dulles, VA headquarters, where she takes user feedback very seriously and defines major software releases that people will actually enjoy installing and using.
Chris is a creative sound perfectionist who isn’t satisfied until his mastered tracks are crisp, unique, and full of depth. He's been experimenting with hardware and software for more than fourteen years. Also known as “MIDIman” in remix gaming circles, Chris’ soundtrack remixes have already achieved notoriety on sites like OCremix.org.
With a relentless love of both new and retro sounds, he counts artists such as Björk, Fischerspooner, VNV Nation, and Frou Frou as his key musical influences. Speakers in his home can commonly be heard developing blips and bleeps into unique electronica styles like IDM, Drum and Bass, or Industrial.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Bruce Mahin, director of the Center for Music and Technology at Radford University, Chris learned the fundamentals of mixing, composition, performance.
As a Multimedia Specialist of the Center for Media and New Technology at University of Maryland, Chris has provided music and sound effects, as well as technical and creative supervision for a wide range of e-learning solutions.
Our philosophy: if you can imagine it, we can write it. Drawing upon our collective performance and composition skills, as well as our extensive knowledge of software, recording methodologies, orchestral performance, instruments, and history in general, we offer a comprehensive approach to the music creation process.
We’ve split our music portfolio into two main areas: Live and Electronic.
Spanning rousing heroic orchestral themes, dark and solemn chamber works, quirky jazz, hot funk, and brooding villain motifs, there’s a little bit of everything.
Setting:
Light social sim
Description:
Happy, 1960's "lounge-lizard" jazz
Setting:
Quirky, "Grim Fandango"-esque / detective game
Description:
Tech demo of Laura's jazz and stride piano chops (and drum kit prowess)
Setting:
Suspenseful, horror-themed shooter
Description:
Menacing and compelling orchestral
Imagine a multi-roomed club: you’ll hear pumping techno, hardcore drum & bass, contemplative ambient, hybrid orchestral-electronica and everything in between.
Setting:
Urban/modern shooter FMV
Description:
Edgy, dark, and sophisticated
Setting:
Virtual world / sci-fi RPG
Description:
Expansive chill-out with subtle D&B undercurrents