Troubadour Record

Troubadour Record (トルバドールレコード) is a Japanese independent music label founded in 1992 by Shinji Hosoe and Takayuki Aihara, both then affiliated with Namco. The label emerged from the game music community and became known for compilation albums that brought together composers from across different game companies, releasing several such albums per year. Its first release was the album "Be filled with feeling," sold at the winter 1992 Comic Market. Beyond compilations, the label released albums by Hosoe's bands Manikyua-dan and Oriental Magnetic Yellow (OMY), as well as solo albums by Aihara, Nobuyoshi Sano, and others. OMY made a major-label debut via Scitron Label in 1996, and Manikyua-dan followed in 1997. In 2001, Hosoe and Ayako Saso left to found SuperSweep and its Sweep Record label, while Aihara established Studio Carnaval; with key members pursuing separate paths, Troubadour Record's releases ceased and the label entered a dormant state. In 2009, the unit Sampling Masters (Hosoe, Saso, and others) released "overdrive hell ヒズミ天国" on the label, and the "Hizumi Tengoku" series has continued to be released several times a year. The label's roster has included numerous prominent game music composers such as Yuzo Koshiro, Hitoshi Sakimoto, Yasunori Mitsuda, Koichi Okabe, and others.

Troubadour Record was established in 1992 by Shinji Hosoe and Takayuki Aihara, who were then working at Namco. The label's first release was the album "Be filled with feeling," sold at the winter 1992 Comic Market. It became known for compilation albums featuring famous game music composers participating beyond the boundaries of their affiliated game companies, releasing several such albums per year. Hosoe later described the situation as "once you leave the company, you're just a regular person," while Aihara compared it to "people from Tokyu Construction and Shimizu Construction getting together on a day off to build a doghouse." Eventually, albums by Manikyua-dan and Oriental Magnetic Yellow (OMY) (both bands featuring Hosoe), as well as solo albums by Aihara, Nobuyoshi Sano, and others, were released, and the label thrived. OMY made a major debut via Scitron Label in 1996, and Manikyua-dan in 1997. In 2001, Hosoe and Ayako Saso left to found SuperSweep and its in-house label Sweep Record, while Aihara established Studio Carnaval and began his own music activities. As it became difficult for key members to align, releases ceased and the label fell dormant. In 2009, the unit Sampling Masters, consisting of Hosoe, Saso, and others, released "overdrive hell ヒズミ天国" on the label. Since then, the "Hizumi Tengoku" series has been released several times a year on the label.

• 2009

  Sampling Masters releases "overdrive hell ヒズミ天国" on the label, reviving activity.

• 2001

  Hosoe and Saso found SuperSweep; Aihara establishes Studio Carnaval; label becomes dormant.

• 1997

  Manikyua-dan makes major debut via Scitron Label.

• 1996

  Oriental Magnetic Yellow (OMY) makes major debut via Scitron Label.

• 1992

  Label founded by Shinji Hosoe and Takayuki Aihara; first album "Be filled with feeling" sold at winter Comic Market.

Independent game music label known for cross-company composer compilations.

• 1992

  Be filled with feeling

• 2009

  overdrive hell ヒズミ天国

1. 1Troubadour Record - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2トルバドールレコード - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org