Michiel van den Bos

Last updated
Michiel van den Bos
Birth nameMichiel van den Bos
Also known asM.C.A., Mike Boss
Born (1975-05-23) 23 May 1975 (age 48)
Origin Rotterdam, Netherlands
Genres energetic electronica, orchestral music, soundscapes
Occupation(s) Composer, musician, DJ
Instrument(s) Keyboards, guitar, PC
Years active1996–present
LabelsMateria Collective
Website Michiel van den Bos (YouTube)

Michiel van den Bos (born 23 May 1975), is a Dutch musician and electronic composer. [1] [2] He has composed soundtracks for over 20 games including Unreal , Deus Ex , Sonic , and the Age of Wonders series. [2] [3] He's also known as M.C.A. in the demoscene and tracker community. [4] As indie/alternative DJ he uses the alias Mike Boss. [5]

Contents

Early life

Michiel van den Bos was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands on May 23, 1975. [1] He attended the former Caland Lyceum in Rotterdam. [2] Eversince he was a young boy he wanted to become a composer and started with the Commodore 64 and the Amiga in the 1980s. [6] [1] As a hobby he learned playing the piano and became a self-taught guitarist in bands. [6] At the age of 19 his father died and he moved homes 4 times. [6]

Career

1990s

Since the early 90s, Van den Bos wrote music under the alias MCA of the group Vicious. [4] He later transitioned from demoscene composer to writing music for video games. [4] He worked full time at a games store and a DVD/Laserdisc store while overcoming the limitations of Impulse Tracker to make soundtracks for Unreal , Unreal Tournament , and Age of Wonders based on textual map descriptions. [6] At the time, he had complete creative freedom to compose music for Epic Games' Unreal and Triumph Studios. [6] Van den Bos worked closely with Alex Brandon on the Unreal soundtrack and wrote an adaptive score. [6] [7] However, for Unreal Tournament they received direction from Cliff Bleszinski and handed in songs. [7]

2000s

Van den Bos composed 4 CD tracks for the original Deus Ex of Ion Storm with the Impulse Tracker in 2000. [6] His mother passed away when he was 25 years old thus he declined making OSTs for Age of Wonders 2 and Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic . [6] At 27 he founded his own company and was hired by Triumph Studios to make music for the Overlord series. [6] Since 26th March 1999, Van den Bos posted over 60 tracker music files on the Mod Archive. [8] The module files are mainly of Unreal, Unreal Tournament and Age of Wonders. [8]

2010s

In 2012, Van den Bos collaborated with other composers for One Big Album of which 80% of the proceeds were evenly donated to Starlight Children's Foundation and Save the Children. [9] [10] Subsequently he scored music for various mobile games. Most notable are Hardlight's Sonic Jump , Sonic Dash , Sonic Jump Fever [11] [12] [2] Van den Bos returned to the Age of Wonders franchise with Planetfall in 2019. [13]

2020s

In 2020, Van den Bos collaborated with Alex Brandon to reimagine iconic songs of Deus Ex for the album Conspiravision: Deus Ex Remixed to celebrate the 20th anniversary. [14] [15] Van den Bos made the full OST of Age of Wonders 4 which released in 2023. [16] It is composed predominantly of completely new material with a few nods to legacy songs. [16] In 2023, Van den Bos crafted the music for mobile game Sonic Dream Team . [4] [17] On May 15, 2023, Van den Bos released a composed and mixed lo-fi soundtrack called Age of Wonders 4 LoFi Fantasy which includes a few AoW 1 and 3 songs. [18]

Musical style and influences

Van den Bos' musical style is primarily energetic electronica, natural orchestral and soundscapes. [2] His specialties are music sequencing. [2] His studio consists of multiple, custom built audio PCs with a myriad of high end sample packages. [2] He uses high end music samples such as EastWest Sounds, Vienna Instruments, Steinberg, Cinesamples. Spectrasonics and Native Instruments. [2]

Van den Bos' greatest musical influences are John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, LTJ Bukem; [6] Commodore 64 composers Martin Galway, Rob Hubbard, Jeroen Tel, Ben Daglish; [6] metal bands Carcass, At the Gates, Insomnium; [6] and electronic artists PFM, Underworld and Artemis. [6]

Van den Bos is also an indie/alternative DJ with the alias Mike Boss. [1] [5] His debut EP is Taking the Fifth (deep house) followed by Drifting Through Static (techno) in 2014. [5] [19] The UNATCO remix of the album Conspiravision was on NTS Radio Node w/ Avant on 22nd December 2016. [20]

Works

Composer

Video games
TitleYearSystemNotes
Unreal (and the mission pack, Return to Na Pali )1998 Microsoft Windows, Mac OS
Age of Wonders 1999 Microsoft Windows
Unreal Tournament 1999 Windows, Linux, Classic Mac OS, PlayStation 2, Dreamcast
Deus Ex 2000 Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, PlayStation 2
Overlord 2007 Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, OS X, Linux
Overlord: Raising Hell 2008 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, OS X, Linux
Overlord: Dark Legend 2009 Wii
Overlord II 2009 Linux, OS X, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Jambo! Safari: Animal Rescue 2009 Wii, Nintendo DS
Age of Wonders III 2014 Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux
Unreal Tournament (cancelled) [21] 2014 Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Deus Ex: Revision 2015 Microsoft Windows
Voidrunner [22] 2017 Microsoft Windows
Age of Wonders: Planetfall [13] 2019 Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, MacOS
The Stranger VR [23] 2020 Microsoft Windows
Age of Wonders 4 2023 PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Mobile games
TitleYearSystemNotes
Flick Golf! 2010 Mobile
Zombie Flick 2010 Mobile
Cup stack [24] 2011 Mobile
Sonic Jump [2] 2012 Mobile
Samurai Beatdown [25] 2012 Mobile
Sonic Dash [11] 2013 Mobile
Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage 2013 Mobile
Sonic Jump Fever [12] 2014 Mobile
ChuChu Rocket! Universe [3] 2019 Mobile
Sonic Dream Team [17] 2023 Mobile

Discography

Credits
TitleYearTypeNotes
Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition Soundtrack [26] 2001Appearance
A history of Unreal Music [26] 2006Appearance
One Big Album [9] 2012Collaboration
Epic Games 20th Anniversary Original Soundtrack [27] 2012Appearance
Taking the Fifth [5] 2014 EP
Drifting Through Static [19] 2014 EP
Conspiravision: Deus Ex Remixed [14] 2020Collaboration
Age of Wonders 4 | LoFi Fantasy [18] 2023Remix

Related Research Articles

<i>Deus Ex</i> (video game) 2000 video game

Deus Ex is a 2000 action role-playing game developed by Ion Storm and published by Eidos Interactive. Set in a cyberpunk-themed dystopian world in the year 2052, the game follows JC Denton, an agent of the fictional agency United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition (UNATCO), who is given superhuman abilities by nanotechnology, as he sets out to combat hostile forces in a world ravaged by inequality and a deadly plague. His missions entangle him in a conspiracy that brings him into conflict with the Triads, Majestic 12, and the Illuminati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underworld (band)</span> British electronic music duo

Underworld are a British electronic music group formed in 1987 in Cardiff, Wales and the principal collaborative project of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith. Prominent former members include Darren Emerson, from 1990 to 2000, and Darren Price, as part of the live band from 2005 to 2016.

<i>Age of Wonders</i> 1999 video game

Age of Wonders is a 1999 turn-based strategy game co-developed by Triumph Studios and Epic MegaGames, and published by Gathering of Developers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonne Valtonen</span> Musical artist

Jonne Valtonen is a Finnish composer, arranger and orchestrator. He is renowned for his contributions in the field of demoscene and tracker music, under the name Purple Motion, and with Future Crew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Brandon</span> American musician

Alexander Brandon is an American musician, former member of Straylight Productions, who composed music mostly for games produced by Epic Games, or games based on Epic technology, including Unreal, Unreal Tournament, Deus Ex, Tyrian, Jazz Jackrabbit 2, and the cancelled game Jazz Jackrabbit 3D. Brandon is also a voice actor, having been cast most recently for the parts of Ancano and Amaund Motierre in the Role Playing Game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by Bethesda Game Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bjørn Lynne</span> Musical artist

Bjørn Arild Lynne is a Norwegian sound engineer and music composer, now living and working in Stavern, Norway. He was also known as a tracker music composer under the name "Dr. Awesome" in the demoscene in the 1980s and 1990s when he released tunes in MOD format and made music for Amiga games.

<i>Unreal Tournament 3</i> 2007 first-person shooter video game

Unreal Tournament 3 (UT3) is a first-person arena shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Midway Games. Part of the Unreal franchise, it is the fourth game in the Unreal Tournament series, and the eighth and final game overall; its name is in reflection of the game being the first in the franchise to use Unreal Engine 3. It was released on November 19, 2007, for Microsoft Windows, December 10 for the PlayStation 3, and on July 3, 2008, for the Xbox 360. OS X and Linux ports were planned, but they were eventually cancelled. A free-to-play version, entitled Unreal Tournament 3 X, was leaked in late 2022 and cancelled in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesper Kyd</span> Danish composer and sound designer

Jesper Kyd Jakobson is a Danish composer and sound designer who has worked on various video game, television, and film projects. He has composed soundtracks for the Hitman series, Assassin's Creed series, Borderlands series, Darksiders II and State of Decay, among many others. His scores use orchestra, choir, acoustic manipulations and electronic soundscapes.

Straylight Productions was a team of video game music composers and producers, founded in 1994.

Bernardo da Costa Sassetti Pais was a Portuguese jazz pianist and film composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eidos-Montréal</span> Canadian video game developer

Eidos Interactive Corporation is a Canadian video game developer based in Montreal and part of Embracer Group. The studio was founded by Stéphane D'Astous in 2007 under SCi Entertainment. It became part of Square Enix Europe in 2009 and CDE Entertainment in 2022.

The music in the Civilization video game series has been composed by various composers.

<i>Age of Wonders III</i> 2014 video game

Age of Wonders III is a 2014 4X turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Dutch developer Triumph Studios. It is the fourth game in the Age of Wonders series, following Age of Wonders, Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne and Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic released in 1999, 2002, and 2003 respectively. It was released on March 31, 2014, through digital distribution, as well as through retail in select territories for Microsoft Windows. A port to Linux and OS X was released on April 14, 2015.

<i>Age of Wonders: Planetfall</i> 2019 video game

Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Paradox Interactive. Planetfall is the fifth Age of Wonders game and a spin-off due to the sci-fi setting. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2019 and later for MacOS.

Music of <i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> Music composed for video game franchise

Sonic the Hedgehog is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created and owned by Sega. The franchise began in 1991 with Sonic the Hedgehog, a side-scrolling platform game, and has expanded to include printed media, animations, feature films, and merchandise. The music of Sonic the Hedgehog has been provided by a number of composers, ranging from Sega sound staff to independent contractors and popular bands. It covers a wide array of genres, including pop, funk, rock, metal, ska, hip hop, R&B, jazz, house, dance, breakbeat, drum and bass, techno, ambient, orchestral, and lo-fi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Facing Worlds</span> Video game map in the Unreal Tournament series

Facing Worlds, also known by its filename CTF-Face, is a multiplayer map for the first-person shooter video games Unreal Tournament (1999), Unreal Tournament 2003, Unreal Tournament 2004, Unreal Tournament 3, and Unreal Tournament (2014). Consisting of two identical towers separated by a bridge, each team must fight their way into the opposing team's tower and capture their flag. The original Unreal Tournament version of Facing Worlds received critical acclaim, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest first-person shooter maps of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nixxes Software</span> Dutch video game developer

Nixxes Software B.V. is a Dutch video game developer based in Utrecht. It was founded by former demoscene developer Jurjen Katsman in 1999 to port the game Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver to the Dreamcast. In July 2021, the company was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment to help bring its games from PlayStation platforms to personal computers. As of 2020, 40% of Nixxes' work comprises game ports, with the remainder being co-development efforts like the production of art assets.

<i>Age of Wonders 4</i> 2023 video game

Age of Wonders 4 is a 2023 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Paradox Interactive. It is the sixth game in the Age of Wonders series, following Age of Wonders: Planetfall.

Age of Wonders is a series of 4X turn-based strategy and tactical combat video games. The series is known for its rich universe of fantasy, magic, epic battles and deep customization. All games were developed by Triumph Studios while AoW 1 was co-developed with Epic MegaGames.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Michiel van den Bos Biography". Last.fm. August 15, 2020. Archived from the original on Feb 26, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Michiel van den Bos". Linkedin. Retrieved Feb 26, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Michiel van den Bos". IMDB. Feb 8, 2023. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Michiel van den Bos & Tee Lopes - Sonic Dream Team (Apple Arcade, 2023)". Cohost. Dec 9, 2023. Archived from the original on Feb 26, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Taking The Fifth". Beatport. March 25, 2014. Archived from the original on Feb 9, 2024.}
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Naumenko, Michael (September 2012). "Michiel van den Bos - Interview". Game-OST. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  7. 1 2 "A Conversation With Alexander Brandon". UnrealSP.org. Aug 14, 2014. Archived from the original on Dec 3, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "michielvandenbos's Profile". The Mod Archive. Feb 26, 2024. Archived from the original on Feb 26, 2024.
  9. 1 2 "One Big Album". VGMdb. Nov 23, 2012. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Gamemuziek voor het goede doel". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 1 April 2011. Archived from the original on Oct 11, 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  11. 1 2 "Tag team up with Sonic again on Sonic Dash!". The Audio Guys. October 11, 2023. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022.
  12. 1 2 "Sonic Jump Fever!". The Audio Guys. July 26, 2014. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022.
  13. 1 2 "Age of Wonders: Planetfall - Dev Diary #28: The Soundtrack by Michiel van den Bos". Paradox Plaza. Feb 21, 2019. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Conspiravision: Deus Ex Remixed". Bandcamp. June 23, 2020. Archived from the original on Jan 14, 2024.
  15. ↑ Jody Macgregor (June 23, 2020). "Deus Ex's composers discuss remixing its score for the 20th anniversary". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on Dec 25, 2022.
  16. 1 2 "Dev Diary #12: Music - Creating the Age of Wonders 4 OST". Paradox Plaza. April 6, 2023. Archived from the original on Feb 26, 2024.
  17. 1 2 Mikhail Madnani (2023-11-30). "'Sonic Dream Team' Interview – Studio Creative Director Dan Rossati on the Game's Vision, Cream and Rouge Being Playable, Platform Choices, Working With Apple, and More". TouchArcade. Archived from the original on Feb 26, 2024. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  18. 1 2 Age of Wonders 4 Official (channel) (May 15, 2023). "Age of Wonders 4 LoFi Fantasy - beats to Enchant Magical Realms With". YouTube. Archived from the original on Feb 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. 1 2 "Drifting Through Static". Beatport. June 25, 2014. Archived from the original on Feb 9, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Node w/ Avant - 22nd December 2016". NTS Radio. Dec 22, 2016. Archived from the original on Feb 26, 2024.
  21. ↑ Karmali, Luke (12 May 2014). "Original Unreal Tournament Composers On Board For Reboot". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  22. ↑ Papadopoulos, John (12 August 2015). "Voidrunner – Unreal Engine 4-powered Surreal Flight Game – Gets Kickstarter Campaign". The Dark Side of Gaming. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. ↑ "The Stranger VR". Steam. Sep 14, 2020. Archived from the original on Oct 1, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Cup Stack". AppAdvice. May 1, 2015. Archived from the original on Feb 8, 2024.
  25. ↑ Mason, Mike (13 January 2013). "— Review — Samurai Beatdown". Push Square. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  26. 1 2 "Michiel van den Bos". Discogs. Jan 16, 2023. Archived from the original on Jan 16, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Epic Games 20th Anniversary Original Soundtrack". Soundcloud. April 27, 2012. Archived from the original on June 14, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.