Spencer Nilsen

Last updated
Spencer Nilsen
Born (1961-04-09) April 9, 1961 (age 63)
Occupation(s)Singer/songwriter
Video Game Music Composer
Film Composer
Film Producer
Graphic Designer
Educator
Children2

Spencer Nilsen (born April 9, 1961) [1] is an American singer/songwriter, video game music composer, film composer and producer, graphic designer, and educator. He is best known for his soundtracks to the Sega CD versions of Batman Returns , Ecco the Dolphin , Ecco: The Tides of Time , Jurassic Park , The Adventures of Batman & Robin and The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin as well as the North American version of Sonic CD . His latest work is Here and Gone an album of 10 original songs produced and engineered by Spyder James. Nilsen sang and played all the instruments on the record, with the exception of acoustic and electric guitars performed by Daniel Reiter.

Contents

Nilsen has also worked on a number of film and television scores and released a new-age album titled Architects of Change in 1989.

He is the former president of the now defunct Ex'pression College for Digital Arts in Emeryville, California, [2] and co-chairman of the board of Music in Schools Today. He was also the owner and co-founder of Illumina Studios, [3] a full-service media design and production company. Spencer currently teaches and mentors students at Sonoma Academy college prep high school in Santa Rosa, CA. [4]

Works

Video games
TitleYearSystem(s)Notes
Chakan 1992 Sega Genesis Special thanks
Ecco the Dolphin with Brian Coburn and András Magyari. Wrote new soundtrack for Sega CD version.
Greatest Heavyweights 1993Special thanks
Batman Returns Sega CD
Sonic CD American version, with David Young and Mark Crew
Jurassic Park with Barry Blum, Coburn, David Javelosa and Tom Miley
The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin with Young and Eric Martin
Joe Montana's NFL Footballwith Coburn
Ecco: The Tides of Time 1994
The Adventures of Batman & Robin 1995Animation score.
Wild Woody Music engineering, mixing and mastering
Cyber Speedway Sega Saturn Producer; special thanks
World Series BaseballSpecial thanks
Ghen War Producer
Congo The Movie: The Lost City of Zinj 1996Executive music producer
Mr. Bones Played organ
Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future 2000 Dreamcast, PS2 Music producer
Super Smash Bros. Brawl 2008 Wii Original game supervisor
Sonic Forces 2017 Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PCWriter of "Metal Sonic Fight"
Other work
YearAlbum TitlesNotes
1989Architects of Change
1990Checkfield - A View From the EdgeAssistant engineer
1992Party - Music That CooksWith various others
1994Absolutely Rose StreetShort film
Sonic the Hedgehog BoomWith various others
1995Party 2 - Music That Cooks
Sega Music Group - 1995 Sampler
1996Sega PowerCuts 1
Ecco: Songs of Time
2003No Return
2009Moonlight SonataMusic and title designer
201299%Short film
2019DNA
2022Here and Gone

References

  1. VGM Rush.
  2. Expression College for Digital Arts is a digital arts college
  3. http://www.illuminastudios.com [ dead link ]
  4. "Spencer Nilsen". www.sonomaacademy.org. Retrieved 2025-02-18.