First Time on Vinyl: Hitman: The Critical Collection by iam8bit and IO Interactive

Limited edition box set includes four killer soundtracks for the first time on vinyl

LOS ANGELES – iam8bit and IO Interactive have announced Hitman: The Critical Collection, a limited edition, 4-LP box set featuring music from the first four titles in IO Interactive’s Hitman game series, composed by BAFTA award-winning and Billboard / MTV VMA nominated Danish composer Jesper Kyd (Assassin’s Creed series, Borderlands series, Freedom Fighters). The box set will be available for pre-order on iam8bit.com on Thursday, June 6, 2019 at 10 a.m. PDT for $100. Only 2,000 sets will be available.

Hitman: The Critical Collection: https://store.iam8bit.com/products/hitman

Hitman: The Critical Collection includes soundtracks from Hitman: Codename 47, Hitman 2, Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts, and Hitman: Blood Money. The track list has also been hand-picked by Jesper Kyd . Each order includes the full digital download, plus bonus tracks not on vinyl. Orders are expected to ship Q4 2019.

Hitman: The Critical Collection Details

For the past three years, iam8bit has been covertly collaborating with developer IO Interactive and legendary composer, Jesper Kyd, on one of our most ambitious vinyl soundtrack releases to date. Hitman: The Critical Collection is unlike any videogame soundtrack you’ve listened to – a cathartic fusion of opera and electronica, weaving together timeless classics with a distinctly modern sensibility that only Kyd could conjure.

For the first time ever, the scores from the original four Hitman games have been expertly mastered exclusively for vinyl. And as a tribute to Agent 47’s distinct fashion sensibilities, we’ve tailor-fit the 4xLP in a highly custom, limited edition quad-fold package, unlike anything else in your aural arsenal.

Price: $100.00
Limited Edition of 2000
4 killer soundtracks – together for the first time!
Distinct fusion of opera and electronica, feat. live orchestra + choir
Tracklist hand-picked by BAFTA award-winning composer Jesper Kyd
Includes Full Digital Download + Bonus Tracks Not on Vinyl
Expertly Mastered by Infrasonic Sound, exclusively for vinyl
Album Art by Drew Wise

Jesper Kyd’s in-depth understanding of the iconic character Agent 47, storyline and history with the Hitman series is celebrated by fans and critics alike. His powerful blend of melodic and cinematic themes enhances the emotional and dramatic impact of each title he scored, ensuring that his music has become an integral and identifiable factor for fans of the franchise’s musical legacy.

“My work on the Hitman series really allowed me the opportunity to figure out how to get under the gamer’s skin and inside their head,” explains Kyd. “This is what I tried to achieve with the Hitman scores; they were very ambitious scores, brimming with epic ideas and a truly interior mindset for the main character. I wanted the music to sound like it could only belong in the Hitman universe. This is the place I always try to arrive at when writing music and Hitman really allowed me to go there in a big way. Hitman is where I learned how to really push the limits of what’s expected and in return ensure the score will be totally custom-made for the project.”

The original score from Hitman: Codename 47 (2000) features Kyd’s dynamic mix of electronic and cinematic music which he developed further on the darker Hitman: Contracts score. The classic symphonic score to Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (2002), regarded by many critics as some of the best orchestral music ever recorded for the genre, was recorded with 110 musicians of the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and Choir. Hitman: Contracts (2004) features Kyd’s distinct fusion of minimalist electronica and ominous grooves. Contracts was awarded the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Games Award for “Best Original Music”, the first and only time an electronic music score has been honored by the Academy. Building on these accomplishments Kyd delivered a dynamic live orchestral score for Hitman: Blood Money (2006), recorded with the 150-member Budapest Symphony Orchestra and Hungarian Radio Choir. In addition to composing and producing the choral and orchestral score, Kyd penned several acoustic and electronica-fused music tracks thus reinventing the sound of Hitman yet again.

“The musical evolution between Hitman: Codename 47 and Hitman: Blood Money is extremely vast, though they exist in the same world,” adds Kyd. “My music evolved with each game and so the music of Hitman is also a personal journey and part of my evolution as a composer. I hope you enjoy these scores as much as I did creating them. Thank you for listening.”

Nathan Stevens

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I have always enjoyed playing video games and am a programming team lead for a video game company. I co-founded Gaming Cypher because I enjoy the gaming community and would like to provide the best news service around. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will make sure to get back to you quickly.