Tried to ask him the standard questions as to who was working on the soundtrack and if there will be a soundtrack release, but he wasn't talking.  I decided a fight was in order, but again failed. 

http://www.originalsoundversion.com/?p=160

Even if there wasn't much information, at least that's a fun picture.  I didn't even know there was going to be SFII arrangements in SFIV.  I tried to use Carl's comments about the SFII Tribute Album in that question there, but yeah, nothing there!

Dope picture indeed.  Those facial expressions are almost as exaggerated-looking as the game's! ;)

Good to know that there will be more audio announcements in the future. For those wanting more of an insight, this interview is quite inspiring:

"The best way to describe it would be to take the essence of the Street Fighter II soundtrack and get that nostalgic feel to it. When you talk about Street Fighter, people tend to have their own ideas of what Street Fighter II is, and if the game isn't directly in front of them when they're talking about it, they have all sorts of different memories that they go to. For instance, they picture Ryu's sprite looking much cooler than it really is--although they looked great for the time!

The music too, it's great, but people probably remember it being a lot better. What we want to do is match people's happy, nostalgic memories of it. Their idea of what Street Fighter is this big [raises hands in the air and places them around his head], and we want Street Fighter IV to be this big [spreads arms as far apart as possible]! We're going to make the game as good as they remember it, and we're going to use modern, 2008 technology in order to do it."

So, most everyone should know about the bonus CD soundtrack that's to be included with the upcoming Collector's Edition version of the game.  But it looks like Suleputer's set to release the official two-disc Original Soundtrack (CPCA-10201~2) on 2/25/09:

I'm delighted that it's getting the two disc treatment, but I guess it would have to be if they're to accommodate all of the music.  We've got the SFIV-specific level themes, themes for the four new characters (Abel, C. Viper, El Fuerte, and Rufus) and then, from what I can tell, remixed arrangements of all the returning characters from SF2.  I'm assuming, too, that the console-exclusive characters will also have their own arrangements, but the jury's still out on that one.

Personally, I'm really digging the music I've heard so far.  The Snowy Rail Yard Russian stage is particularly catchy, and I'm loving the new remixes for Zangief, Guile, and Sakura.  The Volcanic Rim stage theme, which is used here for the latest trailer (it starts about one minute into the video), is my favorite so far.

Looking forward to this too. It's my self-bought birthday present. Still no news on the composer?

Hold on, does this mean the disk with the game will be incomplete? I suppose I was naive to think it would be, but still...dang it.

Check it out, it's the console opening sequence.  It features a vocal version of the character selection theme, and an arrangement of the Volcanic Rim stage theme.  Very cool:

SF4 Opening Intro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ5WUyqHu2U

Still no word yet on the composer, but the Volcanic Rim sure sounds like old-school Capcom.

**EDIT: Did up a recording of the high quality video feed that 1UP provided.  It includes both Indestructible and the Volcanic Rim arrangement. Should at least tide us over until the Official Soundtrack hits:

Street Fighter IV - Opening Theme:
http://www.mediafire.com/?myhnzgzzmzm

And here's Exile's Japanese version of the opening vocal:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/45176.html

The song's really grown on me. :)  I can't wait to have a clean version of the character selection theme version.

I think Hideyuki Fukasawa is a good choice for composer, although I think he might not be alone. I actually think Chaos Legion is pretty overrated, but Shin Onimusha is a great score in its three disc rendition.

Ahh, glory be:

SFIV - Character Select:
http://www.mediafire.com/?jmdwdzmtnqm 

Also got a few more in-game recording for you guys.  This batch includes the following: Cammy's Theme, Character Select, Chun Li's Theme, Crowded Downtown, Ken's Theme, Sakura's Theme, Snowy Rail Yard, and The Volcanic Rim.  They're all sounding pretty awesome.

SFIV - Game Recording Samples:
http://www.mediafire.com/?tjymzm11rd3

Those playing the Japanese version of the game extensively confirms that many (but not all) characters have their own theme for the rival battles.  The ones excluded are Honda, Blanka, Dhalsim, Dan, Gen, Balrog (Boxer), Vega (Claw), and Fei Long.

There's also a Youtuber putting up all the character prologue and epilogue cutscenes featured in SFIV.  These cutscenes are more like short vignettes, but they feature tasty character theme cues, including the ones excluded above.  I hope these cues make it on the Original Soundtrack:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=jof … iew=videos

I love Fei Long's especially. :)

Well, here's the tracklisting.

http://vgmdb.net/album/11474

Doesn't look like those small cues will be making it on there, Angela.

Hm, judging from the tracklist, it doesn't look like Blanka or Dan made it, either.  Shucks.

Here's another batch of music samples.  These are the themes for the four new characters: Abel, C. Viper, El Fuerte, and Rufus.  It sounds like Fukasawa's channeling a bit of Chaos Legion in Viper, what with the use of operatic-techno, but Fuerte wins hands-down for its colorful bombast.  It's ZESTY! :)

SFIV - Game Recording Samples 2:
http://www.mediafire.com/?yyzym2gnrdx

I'm a bit surprised, but I'm not too keen on most of the character theme remixes so far. I guess I love Hideyuki Fukasawa's style and Street Fighter II's melodies, but I'm not convinced they work together. To me, the remixes make the melodies themselves feel a bit lifeless and don't have as much character or passion as the originals. A surprise since Hyper Street Fighter II Remix Tracks showed that the melodies could still sound great even with abstract arrangements. I also still have no idea why classics like Vega or Balrog didn't make it.

That said, I probably still maintain my order of the soundtrack. It's pretty good that Fukasawa's original compositions are headlining the album rather than the arrangements. They don't sound as good as his Shin Onimusha work to me, but are pretty interesting and nicely build on the approaches of soundtracks like Capcom VS SNK 2. Overall, I'd say a decent and accessible new direction for the series, but not quite the masterpiece I for some reason expected.

I'm digging the theme remixes a lot.  There's a nice techno-trance undercurrent coursing through the songs, which never threatens to dominate the classic melodies.  I've yet to hear very many SFII arrangements done up in said style, and it's pretty refreshing. I think it gels well with the rest of the SFIV music world.

But yeah, I'm enjoying the original compositions, too.  In addition to Crowded Downtown, Snowy Rail Yard, and The Volcanic Rim, I'm loving the Inland Jungle (Brazil), Old Temple (Japan), and Historic Distillery (Scotland) stages. 

Those two are especially disappointing.  Fei Long as well.  On the bright side, have you heard that the PS3 version is going to have a custom soundtrack engine feature built into the game?  I'm already culling my entire Street Fighter music collection to create a custom score.  Why restrict the themes to rival matches only? ;)

Wow, that custom music collection is a great idea. If I get a PS3 (kinda unlikely), I'd have to blend those awesome Image Album, OverClocked Remix, and Hyper Remix Tracks.

By the way, what did you think of the opening vocal track? It reminded me a lot of High School Musical for some reason. >_>

The Exile track?  Yeah, like I mentioned, it really grew on me.  You know I'm a sucker for cheesy pop vocals. ;) 

I do like Negin's English-voiced Indestructible more than lil' showy's Japanese The Next Door, though.  And again, the character selection theme variation is absolute tops.