Kenneth Young (Scottish composer)


Kenneth Young, also known as Kenneth C. M. Young or Kenny Young, is a Scottish freelance audio director, composer, sound designer and writer. He is best known for his award winning work as the Head of Audio at video game developer Media Molecule, including the games LittleBigPlanet, LittleBigPlanet 2, Tearaway and Tearaway Unfolded.

Early life and education

Young was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and had a strong musical upbringing, learning the violin from the age of six, but chose not to pursue performance as a career and instead went on to study an undergraduate degree in Music Technology at the University of Edinburgh. That course introduced him to working creatively with sound and he went on to gain an MA in Sound Design at Bournemouth University for which he received a distinction.

Career

Young began his professional career in 2004 working as a junior sound designer in the centralised audio department of Sony London Studio. He worked on a broad range of different gaming experiences and hardware platforms, from action-adventure games such as ' and Heavenly Sword to more family-friendly and innovative titles such as '. He has described this period as "an apprenticeship" and a "baptism by fire" which stood him in good stead for his future game audio work.
Young left Sony in 2007 and joined startup video game developer Media Molecule to establish their audio department and "make LittleBigPlanet sound awesome".
The audio experience in LittleBigPlanet was very well received, garnering an exceptional eight GANG award nominations in 2009, more than any other game that year, and four academy nominations. Young and fellow composer Mat Clark won the GANG awards for Best Original Instrumental and Best Interactive Score.
For LittleBigPlanet 2, Young built upon the eclecticism of the original's soundtrack by working with six other composers, the results of which achieved a nomination in 2012 for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.
Tearaway's folk-infused soundtrack received a 2014 British Academy Video Games Award nomination for Original Music and is notable for its hand-made aesthetic, being written and performed entirely by Young and co-composer Brian D'Oliveira. Kotaku's Kirk Hamilton considered it one of the best video game soundtracks of 2013, writing "It's jarring to hear out-of-tune instruments in a video game; we've become so accustomed to pitch-perfect digital performances that any hint of humanity is startling. I'd like to be startled like this more often".
On 27 February 2015, Young announced that he was leaving Media Molecule to pursue a freelance career.

Works

Gameography

GameYearPlatformDeveloperCredit
Knights and Bikes2019PlayStation 4, Microsoft WindowsFoam SwordAudio designer
Astro Bot Rescue Mission2018PlayStation VRSIE Japan StudioComposer
WonderWorlds2017iOSGlowmadeComposer, sound designer
Tethered2016PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC ViveSecret SorceryComposer, sound designer
Tearaway Unfolded2015PlayStation 4Media MoleculeAudio director; composer with Brian D'Oliveira
LittleBigPlanet 32014PlayStation 3, 4Sumo DigitalSpecial thanks; composer with Si Begg, Chrome Canyon, Mat Clark, Brian D'Oliviera, The Emperor Machine, Jim Fowler, Joe Henson, Winifred Phillips, David Poore, Alexis Smith, Paul Thomson, Ugress
Run Sackboy! Run!2014iOS, Android, PlayStation VitaFirespriteComposer with Christoffer Berg, Mat Clark, Joe Henson, Alexis Smith, Keith Tenniswood
Tearaway2013PlayStation VitaMedia MoleculeHead of audio; composer with Brian D'Oliveira
LittleBigPlanet Vita2012PlayStation VitaDouble Eleven, Tarsier StudiosSpecial thanks; composer with Todd Baker, Christoffer Berg, Joe Henson, Richard Jacques, Tobias Lilja, Dominic Parker, Winifred Phillips, David Poore, Alexis Smith, Stakula, Paul Thomson
LittleBigPlanet Karting2012PlayStation 3United Front GamesComposer with Mat Clark, Winifred Phillips, Richard Jacques, Keith Tenniswood
LittleBigPlanet 22011PlayStation 3Media MoleculeAudio lead; composer with Baiyon, Richard Jacques, Keith Tenniswood, Daniel Pemberton, Winifred Phillips, Paul Thomson
LittleBigPlanet2008PlayStation 3Media MoleculeAudio designer; composer with Mat Clark, Daniel Pemberton
Heavenly Sword2007PlayStation 3Ninja TheoryDialogue dubbing editor
'2006PlayStation 2SCE Cambridge StudioCinematic Sound Designer
Gangs of London2006PSPSCE London StudioSound designer
Go! Sudoku2006PSPSCE London StudioComposer with Alistair Lindsay, Dave Ranyard
'2006PlayStation 2SCE London StudioSound designer
'2005PlayStation 2SCE London StudioSound designer
Fired Up2005PSPSCE London StudioSound designer
'2005PlayStation 2SCE London StudioSound designer; composer with Alistair Lindsay, Dave Ranyard
'2004PlayStation 2SCE London StudioSound designer
'2004PlayStation 2SCE London StudioSound designer

Albums

The official video game soundtrack album for Tearaway was released alongside the game as a pre-order bonus on 22 November 2013. The album was later made available via the PlayStation Network.
The official video game soundtrack album for Tearaway Unfolded was released alongside the game on 8 September 2015 via the PlayStation Network and on 16 October 2015 via iTunes.
The official video game soundtrack album for Tethered was released alongside the game on 27 October 2016 via the PlayStation Network and on 27 February 2017 via Steam.
The official video game soundtrack album for WonderWorlds was released on 11 December 2017.
The official video game soundtrack album for Astro Bot Rescue Mission was released on 30 January 2019.

Writing

Young started the website gamesound.org in 2005 "as a useful resource for those who work in, aspire to work in, or wish to learn more about game sound". Most of his own writing featured on the site is focused on the subject of the use of voice in games. He has twice won the GANG Best Game Audio Article Publication or Broadcast award for his articles The Use of Voice in Portal 2 and The Mix in The Last of Us.
He has also written for designingsound.org, and contributed a chapter to the book Production Pipeline Fundamentals for Film and Games, edited by Renee Dunlop, entitled The Game Audio Pipeline.
Young was co-writer of Tearaways and Tearaway Unfoldeds voice script with the game's lead creator, Rex Crowle.

Awards and nominations

YearResultAwardCategoryWork
2020NominatedIGFExcellence in AudioKnights and Bikes
2020NominatedGANGBest Sound Design In An Indie GameKnights and Bikes
2020NominatedGANGBest Game Audio Article Publication or Broadcast
2020NominatedMCV/DevelopAudio Innovation of the YearKnights and Bikes
2019NominatedGame Audio AwardsBest Game MusicAstro Bot Rescue Mission
2019WonGuildford Games AwardsCreativeAstro Bot Rescue Mission
2018NominatedHMMAOriginal Song - Video GameAstro Bot Rescue Mission
2018NominatedGANGBest Music for an Indie GameWonderWorlds
2017NominatedGANGBest Interactive ScoreTethered
2017NominatedGANGBest Game Audio Article Publication or Broadcast
2016NominatedGANGMusic of the YearTearaway Unfolded
2016NominatedTIGABest Audio DesignTearaway Unfolded
2015WonGANGBest Game Audio Article Publication or Broadcast
2014NominatedBAFTAOriginal MusicTearaway
2014WonGANGBest Handheld AudioTearaway
2014NominatedGDCBest AudioTearaway
2014NominatedSXSWExcellence in Musical ScoreTearaway
2014NominatedGolden JoysticksBest AudioTearaway
2014NominatedGMAsOutstanding Achievement: In-Game MusicTearaway
2014NominatedGMAsBest Soundtrack: WesternTearaway
2014WonIGNBest PS Vita SoundTearaway
2014WonThe Vita LoungeBest SoundtrackTearaway
2012NominatedAIASOutstanding Achievement in Original Music CompositionLittleBigPlanet 2
2012NominatedGANGBest Use of Licensed MusicLittleBigPlanet 2
2012NominatedGDCBest AudioLittleBigPlanet 2
2012WonGMAsOutstanding Achievement: Licensed MusicLittleBigPlanet 2
2012NominatedNAVGTROriginal Light Mix Score, FranchiseLittleBigPlanet 2
2012WonGANGBest Game Audio Article Publication or Broadcast
2009NominatedBAFTAOriginal ScoreLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedBAFTAUse of AudioLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedAIASOutstanding Achievement in Sound DesignLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedAIASOutstanding Achievement in SoundtrackLittleBigPlanet
2009WonAIASOutstanding Achievement in Character PerformanceLittleBigPlanet
2009WonGANGBest Interactive ScoreLittleBigPlanet
2009WonGANGBest Original InstrumentalLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedGANGAudio of the YearLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedGANGMusic of the YearLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedGANGSound Design of the YearLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedGANGBest Original Vocal: ChoralLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedGANGBest Use of Licensed MusicLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedGANGBest DialogueLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedGDCBest AudioLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedTEC AwardsOutstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Entertainment Sound ProductionLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedSpike VGAsBest Original ScoreLittleBigPlanet
2009NominatedSpike VGAsBest SoundtrackLittleBigPlanet