Category Archives: Releases

ALBUMS, MUSIC, Releases

TFM Music Maker’s Creator Shiru Releases 16-bit Synth Rock Album

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Shiru has been contributing to the retro gaming and chiptune scene since 2007 and anyone who has ever wanted to create the classic sounds of the Sega Genesis sound card owe him a huge a debt of gratitude for creating the excellent TFM Music Maker (aka VGM Music Maker).

Aside from making the best Sega Genesis tracker, he’s created homebrew SNES games, NES games and lots of other stuff. Just last week, Shiru released his first album Player Alone, a love letter to the 16-bit synth rock of games like Megaman X and Journey to Silius – that’s what it reminds me of anyways!

I totally love the album cover for Player Alone. It really fits the mood of the album perfectly.
I totally love the album cover for Player Alone. It really fits the mood of the album perfectly.

The instrumental album is a barrage of high speed synthesized guitars and pounding bass. It’s very coherent and has a theme running throughout it:

In the age of digital escapism, it is easy to view life as a video game. One is the hero of his own game. Getting through endless levels of ever changing reality, struggling with the outer and inner, continuing the everlasting chase for elusive dreams. The greatest enemy on this way that should never be allowed to ruin anything is the fear that this game is in fact a single player one.

The album art and music itself echoes the theme with a constant feeling of heroic struggle against the odds and relentless determinism. The album’s great coherency is probably its only weakness; most of the tracks kind of blend together into one long piece with a few exceptions. These exceptions are the highlights of the album in my mind. Extra Puzzle Piece and McBonus Break are two pieces that break the mold and introduce some new elements. Save Yourself has some awesome virtual shredding that is totally amazing. There is not a single weak track. From the title to the end every track will keep you moving and intent on whatever your doing. I need music like this!

Shriu’s album is for free, you can download it here. He is however trying to raise money for cancer research and you can make a donation for downloading his album here. I think we all owe this guy at least a few bucks for all he’s done for the scene over the year, and even more so if its for charity.

Get the album today!

 

BeatScribeFaceBeatscribe is a full time indie composer, musician and writer. By day he creates soundtracks for various mobile gaming companies, by night creates megaman-inspired chiptunes, in the afternoons he drinks tea.  Check out his latest releases, tutorials and retro ruminations at www.beatscribe.com.
MUSIC, Releases

A_Rival: TMNT 2012 (EP)

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ChipHop godfather A_Rival brings us three tracks EP that take the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to whole new places.

Also known as PlanetSkill, A_Rival is an electro producer from California, who has been producing music and video game remixes since 2001. His new EP is a labor of love, a tribute to the four most radical amphibians in history. A_Rival, a huge turtle fan himself, tells us “every single incarnation I love. even the really bad shit. I feel like the tv show theme song is one of the best themes ever created And the Konami Arcade game is my favorite adaption.”

And the theme holds it’s own in remix form as well. With strong arrangement and a hard-hitting production, TMNT is a force to be reckoned with. Taking the memorable theme and infusing it with a healthy dose of drum & basss, A_Rival has levelup’d the classic TMNT theme in a way that’s all his own.

The EP continues to I Wanna Be a Ninja Turtle, a nerdcore tribute to the TMNT. A story of a kid who wants to grow up to be a crime fighting turtle, the source material is taken from the Nintendo game. Check it out below, it’s bad ass:

TMNT 2012 is available from A_Rival’s Bandcamp as the ever-awesome “Pay What You Want.” You can also follow A_Rival on Twitter and Facebook.

CHIPTUNE, DANCE MUSIC, MUSIC, Releases

Dj CUTMAN Shocks the DJ World by Releasing Tracks Before The Show

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A DJ’s tracklist is a closely guarded secret by most. The common criticism of the DJ simply “playing other people’s songs” is as persistent as it is frustrating for the hard working performer. Most DJs avoid this critique by playing newly released or underground remixes of popular songs. The average club goer can recognize the song’s melody, but these tracks different enough that most of the audience assumes the DJ is manipulating the track in some way. Most aren’t. The technical job of a DJ is playing pre-recorded songs in order to create a desired atmosphere, be it a club, lounge, wedding, or rave. The Art of DJing is in the techniques, media, style, and equipment used.

Dj CUTMAN shocked the DJ World today when he released his complete tracklist, for his upcoming performance at KATSUCON. The performance, a Dubstep and Video Game rave, will be held on Saturday. The convention held annually in National Harbor, Maryland. For more information, visit katsucon’s website.

DOWNLOAD: djcutman-dubkatsu-tracklist.zip

When asked why he was doing this, Dj CUTMAN responded,

“People like hearing songs they know, right? Well why not let them hear the music before the show. All these tracks were downloaded for free from the internet anyway, might as well share the wealth.”

DOWNLOAD: djcutman-dubkatsu-tracklist.zip

So what do you think about a DJ releasing his tracks online? Let us know by posting a comment below.