Tag Archives: 16bit

Powerglove – The Remixes


This summer I held my first remix contest. I had written this track with friend and label-mate Benjamin Briggs and had it mastered by producer/DJ 23 from Monstercat Media. Needless to say, I considered it a successful collab, I DJ’d the track at shows and it sounded great and got people moving, but in the collaboration process I had to sacrifice some ideas I had for the sake if the project as a whole. Riffs and melodic ideas that didn’t fit once there was another cook in the kitchen. What Ben and 23 came up with was so awesome and so far beyond what I had imagined myself, I decided to open up the track for a public remix contest. I wanted to hear what the track would become if even more people got involved.

Two friends of mine had started a freelance audio website AudioCatch earlier in the year and I participated as a beta tester. When they caught wind that I wanted to hold a remix contest, they were quick to help. They offered a sponsorship that funded our Grand Prize, as well as provided a platform for submitting, reviewing and judging entries.

The winning remix was by Upstate New York DJ/Producer Direktor, who I had coincidently met at my show with Excision this summer. Direktor transposed the tune and transformed it into a formidable dubstep track, loud and brilliant. But there were so many other entries that were top notch, I couldn’t stop there.

With Ben’s help, we picked out the best 6 remixes and put together this album, Powerglove: THE REMIXES. I even took some time and recreated what my “original” version of the song may have sounded like, and included it as a VIP mix for those who choose to pay for the album.

Powerglove was based very loosely off the opening riff from the Nintendo game MIG29: Soviet Fighter. GameChops is my record label for video game music, combining music production and a passion for gaming. All purchases go directly to supporting the artists and funding new music, so please purchase Powerglove: THE REMIXES if you can.

Remix stems are still available if you’d like to try your hand at remixing the original track. Check out GameChops.com for remix stems.

Perelandra Records – Tide

Netlabel Perelandra Records has released a free compilation of Chiptune fusion music, taking electronic and chip elements and mixing them with organic instruments, vocals, and other soundscapes. The album features tracks from downtempo to jazz to alt rock electronic; Tide is a diverse pallet of sounds to fit your fancy. A personal favorite of mine is the track Famicom Blues by Positive Infinity, a funky tune with clean electric guitar, chiptune arpeggios and a soaring square lead. Beautiful!

Perelandra Records is also home to Daniel Capo, the artist who’s album OST we covered back in May.

Like Perelandra Records on Facebook and visit PerelandraRecords.com for more music!

Ubiktune – Equilibrium

I stumbled upon this album by way of Brandon L Hood and the Chiptunes=WIN facebook group, and I’m still in awe. Released in April of 2011 by netlabel Ubiktune, Equilibrium is a multiple artist comp of soothing, chilled out NES chiptune, unlike anything else I’ve heard. Original Sound Version writes:

“Equilibrium features 9 talented NES chip music artists, including FearofDark, Rushjet as well as surasshu who together create a soothing soundscape of tranquility, peace and a melodic balance inspired by the sea side and docks of Japan. The songs are ripe with inspiration and full of atmosphere, making use of ingenious sound effects to create a setting rarely heard from chiptunes, let alone NES based.”

Download from Equilibrium Ubiktune

Ben Briggs – Aquarium Park

I’m pleased to announce two new tracks from GameChops artist Benjamin Briggs. The Diddy Kong Racing champ turns his focus to Sonic the Hedgehog, creating unique remixes that blend multiple sonic tunes together. Both draw inspiration from Aquarium Park from Sonic Colors.

The first track, Trash FM, combines Aquarium Park from Sonic Colors with Hydrocity from Sonic The Hedgehog 3. The result is an electro-house banger unlike Sonic fans have ever heard! The second takes the same Aquarium Park theme and puts a dub spin on it, combining it with Rusty Ruin from Sonic 3D Blast.

These two tracks are part of an ongoing initiative by the team at GameChops to provide legally licensed video game remixes. San Francisco based company Joypad Records has been instrumental in obtaining compulsory licenses from Sega, as well as license from Nintendo for last month’s Triforce of Bass.

Follow Benjamin Briggs on Twitter, Soundcloud, and Facebook. Find more of his music on Bandcamp.