Cheap Dinosaurs, the Philadelphia chiptune supergroup, have launched their first album in three years on Sunday via 8static. Triangle Trash is six incredible tracks by the band, incorporating programmed chiptunes alongside live guitar, drums, and synthesizers.
Cheap Dinosaurs is lead by Dino Lionetti, and features other notable philly chip artists Animal Style, Chipocrite, Bucky and An0va. The band has been performing since 2008.
The Sega Genesis has one of the most versatile and powerful chips of the 8-bit/16-bit era. Although tons of chip artists utilize the Genesis or FM synthesis equivalents, there isn’t as much pure Genesis chiptune releases as you might expect. Aside from the recent Flight Away album covered here, here’s a few more excellent Sega chip artists that you have to check out. These are mostly straight-up chip endeavors that really show off the power of the Yamaha YM2612 chip.
What It Sounds Like: The American Dollar, Album Leaf, Mum, Trentmoeller on your Genesis
Favorite Tracks: Origami, The Girl In the Moon
Album: Today
If freezedream’s Today album didn’t actually come on a Sega Genesis cartridge I would never believe it was pure chip. Instead of pumping up retro-synth sounds to the max, freezedream dials them back to delicate FM bells and gently humming bass lines for a post-rock, ambient chill environment that is the perfect thing to listen to first thing in the morning or to cool down mentally at the end of a long day. You’ve got to love the unexpected but surprisingly smooth key shift in “Realtime Love” too. Quality composing and synth programming make up this release. If the first track seems a little quiet or dull to you, skip ahead to the regae-influenced “See You Next Thursday” or any of the other moody, melodic tracks that compose this fine album.
What It Sounds Like: Funk, Trance and Post Rock Flavors in 16-bit
Favorite Tracks: Dark Bounce Caverns, Limitless
Jredd often collaborates with other artists on his tracks, so they range from smoky lo-fi funky grooves to epic crunchy trance tracks. From what I can tell, he’s strictly a “for fun” artist too, his stuff can be downloaded for free and will definitely work their way into your favorites. Most of his tracks are available over at µCollective.
Sounds Like: Little bits of modern music mixed with funky in-game themes.
Favorite Tracks: Factory Life, Solar Surfing
Album: Stone Soup
Linde’s music has a lot of different influences. It’s hard to put a label on them. Some tracks sound like old school break-ish stuff while some of the stand out tracks like Factory Life and Solar Surfing sound like something straight out of an old Genesis game. The album closer, Not Reading, is a nice chill way to end out of pretty high-energy and melodic album.
Sounds Like: A 90’s arcade shooter soundtrack
Favorite Tracks: Outer Trace, Lame FAQs
Album: Trenchvent
Animal Style captures that bouncy bass sound that drove every Sonic song into your head for all time. It’s a fun and nostalgic trip that reminds of every 90’s side-scrolling space shooter I ever played. The songs have enough variety to keep you from getting bored too. Give each song a chance, as there are lots of unexpected bits towards the ends of many of them, like trippy drums that throw you off a bit and other fun changes.
Want to make your own? Check out this post we did a while ago on how to start creating some classic Genesis sounds with a tracker or even in a modern DAWS.
Beatscribe 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.PAX EAST 2013 IS NIGH (March 22-24th, i.e. THIS WEEKEND!!!)
AND I’M WAY TOO EXCITED TO TYPE UP A COHERENT INTRO TO THIS POST SO STRAIGHT TO THE RELEVANT DEETS:
Straight from the mouth of MAGFest’s very own Nick the Newbie:
“What in the ever loving shit is “Jamspace”? Jamspace is music all day every day during pax. We’ve got chiptunes, live video game cover bands, DJs, and even open jam time with provided instruments. We’ve got guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard for playing, or you can even bring your own instruments! Follow @MAGFest on twitter for updates of what’s going on all weekend.”
Fri-Sun schedule:
Friday, 3-5pm: The World Is Square, Random aka MegaRan
Saturday, 3-5pm: Lords of Thunder, Armcannon
Sunday 1-3pm: OverClocked University, Crashfaster
Regarding the bulk of the scheduled chipmusic shows happening in the Jamspace…
B8B Presents: PAXE Chiptune 2013
Boston8Bit is once again bringing a KILLER chiptune lineup to the PAX East Jamspace. In case you can’t read the SUPER SEKSAY flyer just to the left there, here’s the full Friday & Saturday 11:30am – 2:30pm EST lineup!
Friday:
Dj CUTMAN | Disasterpeace | Br1ght Pr1mate | D&D Sluggers | MC Facepalm | Glenntai
Sat:
Danimal Cannon | Cheap Dinosaurs | Active Knowledge | Doomcloud | RobotSexMusic | Sam Mulligan
Visuals by:
Animal Style | Invaderbacca | VJ Guybrush
Dj: Decktonic
And if that’s not enough MOST EXCELLENT chipmusic for you (it’s NEVAR enough!), or you’d like a chance to perform your own chipmusic at an open mic event…
B8B & ChipWIN Presents: CHIPstage
A very first for PAX East, the CHIPstage is essentially a separate Jamspace for chipartists & Djs! Bring your chippy and/or electronic jams & showcase ’em LIVE AT PAX!!!
On top of that, there’ll also be a good chance of any or all of the following happening at CHIPstage:
In summation, NONSTOP ZOMBOCON. 8)
Follow @ChiptunesWIN & @BOSTON8BIT on Twitter for updates during the craziness.
What? Really? That’s still not enough? You want another party to go to on Saturday night?
WELL FINE HERE YOU GO~
LeaguePodcast & Rock On! Concerts present:
|Mega Ran | Active Knowledge (Boston8Bit) | Shane Hall | Gage | Weird Die Young|
This badasstastic music PARTAY is going down at The Cavern Club At The Hard Rock Café.
Doors at 8pm EST, $10 to get in. Tickets here.
What? You want a Sunday night afterparty too? OKAY!!!
LeaguePodcast & Rock On! Concerts Present:
The Protomen
MC Frontalot
Br1ght Pr1mate
The World Is Square
This fantabulous shindig of WIN is happening at the Middle East Restaurant & Nightclub.
Doors at 7pm EST, $15 to get in. Tickets here.
Seriously y’all, if you don’t get enough VGM/chip jammage in & around PAX East this year (including the AWESOME PAX East main stage lineup HERE) IT’S NOBODY’S FAULT BUT YOUR OWN.
And if you can’t come, don’t be a sad panda about it! Just tune into geekbeatradio on UnregularRadio to catch the livestream of the FULL SCHEDULED JAMSPACE LINEUP (chip & VGM shows) & as much of the CHIPstage as they can grab! There’ll be *SOMETHING* PAX East broadcasting on the UR Fest channel throughout the whole party. GOOD TIMES.
I mean, srsly gaiz, THIS IS AN EPIC F*CKTON OF STUFF. We’re all probably going to survive PAXE 2013 this year, but JUST BARELY. 8) In other words…
ZOMBOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON~
~SEE YOU THERE~
Much \m|♥|m/,
President Hoodie
EDIT: Just so this post has EVERYTHING (& just in case you don’t pay attention to the front page of the PAXE website… :3 ), here’s a schedule of the main stage acts as well!
Friday 3/22, 8:30pm – 1:30am:
| VGO | Those Who Fight | The Protomen |
Saturday 3/23, 8:30pm – 2am:
| Sam Hart | MC Frontalot | Jonathan Coulton | Paul and Storm |
————————————————————————————–
Relevant linkage:
MAGFest Presents: Jamspace
B8B Presents: PAXE Chiptune 2013
B8B & ChipWIN Presents: CHIPstage
Saturday Night Afterparty
Sunday Night Afterparty
PAXE Main Stage Concerts
MAGFest
Boston8Bit
geekbeatradio
Chiptunes = WIN
#freakstyle
Crossposted to the ChipWIN Blog HERE for extra awesome & ZOMBOCON. 8)
Live chip music preview by emily k feder
Melt away that winter chill at 8static on February 9th!! This month we will bring you four amazing performers; all debuting new material live at this show!!
Scene chameleon, Doomcloud, may perform under many different monikers, but this time he will be completely redefining an existing one! Presenting his live debut of all-live hardware, NES dance music, you could almost call this Doomcloud 2.0! Don’t let the name or platform change interrupt your perception of what will be an amazing groove session as we close out the night in style!
Local legend, Ro-Bear, will be bring us some all-new jams this time. Known for producing some of the most elegant and lyrical music on the Gameboy, we can’t wait to see what he has in store for us this show!
Ricky Brugal may be a new name to 8static, but he definitely isn’t a new face. Performing twice before in the past under Da Pantz, Ricky Brugal will making his 8static debut not only with a change in names, but also in style! His musical autobiography has changed pace to reflect his true-life experience and we look forward to seeing his performance!
Philadelphia’s Cutman may be better known for his chiptune and VGM remix work as Dj CUTMAN, but at this show he will be debuting his set of all-original music for the first time at 8static! Don’t be late as he will be opening the performance with his new jams!
Coming all the out from Seattle, we welcome demoscene player, Guybrush on visuals!! Formerly of Northern Dragons demo group, we are honored to have him make his east coast performance debut at 8static!! Aside from visuals, Guybrush will also be hosting our workshop, giving us a demoscene rundown and some examples of his work!
Our after-party upstairs at The Institute Bar down the block will be a special performance by, Dj CUTMAN, temporarily suspending his hiatus to hang with us!! Also don’t forget, as an 8static patron your bill will be 10% off!
Admission will be a sliding scale of $7-$10 & doors are at 7pm. Those that support 8static with a $10 admission fee will receive a special sticker exclusive to this month’s show! Spread the word and get your friends to join us at another amazing 8static at PhilaMOCA!!!
Can’t make it out to Philly? Listen to the live stream on Arecibo Radio and experience the show as it happens!
RSVP at our Facebook event: Invite your friends here!!
