Tag Archives: chrono trigger

Friday Freakout: The World Is Square debut album released!!!

I love Final Fantasy/Square-Enix music. It’s grandly fantastic, highly emotive, cinematic music goodness on an epic scale x 1,000,000! Whether it’s the earlier compositions from the NES & SNES games (easily  my favs) or those from the more technically superior consoles of today, the music remains completely magical. And so are the awesome, musically talented, badass nerds  who remix, rearrange, and play this excellently fun music live in various forms, fashions, and instrumental configurations; there’s nothing quite like rocking out, dancing, swaying, and just getting downright weird  to a live set of this sort of awesomeness. Speaking of getting weird, I think it’s time I STFU with this extra long intro & bring you the debut album from one group of said nerdy badasses:

No Phoenix Down
Can Save You Now
by
The World Is Square

This delightfully quirky, wonderfully weird  5 member Square-Enix tribute band brings it  with 13 toe-tapping, giant grin inducing folky earjoys. Their acoustic instrument driven arrangements are strikingly different than any other band within the VGM scene; they craft their lovely covers with nothing more than keys, a Glochenspiel (!!!), several string instruments (acoustic guitar, ukulele, mandolin, & bass) and various forms of percussion. It brings a simpler, more paired down sound to what are typically extraordinarily cinematic, grand soundscapes, yet it works in a way that I never would’ve imagined possible. They’re fast becoming one of my favorite VGM acts in the scene, and hell, I haven’t even seen ’em live yet!!! :O (will be fixing that the first damn chance I get~ <3 ).

According to Lauren from TWIS it’s a damn fun experience within the group as well. “I wish you all could have seen my face when we were adding stuff together like the vocals in ‘vamo’ or the snap tracks. Standing around a mic with some of your best buds trying not to laugh is far more difficult than i thought.” Lauren goes on to say, “I’m really happy with how it (the album) turned out and honestly so flattered and overwhelmed with the amount of support and love we’ve gotten from everyone. I would have been happy recording silly youtube videos in our living room forever but this has just been a total bonus.”

If you’d like to experience some of this funtasticness first hand, be sure to come hang out/party/get weird online with the band and a bunch of other awesome nutbars (myself included most likely ;D ) during The World Is Square Interview & Album Bash at 8bitx.com on Wednesday, Sept 12th at 9pm EST.  There’ll even be chances to snag some free download codes! For the full skinny, be sure to check out the Fb event here (and invite ALL the friends!!!  ;D ):

https://www.facebook.com/events/279825558790405/

In the meantime, go listen to their lovely album, and, of course, BUY THE HELL OUT OF IT OR TONBERRYS WILL CHOP OFF YOUR JUNK WITH THEIR SCARY, SCARY KNIVES & FEED ‘EM TO UMARO!!! <– Although quite honestly, this threat is wholly unnecessary. Once you listen to the album, you’re gonna wanna buy it. <3

Also, ZOMBOCOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNN~~~!!!!!!!!!!1111!1!1

\m|♥|m/

Cutman x Complex: An oldschool hiphop/video game mixtape

I recently had the oppertunity to create a unique mix for Complex Magazine’s Video Game section. Following their E3 coverage, Complex was looking for a way to showcase the classic chiptune video game sound. Being the old school hiphop head that I am, I rounded up some of the best mashup artists who had worked with my GameChops instrumentals.

With guys like OhhhREALY and BigGanga0 from YouTube, and DJ PsyQ from Soundcloud, and some beats DJ Grumble and I put together, I set off on a hectic week of mixing, mashing, and mastering. The end result can be heard right here on Complex magazine.

I hope you enjoy the mixtape! I’ve been wanting to do something like this for ages, and I’m happy I finally got the opportunity from Complex.

Instrumental versions of the mash-up tracks can be downloaded on my album GameChops Vol. 1

Y.T. Cracker – Chrono Nurga

Y.T. Cracker, one of nerdcore’s finest, released this album in 2009, and it still holds a spot on my iTunes. Thick and thoughtful lyrics mixed over top of tight beats sampling Chrono Trigger, this free album is a must-download.

Head to this tumblr post to listen to my favorite track from this album.

Maintaining his baller-status, YT includes these spare liner notes:

shouts to the usual.
distribute at will.
all beats except magus’ theme produced by compromised and jc.
magus’ theme produced by euphonik.
album art by ry.
recorded and written in < 24 hrs stardate 20091020.

Download the album, or read the lyrics.