It’s not the perfect sequel to the original, but it’s a solid and atmospheric game that continued the traditions of Metroid.
The Metroid series is known for its awesome music. I think I fell in love with NES music after hearing the Brinstar theme for the first time. I’ve also never been so terrified as the first time I entered a Chozo Room area and heard that creepy, alien noise start playing. It only got better as time went on; Super Metroid and Metroid Prime are two of the most amazing game soundtracks ever.
Metroid II: Return of Samus, for the most part, does not measure up to the rest of the series. However, it does have an AWESOME song in the first area. Surface of SR388 is one of the most uplifting and exciting songs I’ve ever hard on the Gameboy.
I decided I’d try my hand at building it in LSDJ just to get a handle on how it was composed. This video will walk you though it if you’d like to give it a shot. You’ll learn a lot of core concepts of LSDJ in the process. This video isn’t meant to be a full blown tutorial but it will help you look at the composing element of creating music with the Gameboy.
Sadly, the rest of Metroid II has pretty irritating music. I get that they wanted to make erie alien noises but most of it is just annoying screeches and random bits of music that just get annoying. Even with its faults, though, this is one of the best Gameboy games out there. I think it feels more alien and claustrophobic than the other Metroid titles due to the limited palette and graphics on the Gameboy.
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.
There are myriads of awesome instrumental true chip artists and bands out there, but the ones that break the norm the most are the ones that combine chip music with other genres of music and add lyrics. This article is not about the best live performing bands but rather those of the highest quality music and lyrics.
The Depreciation Guild
Download album.
Style: Shoegaze + Chiptune
Sounds like: The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Armor For Sleep (the music anyways)
If you never heard the term shoegaze, it’s a style that started in the early 90s and had to do with using layers of guitar effects and lots of keyboards to create a dense dreamy wall of sound. If you ask me, chiptune and shoegaze go together perfectly and it’s a widely unexplored area of music that has massive potential.
Heartfelt romantic chiptune? Yeah! You may recognize the names and voices of Kurt Feldman and Christoph Hochheim from their currently popular indie pop/noise rock band The Pains of Being Pure at Heart which is also riddle with nostalgic nods to the Smiths, Smashing Pumpkins and other things from the past. The Depreciation Guild is one of my all time favorite acts. They are now broken up but you can still find their albums out there for download. My favorites are Butterfly Kisses, Sky Phantoms (epic feels!) and Dream About Me.
Cheap dinosaurs
Style: Rock + Math Rock + Chiptune
Sounds like: A little bit of everything all mixed together
There’s nothing cheap about Cheap Dinosaurs. This is some high quality music here with jagged math rock tempo switches and unexpected changes. Their tracks are mostly straight-up chiptune with just some light drums and guitar augmenting them. The trippy Train Hop is one of my favorites and it has a whacky video to match.
Revengineers
Style: Post Rock + Chiptune
Sounds like: A more rockin’ Six Parts Seven, Tristezza, Solar Powered Sun Destroyer
Post rock is an instrumental style with lots of dynamic changes. I think Revengineers captures this better than any other band I’ve heard. The amazing song Laika is a prime example of this bands powerful sound. It’s emotional and uplifting and gets you banging your head at the same time.
The Flight Away
Style: Punk Pop + Electropop + Chiptune
Sounds like: Angels And Airwaves, A remix of Dangerous Summer, Owl City (just a little)
The Flight Away has some of what might be called an “emo” sound (although I hate to use the word) by some with their expressive vocals. It’s one of the catchiest chiptune rock band type groups you’ll find. I really can’t get enough of their EP.
The J. Arthur Keenes Band.
Style: Ska + Regae + Rock + Chiptune
Sounds like: 311, Elvis Costello, Dub (not step), Various other rock groups
While their name sounds like some kind of blues trio, The J. Arthur Keenes Band’s album “Computer Saavy” is a great little smattering of ska, regae and rock influences with excellent vocals and lyrics. The vocals will remind you of 311 or Solar Powered Sun Destroyer. You have to love that they have a song called, “The Bus That Couldn’t Slow Down.”
KANGAWA
Style: Noise Rock + Ambient + Post Rock + Shoegaze + Chiptune
Sounds like: Caspian, Hammock, Solar Powered Sun Destroyer, Explosions in the Sky, most Shoegaze acts
Another shoegaze+ chiptune pioneer, Kangawa combines high quality production values with lush synth backgrounds and Gameboy thumps and bass lines. Their songs range from post rock anthems to gentle yet noisy ambient tracks. There are also some surprising moments on this album that you won’t be expecting.
Super Danger Casper
Style: Punk Pop, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists if Ted was from Indonesia + Chiptune
Super Danger Casper is similar to Anamanaguchi musically, but they have wonderful emotional vocals over top of it…in Indonesian. Yeah, I have no idea what they’re saying but it sounds very endearing and emotional. I love all those rolled R sounds too. After a few listens, you’ll find yourself singing along although you have no idea what they’re saying. If you speak their language, tell them to set up a bandcamp and a soundcloud page! The song above is one of their few english songs.
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.
Philly Chip all-star Chipocrite has just released a six track chiptune tribute to The Big Lebowski titled: 8-Bit Lebowski: 100% Electronic. I had the honor of working with Chipocrite to produce and master this album, the entire thing written and performed on a single Nintendo Gameboy.
Chipocrite writes:
“8-Bit Lebowski: 100% Electronic” is a tribute to several seemingly unrelated entities that are, individually, quite important to me: chip music, one of the greatest films of all time, White Russians, flamenco re-arrangements of classic rock tunes, fake pornos, Kenny Rogers, and so much more. Although I originally performed these songs as a one-off live set at Lebowski Fest Philadelphia 2011, I quickly realized that taken as a whole, they actually make up quite a comprehensive little release. I feel like it really ties my discography together. So here you have it today, to listen at your own leisure, whether through your car’s tape deck (provided it’s not stolen), with your significant other (provided she’s not kidnapped) or during a chilled-out rug meditation session (provided the rug, also, is not stolen).
The album contains six licensed cover songs from the movie’s soundtrack, including:
“Tumbling Tumbleweeds” by Sons of the Pioneers
“The Man In Me” by Bob Dylan
“Lookin’ Out My Back Door” by Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Traffic Boom” by Piero Piccioni
“Hotel California” by The Gipsy Kings
“Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” by Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
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!
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.
