A Square Meal

A Square Meal: ‘Licensed & Bonded’ by Harley Likes Music

From time to time, it’s worthy to sit down and appreciate things from a different perspective. The rich contrast that comes from a wider range of experiences satisfies the curious spirits and helps to develop a solid criterion – a rational one. Of course, music is no exception to that. As there is something for every taste is inevitable to fall down the pit of the faulty generalization when something is not of our particular interest. That same fact leads us to miss valuable opportunities to expand the limits of our preferences. Today, I want to share with you a work by Harley Likes Music that will make you give a second opportunity to the rough side of the chipmusic (in case it’s not your cup of tea). The contagious rhythms and the high energy of this music are the perfect introduction to the realm of the crunchy sounds. So let’s take a look over ‘Licensed & Bonded’ by HarleyLikesMusic and released through Pterodactyl Squad.

A Square Meal: ‘愛を喜ぶ街’ by 黒魔 / Chroma

Originally Posted on theChipWI Blog on September 17th, 2019.
Edited by Joseph Eidson.

The first half of this year was full of extraordinary music releases, and the name that signs this one is a synonym of quality. For those of you that may not be familiar with Chroma’s work, the huge range of styles and emotions he’s capable to express through music have not only been translated into an astonishing combination of techniques, but also into a distinctive fusion of sounds and an incomparable ability to tell stories. Of course, all of this in the form a huge catalog of compositions. All the tracks contained in this album are charged with a strong sense of consistency and are sharpened enough to work along with each other or on its own. So let’s take a look over Chroma’s first full-length album: ‘愛を喜ぶ街’ (Ai wo Yorokobu no Machi – ‘The Town that Enjoys Love’), released through not records.

A Square Meal: ‘B (Albert Comes Over to Me)’ by tobokegao

Originally Posted on the ChipWIN Blog on May 14th, 2020.
Edited by Aydan Scott.

During my short time listening to chiptune, I’ve found a handful of iconic artists. However, today I’d like to call attention to an artist who is of particular importance to my personal chiptune journey. Responsible for one of the most iconic albums of the past decade, an avid enthusiast of chipmusic and accessories, tireless supporter of chipmusicians from all around the globe, advocate for chipmusic education, and notable Meme Master tobokegao has released a new album! Without any further ado, let’s take a look at ‘B (Albert comes over to me)’!

A Square Meal: ‘Formula Maintaied’ by Robyn A1200

Originally Posted on the ChipWIN Blog on April 16th, 2020.
Edited by Aydan Scott.

One of the greatest qualities that a musician can have is simply the ability to produce a cohesive, memorable piece. In our particular field, being able to express oneself through ‘simple’ sounds without losing a single scrap of eloquence is not only admirable but also an irrefutable sign of capability. However, since the concept of quality is not quite universal, and complexity and capability are not always in a linear relationship, there’s not an exact way to measure the first. Each person has their own formula, which is fantastic, but I think that there are some cases in which we all can agree on the value of a work. Today, I want to share one of those albums. In her latest work, Robyn A1200 offers us a huge variety of styles, mixing chiptune, house, VGM, and synthpop to the delight of her listeners. The result is astonishing, to say the least. So let’s take a look at ‘Formula Maintained’ by Robyn A1200.

A Square Meal: ‘カワイイチップチューン VS カッコイイチップチューン対決コンピレーション’ (Cute VS. Cool Chiptune)

Originally posted on the ChipWIN Blog on March 17th, 2020.
Edited by Dan Butler & Brandon L. Hood.

Confrontation is, occasionally, inevitable. Most of the time, however, we can learn from our differences and enrich our own perspective. In some cases, even highlighting these contrasting elements can be a good thing. After a spectacular showcase compilation last year, しのりゅー brings to us yet another incredible release that showcases this pixelated dichotomy. For this chapter, 56 artists explored the contrasting themes of cute and cool in their own unique styles. So let’s take a look over ‘カワイイチップチューン VS カッコイイチップチューン対決コンピレーション’ (Kawaii Chippchūn VS Kakkoii Chippchūn: Taiketsu Conpirēshon), released through novtos.