demoscene – A Square Meal

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: ‘光のチップチューンVS闇のチップチューン対決コンピレーション’ by novtos

Originally Posted in the ChipWIN Blog.
Edited by Wayne Manselle.

Last month a vast group of chip musicians from the land of the rising sun united their forces to make an astonishing compilation featuring a theme that never gets old: Light vs. Dark. This delicious compilation is divided into two albums, each one containing the best warriors to defend their side. Which one could win? Well, with this line-up; the listener for sure. Before you pick up a camp, let’s take a look at ‘光のチップチューンVS闇のチップチューン対決コンピレーション’ (Hikari no chippchuun vs. Yami no Chippchuun – Taiketsu Conpireeshon), released through Novtos.

A Square Meal: The SOUNDSHOCK Series

Originally Posted on the ChipWIN Blog on November 12th, 2019.
Edited by Wayne Manselle.

Beyond all the glamour and pageantry of the blips & blops, a misunderstood way of making chip music has grown and bloomed away from the spotlight of the scene – yes I’m talking about FM Synthesis. Of course, this is not a complaint, as we say in Spanish: “para gustos los colores”. The point is that, most of the time, a lot of cool things happen under the surface, things that are worth talking about and, from time to time, seem to be buried in the huge mass of crunchy sounds. The album series I’m covering today is not that. I can even say that it’s well known by everyone nowadays, precisely because the intention was –and still is– to direct your attention to the music and techniques used by those incredible musicians. Today I want to go back to one of the greatest compilation series centered on the FM side of the Micro Music, Demoscene, and Chiptune. Apt for newcomers and veterans, it will make you move and ignite the fires of love and interest in this particular approach to chip musicin your soul – hoping the inferno grows so big that it encourages you to search for new music or even make your own. So let’s take a look over the ‘SOUNDSHOCK’ Series by Ubiktune.

A Square Meal: ‘The Lost Backups’ by Beek

It feels so good to be back! From time to time, the Internet can be a strange place, becoming even more strange when you pay close attention to its goings-on. Fortunately, music is an oasis that keeps us sane and helps us find a juncture to make sense of all the gibberish we find out here. Today, I want to share a little escape from all of the things that might be happening around you right now. Last month, Beek released a sweet new batch of tunes filled with funky rhythms, jazzy leads, expressive arpeggios, and notable melodic quality. The result is an enchanting mixture of styles with a nostalgic hint that will make your heart skip and will surely put a smile on your face. So let’s take a look at ‘The Lost Backups’ by Beek!

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