nerdery – A Square Meal

A Square Meal: ‘City Ep’ by Ca5

Originally posted on the ChipWIN Blog on June 13th, 2019.
Edited by Erin Hood.

I’ve always had a fascination with how sounds are interpreted by other people; is it too rough, too high or too intense? Why do people like it? That’s because, in the end, and as almost everything else, music is communication. Sometimes, even without noticing it, I have ended up with my nose between sounds I didn’t fully comprehend at the first listen. Of course, the wrong context could ruin your enjoyment of some music, but there are some albums that seem to remain unchanged regardless of where you listen. That is the case with Ca5’s music. The urban landscapes with shades of drum and bass stand by its own and go straight to the point; whether you are at a rave, in the waiting room of your dentist, or enjoying the afternoon coffee. So let’s take a look over ‘City EP’ by Ca5 released through Esctrax.

A Square Meal: ‘Mirage Diary’ by scythe

Originally Posted on the ChipWIN Blog on October 17th, 2019.
Edited by Wayne Manselle.

Just lovely, that’s how anyone who has listened to scythe’s music would describe his style if you asked them. His charming melodies and upbeat rhythms enter the ears but go straight to the heart. This quality made his second album ‘Nighty Night Stories’ win the VGMOnline AGMA 2018 for Best Chiptune Album. This time scythe is back with two LSDj and a whole new batch of tunes that will warm our souls and take our minds to explore the wonders and limits of an incredible fantasy. So let’s take a look over ‘Mirage Diary’ by scythe.

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: ‘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: ‘あじたま見聞録’ (Ajitama Kenmon Roku) by 梅干茶漬け (Umeboshi Chazuke)

Originally posted on the ChipWIN Blog on January 10th, 2019.
Edited by Joseph Eidson.

Greetings! I’m Pixel Guy. When I was beginning my way on the fantastic world of chipmusic a few years ago, everything seemed to be so surreal. The ambience, the people, the hardware and techniques; it was like an anachronistic dream.

It was back then when I first knew about Chiptunes = WIN and listened to Volume 4 for the very first time. I can say that my life changed after those 3+ hours of music and that was, to a greater extent, thanks to all the marvelous artists on that compilation. One of them, 梅干茶漬け (Umeboshi Chazuke), made a really stunning creation and got my attention from the first second. When the track, and with it the compilation, was over; I was truly amazed with all the music I’d just heard. I wanted more, so I searched and listened to more content from a huge majority of all the artists that were on that Volume, and I kept an eye on Soundcloud to catch up new releases, especially from 梅干茶漬け. That’s how I began my musical adventure.
Today, I’m writing my first album review ever, and it’s something really special for me. That’s why I want to write about one of the artists who inspired me to take the musical way; so let’s take a look over ‘あじたま見聞録’ (Ajitama Kenmon Roku) by 梅干茶漬け (Umeboshi Chazuke)!