Culture Voyage - Electroecstasy

Artist Website: Culture Voyage
Netlabel Website: N/A

Track list:

1 - Genesis

2 - Electroecstasy

Download links: [Bandcamp]

It's been quite a while since I've had a chance to update this blog with any new music, so let's get right to it. Today's choice is a short one (a single), but definitely worth listening to in my opinion.

While I couldn't appreciate it much at the time, I've developed a strong appreciation for 80's pop culture over the last few years. Something about that decade's music, movies, television and overall fashion seems to strike a chord with me, and really makes me sit up and take notice. It was for this reason that I fell in love with Neon Neon's Stainless Style last year when it was introduced to me (here's a sample if you're interested), and it's for this same reason that I've really enjoyed the newest single from Atlanta-based musician Culture Voyage, Electroecstasy.

Right from the get-go, the opening bell tones and warm crackling sound of a vinyl record grabbed my attention, and I the laser sound effects in the background were a nice touch as well. As the main riff entered, I suddenly felt like I should be heading over to Flynn's Arcade to play a few games of Space Harrier, or perhaps watch some Tales of the Darkside while wearing my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt. I also appreciated the beat underneath the synth notes, which really helps to drive the track and keep it from getting boring.

The next (and final) track on the single, Electroecstasy didn't entice me quite as much as Genesis did, but it was still quite a solid song, and similar to the first track in many ways (running synth notes, driving synth drum beat, cracking static in the background). Both tracks will give any 80's buff a double-dose of nostalgia.

You can stream the single and download it for free at the Bandcamp address listed at the top of this entry.

Be sure to keep checking back here for more updates. I'm not planning a set schedule for new reviews, but I do plan to update this more often.

Music that's actually worth buying: Souleye - PPPPPP (Soundtrack to VVVVVV)

Artist Website: Souleye

Track list:
00 - Pending Silence (0:02)
01 - Powerup (0:03)
02 - Presenting VVVVVV (2:40)
03 - Pause (0:08)
04 - Pushing onwards (3:39)
05 - Path complete (0:09)
06 - Passion for exploring (2:52)
07 - Positive force (2:48)
08 - Predestined fate (2:11)
09 - Phear (0:17)
10 - Potential for anything (3:43)
11 - Pressure Cooker (3:27)
12 - plenary (game complete jingle) (0:22)
13 - Pipe dream (2:22)
14 - Popular potpourri (6:09)
15 - Positive force reversed (2:48)
16 - Waiting for VVVVVV (0:56)

purchase link: [PPPPPP]

Welcome to another installment of a series I like to call "Music that's actually worth buying." Today I decided to feature the album PPPPPP, which is the soundtrack to indie video game VVVVVV. The artist's name is Magnus Pålsson, but goes by the alias of Souleye.

I fell in love with video games long before I developed even a passing interest in music. By the time I turned three years old, I ate, breathed, and slept Nintendo. Nowadays, I feel like I've almost built up a tolerance for gaming, as it takes something really special to get me excited like I used to. Recently I started searching for smaller, low-budget indie games and came across VVVVVV, one of the most fun platformers I've played in a very long time. Not only was the game engaging, but the soundtrack was a blast to listen to as well. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that not only was the sountrack up for sale on the artist's website, but it was being offered at a very reasonable price!

I won't delve into the actual game this soundtrack complements, although at a price of $15, the game is well worth the purchase as well. The music is incredibly catchy and is guaranteed to bring out intense feelings of nostalgia in gamers who can remember when Sega made actual game consoles. The nice thing about PPPPPP is that even if you have never played the game, you'll still probably enjoy this album. This is a collection of some of the best chiptune songs I've ever heard, and at the criminally low purchase price of $4, you'd be crazy to pass this one up. If you are interested in listening through the album before you buy it, I found a channel on Youtube that has every single song on the album available as Youtube videos.

I have several favorite tracks on this album, with each one having a very different feel from the last. the song that plays during the opening title screen, Presenting VVVVVV is a very subdued tune, without a lot of complex melodies. However, the upper notes that start playing about a minute into the song take it to the next level (har har har). Pushing Onwards picks up the pace, while Passion For Exploring is often heard while the player is exploring the overworld within the game. However, I think my favorite tracks are Predestined Fate (numerous note runs building on top of a techno beat) or Potential For Anything.

If you are a fan of chiptune music, definitely give this a listen. If you are like me and love indie games or nostalgic 8-bit games, you must buy the game, then go buy the album. Together, it'll only set you back around $20.

Electric Sea Spider - The Thief

Artist Website: Electric Sea Spider at Myspace
Netlabel Website: Mine, All Mine! Records

Track list:

1 - Rico's Theme
2 - And Start West
3 - The Looming Alleys
4 - Chinatown
5 - Snowfield
6 - Augustus Sebastian The Murderer
7 - Stethoscope
8 - Tear
9 - Arrowfrog
10 - Yolk (Cut Up Sounds From '66)
11 - Rubik's Cube
12 - Mollusk

Download links: [Torrent] [MP3] [FLAC]

"Electric Sea Spider makes his long-awaited return to mam!records with this amazing set of electronic tracks. Often mixing trip-hop, ambient and idm sounds, Electric Sea Spider has created an album that will keep you hitting repeat." -Blog entry from Mine, All Mine! Records

The Thief is the 93rd album released from veteran netlabel Mine, All Mine! Records, and the third release on said netlabel from Electric Sea Spider. As always, I approach any music labeled "Electronic" with a little apprehension due to my lack of exposure to it, but in this case, Electric Sea Spider has met and exceeded my expectations.

The album starts off fittingly enough with Rico's Theme, which is what I assume to be the "trip-hop" mentioned in the MAM blog description (I can't say for certain because I've never really listened to trip-hop, but if that's what this track is, then I like it). And Starts West is a little more familiar with what I've come to know as IDM from artists such as Xihilisk and Aphex Twin. While the percussion beat is quite impressive on this track, the floating, ethereal harmonies from above really give the piece direction.

The Looming Alleys might be my favorite track on the album. Certain songs such as this one have a way of completely taking me out of my element and transporting me to another plane of consciousness. I'm not sure exactly what distinguishes tracks such as this one from others like it, but I always appreciate finding a gem like this on a new album.

Chinatown utilizes some interesting choices of vocal sampling, while Snowfield relies on its engaging piano melodies rather than the traditional heavy percussion to provide the foundation for the song.

The rest of the album is just as much fun to listen to as the first half which I described, and although I am the type of person to usually skip around songs to find the ones I like, I didn't feel the need to do that at all with this album. Electric Sea Spider's The Thief is another wonderful example of the electronic genre, and a great album to listen to in almost any setting. A great work for newcomers and veterans of the genre alike.

Stagedivehighfive - Everybody Has Their Highs And Lows

Artist Website: Stagedivehighfive at Myspace
Netlabel Website: Nite Owl Records

Track list:

1 - I Love You
2 - She Dumped Me..Finally
3 - Tragedies Happen
4 - Wreck Da Couch
5 - I Eat Bitches for Breakfast, Bitch
6 - Bloody Monsters

Download links: [MP3] [Stream]


Along with my woeful ignorance of IDM/electronica music until recently, I was also unaware that there were musicians out there making 8-bit music (think original Nintendo game soundtracks). Apparently this is not a rare occurrence either, as the act of using gaming sound chips to make music is big enough to warrant its own genre: Chiptune. While there are netlabels out there with their entire catalog being made up of nothing but chiptune music (and I'll probably touch on some of them in the future), today I focused my attention on the newly formed Nite Owl Records and their first proper release, Everybody Has Their Highs And Lows by Stagedivehighfive.

While this music may not appeal to everybody (I find it hard to envision drunken fratboys cruising the town with this blasting in their car speakers), I find it strangely charming. It might have something to do with my long history with Nintendo systems, but each track I listen to makes me nostalgic for classic gaming. For example, when I being listening to She Dumped Me..Finally, it immediately brings to mind the training sequence of the classic NES boxing title "Punch-Out".

This music is not all about the nostalgic factor though. If you sit and really listen to each track from start to finish, you'll hear a multitude of 8-bit noises being used as building blocks to construct each song. These songs can get extremely intricate, not only in song structure, but also in the number of noises utilized and how they are layered into the music.

While a few of the tracks such as Bloody Monsters and Wreck Da Couch have openings that are slightly grating and might deter casual listeners, other tracks like Tragedies Happen are incredibly easy on the ears and might actually bring a smile to your face (in fact, I'd go so far as to say the aforementioned Tragedies Happen is so well constructed that it could have easily been utilized in a video game soundtrack of the era).

If you've never listened to any chiptune music (or if, like me, you had no idea that it was even a musical genre), I'd say Stagedivehighfive is a great jumping-off point for people looking to get deeper into the genre. Go download the album, or if you would like to listen to it before you download it, click the button above listed [Stream].

Xihilisk - Instruction Manuals for Impossible Machines

Artist Website: Xihilisk on Myspace
Netlabel Website: CXCRSIX

Track list:

1 - IDMisdead

2 - Sleep Patterns
3 - Argonaut
4 - Bloodshot
5 - Cocodamol
6 - Venice is Burning
7 - Aurora Rework
8 - Suitable For Vegetarians

Download links: [MP3]


Less than a year ago, I was under the impression that the electronic genre was made up of nothing more than obnoxious bass beats that were repeated ad nauseum over gigantic woofers in clubs. Then I discovered an electronic artist by the name of Xihilisk and a little "best of" compilation he had put together called FUCK THE RIAA! Seeing as I have no love for the RIAA, the title immediately grabbed my attention, and thought that since Xihilisk was kind enough to release his music for free I'd give it a listen (even though I wasn't expecting much).

The first track on the album was titled Argonaut, and to this day remains one of my all-time favorite electronic tracks. I did some scrounging around on the Internet but couldn't seem to find a public copy of FUCK THE RIAA!, so I decided to review another album which features Argonaut, Instruction Manuals for Impossible Machines.

This album really does run the gamut of emotions, starting with a jazzy feel in IDMisdead, and moving to an ethereal realm of electric guitars in Sleep Patterns. I realize that Argonaut is not going to be everyone's favorite track, but for me it holds that special moment of realization for me that just because some music is created digitally doesn't mean it can't be really good and stir powerful emotions in its listeners. For me, that track brings out a powerful feeling of wandering and loneliness, although I assume it'll be different for every listener. The rest of the album continues to delight as well, although starts to delve off into experimental with tracks like Venice is Burning and Suitable For Vegetarians. This is no problem for me personally, since it reminds me of the work of Buckethead, one of my favorite artists.

Overall, Instruction Manuals for Impossible Machines is a solid electronic album, and if you haven't given electronic or IDM a chance, check it out, you might actually be surprised like I was. All of Xihilisk's records are available on his myspace page via a blog entry, and you can also check out his netlabel which features other great artists by the link at the top of this post.