Guest Review| Auxcide - Omnia

With Andrew Kilpatrick gallivanting across Europe, Bertrand Guérin-Williams has stepped up to review the upcoming double album release by Auxcide (the first part of which comes out later today). Taking the position flawlessly, TWG are very grateful and excited to introduce our first guest review (in what will hopefully be a long line!)

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Auxcide has been busy since December. For Omnia, his latest release, he’s written two albums’ worth of fairly consistent material acting as a soundtrack for a fictional video game. Within, Bryan Dobbins, aka Auxcide, throws his hat in the already overflowing chip/VGM ring with as much flair as he can muster.

The clear focus on thematic melodies, leitmotifs, and a healthy dosage of grandeur lends itself to this album’s structure due to its positioning as a soundtrack. As with past releases, Auxcide utilizes a narrative-grouping structure to order tracks. For instance, the smooth transitions between the first three and last two tracks allow for some awe-inspiring moments in the songs they lead into. The sweeping, introductory duo of 'Past Beginnings' and 'The Not So Distant Memory' crash into the bass and percussion hits of 'Deep Space Drifting' to create a powerful opener. It works as a reminder that, though Omnia is a 'soundtrack,' Auxcide is still writing the music with all the typically lavish trappings his style usually employs. 'Starship Nova' and follow-up 'Horizon Line' both exemplify this; they’re thematically tied to the songs around them, but retain the danceable-yet-intense nature of Auxcide's previous work. The rhythms and memorable solos draw the listener in; most notable are the slow, steady melodies in 'Spectrum' that soar above pulsating backgrounds or the searing main synth that counterbalance the cathartic rise and fall of chords in 'Omnia' in hypnotic fashion.

Omnia's striking melodies show Auxcide's progress from his previous double release SPECK/PIXEL, and EP [Dimensions]. Whereas his original songs there sounded relatively similar, many on Omnia have distinct melodic and stylistic differences. Nowhere is this contrast more obvious than in the format change between discs. For the first disc, Dobbins uses three copies of LSDJ on GBA SPs MIDI-synced with synths, a drum machine, and an effects pad. However, the second disc brings the power of LSDJ and his composition skills to the fore. Stripping out the synths in Gameboy-only tracks on the second disc like “Horizon Line” show off effective use of LSDJ’s limited track economy and the wide variety of textures and sounds he can pull out of LSDJ.

The frenzied nature of his music has drawbacks, though. Like SPECK and PIXEL, after listening to this album for a while, the distorted sounds Dobbins often uses begin to grate. While he does allow respite in songs like 'Nihil,' the abrasive noise and WAV channel instruments characteristic of his sound, doubled with the album length, eventually wear. So too does the somewhat repetitive nature of his sound; reliance on danceable, recursive styles in rhythms and thematic 16th-note arpeggios becomes glaringly apparent after a while. Since this is a faux-soundtrack, similarities between some songs are inevitable, but the fact that Dobbins isn’t more eclectic with his track listing is becoming a trend following the release of two double albums in a row.

This problem is particularly evident in his choice to leave in the middling song 'Second Strike'. The song is short enough to be inoffensive, but it doesn’t fit in the album's context, and is especially out of place being surrounded by 'Horizon Line' and 'Nihil', two songs that follow the echoic, vast themes seen in almost every other song on this album. 'Star-Crossed Stars' is another questionable inclusion. The intro and bridge —though reminiscent of older VGM’s simplicity—don’t follow the trend of the rest of Omnia which is built on taking old VGM tropes and fusing them with modern dance conventions.

Omnia moves away from these problems by experimenting with comparatively unique sounds. 'Heavy Cannons' takes a deeper stab at hardcore and progressive trance styles briefly flirted with on SPECK's 'Varia'. While the emotive intro mimics piano, the bulk of the song churns and roars like an army en route. In contrast, the 80s sci-fi noir, Infinity Shred style of 'Starship Nova (Infinity Mix)' is an example of where Auxcide could go next. Though not the album's best, it's an interesting filter to hear Auxcide's typically chaotic style through.

Auxcide does alleviate some of the repetition within songs with solos during and melodic breakdowns between “looped” sections. Overall, however, Omnia sometimes falls into the same traps as his previous releases, becoming repetitive over time. Don’t let the negatives scare you away, though: a clearer focus on memorable, melodic songs and the interesting new directions dabbled with carry this release. Everyone will find more of what makes Auxcide great, and VGM composers should take note of Omnia as a varied and unique approach to the field.

Favourite track: Heavy Cannons
Grab part one of the release here.

Review| Ramyn King - The Teal Album

Influential British label Pterodactyl Squad is releasing a power pop/rock album. The Teal Album is Ryan King's, aka Ramyn King, debut release under the moniker, having previously worked under many different others, VGMing since '09. However, for a release on one of the oldest and most important chiptune labels going, there is a surprising lack of chiptune here, but that's not to say what makes up the rest isn't fantastic.

The Teal Album perpetuates itself as the culmination of early Weezer mixed with Megaman soundtracks. Whilst the Megaman influences don't shine through, Ramyn King does manage to create a series of brilliant Weezer tributes with enough electronic flairs and new musical ideas to raise itself above simple fan-boy copycatisms. 'Kyofu' opens with almost math rock tones before getting all 'anime opener'. The track then hits a peak when vocals spitting the album's catchiest hooks and arena-rock level bridges collide; Foo Fighters via Weezer in a synth shop. 'YUKO' ends the album on a high, with sliding electronic tones that slowly reign dissonant before building into a powerful and unfathomably catchy closer, as backing vocal 'oohs' give the closing power pop moment some serious melodic bite.

Elsewhere Weezer infulences are even more prominent. 'mm4.nsf track-11' sounds dangerously close to 'No One Else' in its introductory sections, before Ramyn takes a diversion and turns rock-opera in the electronics, before ending in shoegaze atmospheres and vocals. Also, opener 'password screen' does a fantastic job of anchoring the rest of the album, with a track so Blue Album that if it were released by the LA quartet this year it'd be considered a comeback. The lyrics on a whole follow their patterns too, pondering subjects from playing videogames in pants to fucking on the floor. The vocals always sound incredible though, in fact bar some of the detached sounding electronic components, the production on the album as a whole is genuinely astounding.

The album does take a slight quality dip with 'vitamin d actually prevents acne' and 'last magdalene'; the former featuring the least affective hooks on the album and the latter taking an odd stylistic shift and going Smashing Pumpkins in its 90s alt moodiness, to the track's detriment. Even with the slight dead weight of these tracks, the rest of the album is incredible in its scope, ambition and execution. Never mind the electronic gimmick side, this is an incredible 7-track display of power pop/rock being done as good as the stadium-filling best.

Favourite track: Kyofu

Grab the release here.

Review| lu-lu - Apparent Magnitude

Hailing from New York, lu-lu uses a single copy of LSDJ, putting out two EPs since this April. Apparent Magnitude, the second of these, shows lu-lu flaunting more styles, talent, and promise in the seven minute running than many artists manage in an entire career.

The album opens with the confident 'Eris' which highlights the stylistic mixture between arcadecoma. and Auxcide the rest of the release follows; spacefaringly grandiose and melodically poignant. '902482 Orcus' seeps early Mega Flare melancholy, leading into some fantastic 80s synthpop-esque leads before rolling into 8bitpeopleian melodies and percussion, finishing the with an experimental percussive battery.

Despite the short track lengths, through expert blending of repetition and variation lu-lu manages to create pieces that are memorable and huge in scope within a minuscule space. Nowhere else is this more apparent than on the album's closer '90377 Sedna'. Laced with EDM, melodies move through club-ready spaceraves played on brilliant sounding instruments, before becoming floaty euphoria, and finally coming down into a chipthrash maelstrom, finishing one of the best chip tracks of the year thus far.

The equilibrium of repetition and variation isn't quite as balanced elsewhere, however. Whilst starting large, 'Eris' runs itself thin by the end, spilling less ideas than other tracks and with smaller hooks too. The outro section of '50000 Quaoar' also takes an odd compositional direction, flinging itself into a confusing ending that sounds lumped on and superfluous.

Despite these few nitpicks, the rest of Apparent Magnitude is laden with beautiful harmonies and ideas. The percussion and leads fizzle with energy and the compositional genius behind cuts like '90377 Sedna' show a promise larger than any of the faults present. Whilst it's not exploring anything new, Apparent Magnitude does what it does better than most ever have. Keep an eye on this artist for sure.

Favourite track: 90377 Sedna

Grab the release here.

Special thanks to Stephan Tul for proofing <3 

Preview| Strong Suit - Simulation

Nanoloop can be a hard medium to write in. The very nature of its ‘looping’ can lead to lazier producers relying on it. Not to say that many do, there are plenty of examples of Nanoloop users that go above and beyond with the medium (shitbird, GLOOMS, Analog). But here, on his sophomore release ‘Simulation’ written over 6 channels on an iNano, Strong Suit falls into the trap a program based on loops can create: tedious, repetitious, simplicity.

Most of the melodies are atrocious, lacklustre placeholders that act as vehicles for beats or interesting sound design. Whenever Strong Suit finds a good melody, it’s used like a crutch, quickly stamping out all enjoyment with repetition. ‘DFW’ begins with great beats but quickly knocks the life out of itself with dull, pointless replication. ‘Pseudomoprh’ starts well, sounding like old Henry Homesweet mixes via The Prodigy, but then ruins itself with the same faults. ‘Indy’ opens by repeating terribly written, bland phrases. Some of the sound design is great, but the same dreary melody played on different instruments doesn’t class as good song writing. ‘Rhode Trip’ would have been a fantastic lounge jazz interlude if it didn’t stretch itself to the point of breaking with more repetition. Etcetera, etcetera. What this leads to is an album where its 40 minutes could easily be condensed to 10 without losing the breadth of ideas on show.

There are a few positives. The album spikes in quality near the end with the title track and ‘Wesley Pantz’ containing some great moments, from the rolling groove of the former to the trap n horn club-readiness of the latter, if only that watery ‘melodic’ staccato instrument didn’t shit on proceedings. Elsewhere ‘Rigor Mortis’ is quite good too, a modern EDM banger, though it does sound like stock-music written for promos advertising an upcoming ‘urban teen drama’.

Overall, though, this album is appalling and superfluous. Some tracks are so bad they aren’t worth detailing (‘Hootenanny’, ‘Boondoggle’). Simply, 12 tracks is far too long for something so derivative. Lifeless, bland, unoriginal and with only fleeting moments of good sound design or percussion going for it; my first Nanoloop or pure laziness? Decide for yourself I guess. 

Favourite track: Rigor Mortis
Stream or download the album here.

Thanks to Stephan Tul for proofing! 

Review| Trey Frey - Refresh

‘Refresh’ is Trey Frey’s third full-length, and the second release overall on Thebasebit Recordings, a label co-founded by Trey himself. Trey began chip in 2010, quickly came to prominence on 8bc, released an EP, two full-lengths, and played pretty much every chip festival in the US. With a reputation that colossal, a new release after so long (over two years) is a tough project to undertake. But unsurprisingly, Trey manages it, and with confidence.

Starting with the huge ‘Airglow’, with a masterful drop acting as a literal proclamation that “Trey Is Back” before swerving into fantastic, Daft Punk-esque melodies, ‘Refresh’ is a non-stop adrenaline machine. ‘Blvck Lvng’, a track co-written with Boaconstructer, manages to mix the disparate styles of its two contributors into a thrilling, twisting brute, ditching subtlety in favour of dubstep solos and towering beats. These pieces show Trey tackling changes within the scene, and it’s something seen throughout the release. Nuanced elements of modern EDM pepper tracks, in sounds and style, but they don’t mask or overtake the truly ‘chip’ feeling of the album. It’s almost like ‘Refresh’ was written in both 2006 and 2014.

‘Daisy’ thrills in other ways, a more restrained affair. As emotive as the other tracks, it serves up reeled in, fluttering subtle pleasures over the unambiguous grandiose seen elsewhere. ‘Further’ opens with a glittering sea of scales, winding up to a forceful drop where it takes on the melodies of a 90s Eurodance banger. Also, the title track ends the album brilliantly, a sprawling piece that ditches hard-hitting club drops for funk-fests, driving percussion, ingenious sound design and euphoric melodies.

It’s genuinely hard to find flaws with a piece of work so expertly crafted, the only noticeable weak points being the standardised track outros (are fades the only way Trey knows how to end a song?) and the track ‘Phantasmagoria’, which whilst containing fantastic melodies, does lose steam mid-way. Overall though, Trey has released another brilliant album here. Not afraid to write in different genres, and succeeding on every account when he does, Trey has again placed himself firmly as a master of both composition and sound engineering. Believe the hype, Trey Is Back. 

Favourite track: Further

Grab or stream the release here.

Due to its involvement on the WeeklyTreats project, I refrained from reviewing the track 'Resolve' present on this album, to remain fair. It is, however, an absolute corker. Also, another huge thanks to Stephan Tul for proofing <3

Review| Whitely - Phantasy

Seapunk seemed to spring out of nowhere sometime in 2012. For the uninitiated, the intro track of Whitely’s newest full-length, ‘Phantasy’, does a good job of summing it up; nautical thematics in sound and sub-bass-melodically-euro-pop dance in style. Often, the accusation that narrow stylistic requirements leads to copy-paste likeness is levelled at seapunk. Unfortunately, ‘Phantasy’ also does a good job at supporting these accusations.

To put it simply; ‘Phantasy’ is repetitious to the point of tears. Tracks throughout share incredibly similar song structures. Instruments are overused so much so, most of the album feels distinctly the same: a continuous watery grey. Tracks, ‘Remember Me’, ‘Coconut’ and the Zen Mantra remix take affective melodies or ideas and then drag them out until they become grating and lifeless. The problem mainly seems to be an attempt to stick religiously to seapunk aesthetics. Somewhere along the coast Whitely forgot he can write brilliant tracks and emotive melodies, as evidenced by his back catalogue.

However, when moments do work it’s often as a result of formulaic manipulation. ‘I Am Yours’ connects well, mixing seapunk with euphoric, trance-induced thrills, sounding like Avicii released a single on Coral Records. Also, album closer ‘Transcending’ is a fantastic, pounding, melancholic cruise through seapunk, mixing it with 80s electro-house via Hotline Miami’s soundtrack tones to great effect.

None of this improves the album’s overall quality though, which constitutes the lifeless and pedestrian cuts like ‘Caribbean Sunset’ and ‘Paradise Island’, the copy-paste beige of ‘Seacreatures’ and ‘Ride Those Dolphins’, and the simply forgettable and uninspiring title track. Whitely is not a bad artist, which is what made this album so very hard to stomach, but here he’s missed the mark by leagues, creating a patchwork of conventions with little emotion or creativity to be found.

Favourite track: I Am Yours

Buy or stream here.

Special thanks to Stephan Tul for proofing.

Preview| MONODEER - GET HYPER

The narrative of the chiptune scene often seems built around key releases that push the limits or define trends within chip. The ‘Informations Chase’s, ‘Decades’s, ‘MoeNES’s, these hallmark releases have come to signal what is possible with chiptune. And now, ‘GET HYPER’ joins those ranks this coming Monday via Cheapbeats.

Firstly; the programming is masterful. Written on a single DMG, the sounds are tome-thick, with kicks hitting like hammers and ground-shaking bass. Secondly; this is simply the best EDM/Trap chiptune I have ever heard. ‘DAWGZ’ does trap better than the club DJs. Fuck the Boiler Room, MONODEER has this on lock, and with enough attitude to out-chill every hipkid for miles. Elsewhere, ‘4XAA’ comes straight from the dancefloors, before sliding into KODEK-esque funkery, and ‘CHK-DIZ-OUT’ brings house to the party, crossing 80s and modern tech house with that MONODEER ‘wub-of-death’.

As with earlier MONODEER, the drops here are 50-feet tall. Following powerful stomps, the drops of ‘MNMLSTNCH’ are so destructively huge it’s cathartic. Opener ‘WOOP’ builds tension expertly, slowly meandering before plummeting into violently swaggering groove, whilst ‘TRP.AM’ mixes huge build ups and unassuming drops the size of bison alongside amen breaks. The title track is phenomenal too, bringing the constantly shifting, groove-rife percussion of track ‘JUKEBOXXX’ and monumental drops and attitude of ‘GRM.EY’ with more immediate pacing and some sweat-inducing stylistic shifts.

The album is rounded off by ‘LEVELS’, sounding remarkably MONODEER circa 2011, not that the previous tracks don't, but here the old cavalcades of slow beats and swagger alongside what are as of now the most robust melodies to arrive from MONODEER’s Gameboy definitely reinstate the ‘Noise.bmp’ model. Are there any negatives to this album? Well, despite how fantastic the aforementioned ‘LEVELS’ is, along with the equally great ‘JUKEBOXXX’, they feel slightly out of place, but that doesn’t mask how good the tracks are individually.

I’d love to sit here and say “I saw the potential for this from the start” after we released MONODEER’s debut back in 2011, but that would be bullshit. This is beyond potential, bigger than ego, this is quite simply fucking ground-breaking. A few months ago I spoke about the need for a new ‘Information Chase’, a new hallmark release to define the changes in the chip scene, and it appears to have arrived in the form of ‘GET HYPER’, and with many demanding this to be the year of NES, it may be so through proxy; I’m fairly sure MONODEER just ‘won’ LSDJ.

Grab or stream the release here!

Special thanks to Stephan Tul for proofing 

Review| Please Lose Battle - S/T EP

Hello again! So, after taking a break to finish some university work and organise WeeklyTreats, I'm finally back to writing! A bit late on this one, but it's here nonetheless, so without further procrastination: 

This month, French Famitracker Please Lose Battle has released his debut EP with old scene favourites Pterodactyl Squad. Self-confirmed as a release focusing on melody, whilst it is filled with memorable and well written motifs, the overall unfocused song writing and programming leads to a thin and oddly frustrating listen.

For every inspiring melody, there lies two that are weak. ‘This Is Not…’ tries, and valiantly so, to play constantly evolving counter-melodies off each other, but ends up sounding like a jumbled mess instead. ‘Watch Out, Sharks!’ has an opening that does no justice to what follows, taking ages to say nothing of any interest, and before it dips into Guchi styled bitpop bubblegumisms, ‘Nailed It’ is so stuck in 80s soundtrack stylings it brings all the cliché and forgettable placidness with it.  

The other problem, and the moments it excels is often when it overcomes this hurdle, is that most of the sections sound incredibly thin and frail. The drums are certainly well-written, but they’re like a foghorn in a tornado, almost completely undetectable. The bass often follows a similar pattern, being either tiresomely derivative or disappointingly weedy.

Whilst tracks are peppered with bad decisions, the good ones do shine. The bridges of ‘Nailed It’ are brilliantly written, the final sections of ‘Watch Out, Shark!’ and ‘This Is Not…’ are great, and until it becomes sickly through lack of variation, ‘Afternoon At Last’ is a brilliant example of nostalgia breaching modernity, summer days of past with matured pop punk sensibilities of now. 'Final Douchebag’ works incredibly well throughout, spitting crunchy chipmetal dripping with immediately affective melodies, a forceful drive and enough grungy menace to keep the harshites keen, but ‘Power Off…’ is clearly the album’s centrepiece. An eight minute epic, moving at first through beautiful Alex Mauer crossed with post-punk atmospheres, before arps move into, for the first time in the release, Please Lose Battle showing off genuinely awe-inspiring programming, and revealing that driving bass that had been missing all along. 

The build-up then fumbles, however, when it lands in a melody nowhere near emotive enough to carry the weight of the previous, subtle genius, highlighting what is good and bad about the release succinctly. Often on this blog I talk about the potential a release shows, and with all honesty I can say Please Lose Battle will be huge in the near future. There is no doubt. The talent is here, the drive, the knowledge and more importantly the unique character, it’s only the execution that is missing. Maybe I found it such a frustrating listen because the promised, explosive melodic perfection was always just out of reach. Anyhow, in what feels like the beginning of ‘The NES Revival’, Please Lose Battle certainly deserves a seat in the helm, just a bit more focus on composition and maybe he’ll be piloting the ship. 

Favourite track: Power Off, Still Waiting

Download or stream the release here. 

Review| Auxcide- Pixel & Speck

Earlier today, Auxcide released a double album, Pixel and Speck, on 8static’s label. At his request I’ve taken on the task of reviewing the 22 track behemoth, though first some background info. My working relationship with Bryan (Auxcide) spreads back to before his debut, where we worked with him through Pxl-Bot to release and promote ‘of Atoms and Stardust’. Following this we released another EP and a remix album of the aforementioned debut on Pxl-Bot by him, as well as signing him up for various compilations and projects (WeeklyTreats to name but one) during the time I’ve known him. None of this is a secret to anyone, but such a lengthy partnership (though it was always a fairly passive undertaking for Alex and I; whatever Bryan brought to us was instantly releasable, infectious and easily sellable) could potentially result in bias. Hopefully my emphasising of this point, along with the subsequent paragraph where I slag off all that is wrong with this release, will go to some way in proving my later gushing to be disconnected from enamoured hyperbole.

So; my main bone of contention. Out of the 22 tracks here, most of which are stylistically mono-tonal, half are covers and half are new tracks, though they are dispersed evenly throughout the two albums. Whilst this works to an extent on the far superior ‘Pixel’, on ‘Speck’ where the quality overall is lop-sided, what results is a disjointed and confusing mess of often disposable tracks mixed in with higher quality, often original, compositions, which on the whole serve only to highlight how tedious the lesser tracks actually are. The cover of Signalrunners’ ‘Corrupted’ is ruined by weak drums, causing a track that would otherwise have flourished fall flat. Elsewhere, ‘Theme of Everything’ and ‘The Moon’ (covers from Street Fighter and Duck Tales respectively) breach the threshold of stomachable cheese by some margin, only bested in biliousness by the album’s Skrillex knock-off ‘Speck’, a track that whilst having extremely impressive programming, suffers from a dangerous mixture of being a tedious and an instantly forgettable cheap thrill, a situation repeated in ‘Yung Lyfe’, though in a far more repetitive and grating manner. Speck doesn’t feel like a fully formed album as much as it does a collection of B-Sides.

Pixel, however, is everything Speck is not. Beginning with the huge ‘Creation’, where hauntingly pretty melodies overlap and swoon, the album moves on to the equally breath-taking ‘Morphine’ and ‘Source’, forming a trifecta of some of the best Auxcide in existence. Later, Auxcide’s take on Roboctopus’ ‘Your Stars at Dawn’ and Pacific Rim cover ‘Restart The Clock!’ froth at the bit with adrenaline and epic space thematics, and whilst the album dips a bit with the Game of Thrones and RoccoW covers, the final four tracks (‘Cherry’ through to ‘The Planet is Asleep’) are among, if not the, best in Auxcide’s discography.

All this praised directed at Pixel is unfair however. Speck does have its high points: Metroid cover ‘Varia’ makes use of eclectic piano and slowly evolving melodies to emotionally overwhelm, album opener ‘The Universe Fights Back’ mixes the ‘Auxcide’ sound with Ubik-esque melodic play, ‘Catalyst’, when its hooks are finally revealed, spits J-Pop/anime theme phrases to make one of the most uplifting tracks around. Also, Speck's crowning piece, ‘Nitrous’, shows up all that precedes, filled with intoxicatingly memorable melodies and grooves the size of pylons, the type of track that proves any naysayers that Auxcide is one of chiptune’s greatest and most affective artists around today.

Overall, then, Pixel and Speck are a slightly uneven duo hampered by a few irrelevant or uninteresting tracks, but mostly comprised of incredible, mind-bogglingly expert offerings. In my opinion either one album of covers and one of originals, or the cutting of 8 or so unnecessaries to form one bulkier full length, would have framed the quality content more effectively.

Saying that, with tracks as throat-catchingly euphoric as Pixel’s title track, which is even more emotive than anything from [Dimensions] (or any of his work before that, in fact) the few qualitative discrepancies should be ignored and all gut emotions favoured. Pixel is an incredible piece of work, and unrestrained by Speck’s lesser appeal, is easily in the top five of the year’s best releases. No question. For those that enjoy Pixel’s charms I would, of course, also recommend a cautious exploration of Speck, but the real star of the show, and Auxcide’s best and most definitive work to date, is certainly the former.

Favourite track: Pixel

Pixel is available here, and Speck here.

Review| HunterQuinn- VanitySelector

Over the past two years, a small group of chipsters from Cincinnati have been slowly infecting the scene with their quality output. Events such as cartRAGE cemented them as an enclosed but vastly talented collection of artists. As their influence became steadily more prominent, AndaruGO joined prolific label Datathrash as staff, and SSD Engage, an amalgamation of artists SPRY, spOOked and Disabletron, were booked to play the mega-fest 8static. Hunter, however, always seemed to be overlooked slightly, but ‘VanitySelector’ appears set to change that.

HunterQuinn’s music always excels melodically, no more truer than here; tracks blast hugely emotive phrases, diving through free-form structures and constantly shifting into stylistic boundaries you’d never suspect they would. The melodies are so emotive in fact, ‘VanitySelector’ sounds like a monorail through the various states of melancholia. ‘SuperSpire’ reeks of desperation, and the fizzing beats behind the surging emotions fit perfectly. ‘Selector’ climaxes by dropping into the audio personification of heartbreak, and ‘RelativeObjectivity’ opens with trance harmonies, lending the track some dream pop atmosphere whilst an ever-present percussion/bass duopoly thunders through.

Whilst this formula of psyche-destroying melodies coupled with vicious beats is predominant throughout, its application is flexible. ‘Splicers’ tessellates into subterranean bass dips before riding itself into angular rave-like melodies, whilst ‘ForeverFaceless’ features boaconstructor basslines alongside Starscream melodies, running parallel in a simultaneously contradictory and complimentary manner. It’s that level of expert craftsmanship that has always set HunterQuinn apart. His music exceeds community standards and is frequently one step ahead of other programmers, a unique voice in a sea of meaningless shit, and one that expels much more emotion than should be possible. Without a single doubt, HunterQuinn is one of the greatest talents this scene has had, and you’d be a fool to give this album a miss. Or not give him his well-deserved dues. 

Favourite track: RelativeObjectivity

Grab the full release here!

Review| Abandoned On Fire - Hymnal

Abandoned On Fire is the new project from Datathrash founder Arnie Holder. Within the seven tracks contained on ‘Hymnal’ lies some of the most challenging chiptune to ever grace the scene. Also, and probably as a surprise to no-one, it’s fucking incredible.

‘Hymnal’ is more a collection of noise experiments whose sole goals seem to be violation of both the ears and the GameBoy than it is chipthrash. Tracks often left me in a ‘Sunn0)))’-like trance, as vicious noise rattled and seethed behind forceful beats. ‘Hymn of Joyful Noise’ is an ungodly din, but impressive as much in its savagery as in its technical prowess. A GameBoy really shouldn’t make these noises. Elsewhere ‘Hymn of Regret’, one of three re-worked tracks from Arnie’s previous release ‘DeathMurderGo’, sounds like a chorus of furious roars, driven only more ferocious by the sledgehammer percussion.

Seven tracks of noisy experimental chip might sound a bit off-putting on paper, but the constantly shifting focus and frequent ingenuity don’t stop astonishing until the album is done. Chad Roose’s influence on the co-written ‘Hymn of Brotherhood’ is definitely felt, bringing the track a punkish groove and creating an unrelenting beast of a track. The end to ‘Hymn of Thanks’ is fantastic; a brutal wall of sound slowly morphs into 80s synth pop synths and back again. The result is staggering. ‘Hymn of Strength’ also slays, mixing catchy grooves with the album’s overarching aggression, before spinning into almost Samba beats that works surprisingly well.

‘Hymnal’ is inventive, unique, and hugely powerful. The talent both in programming and composition on display here is unquantifiable, and the emotion pushed through the small grey box is unparalleled. Make no mistake; this won’t be everyone’s taste. That doesn’t stop it being an incredible listen though. Probably (and unfortunately, I really hope I’m proved wrong here) destined to be overlooked, make sure you’re not part of the problem; ‘Hymnal’ is without a doubt one of the best chiptune releases of the year. 

Favourite track: Hymn of Strength

Grab the album here. 

Review| bryface - Various Topics

To begin: an apology! Due to a mixture of writers block, going to SuperByte, moving back to university and into a new house without internet, I've been away from writing for longer than I had wished. However! This week there will be this review and a piece on the Abandoned On Fire release, plus I'm working on another edition of 'Whilst I Was Gone' as well as an in-depth feature piece on a scene veteran! So, whilst the well is currently empty please accept this trickle whilst I [an end to the analogy]. Hope you're all well! 

Following up his 2010 debut, bryface has released a collection of new and re-worked LSDJ tracks with Ubiktune under the title ‘VARIOUS TOPICS’. Where this release really excels is in its ability to mix the highly technical melodies and structures that you’d expect from a Ubik release with an instantly accessible rhythm section, giving tracks huge backbones and letting motifs stick quick. ‘seaport’ uses funk and bass to drive the track from full-fledged groove through to deep jazzchip esotericism, with a definite Zan-Zan feel coursing throughout. Opener ‘shifting platforms’ does as its name suggest, forming a constant wave of pleasing melodies, and ‘portsea’, the album’s centrepiece, takes a definitive look at bryface’s methods, resulting in a mass of recognisably unambiguous percussive hooks and orphic melodies.

Elsewhere bryface plays with his own formula; ‘talk of the town’ is quintessential Ubik, a mixture between Jellica and Maxo with a selection of fantastic percussion, and ‘BRAINS. and scotch’ throws a left hook, showcasing some expert syncopated mastery. The only time bryface seems to fall short is when he’s aiming at ambitious epics, however. Whilst his sound is immediately gratifying, the overdrawn works of ‘the tuvan ascendancy’ and ‘rich bastard groove’ leave the tracks spread thin to the point where they become more grating than grooving, especially on the fairly bland overindulgence of the former.

That being said, four years in the making have clearly done bryface good, and it is with a definite sigh of relief that I saw his great work finally being appreciated for its immense quality. Whilst this release is great, it does feel like a stepping stone; but with another more eclectic EP, I predict huge things for this massively deserving artist. 

Favourite track: portsea

Grab the release here!

Preview| V/A - µCollective, Vol. 1

Following the dramatic closure of 8bitcollective, Sam Wray, 8bc’s then last hope, created a site to fill the hole the collective’s ruin would leave. µCollective was the end result, launching in October of 2012. In a bid to expand, µCollective is putting out their first compilation, a physical-only collection of sixteen tracks to debut at SuperByte. Featuring hugely revered acts (cTrix, Paza, nordloef), lesser known artists (Balloonbear, Skin Walker, <3an) and those somewhere in between (Auxcide, Holy Konni, Decktonic), ‘Vol. 1’ hosts a hugely varied selection of talent.

Getting the negative out of the way: the album’s introduction is weak. Beginning with Byzanite’s inessential take on EDM, ‘Cakebomber’, most listeners are going to quickly see through the thinly veiled lack of substance. ‘Cakebomber’ is followed by the underwhelming ‘Mysterio Guitar Sloth’ by Holy Konni, a track that’s nice enough, but doesn’t even touch the quality of his recent output (though the guitar sampling is a nice touch). Elsewhere, Paza throws up the compilation’s most disappointing moment. ‘Damn Lokki’ constantly builds to absolutely nothing, all grating ‘melodies’ and tiresome percussion in a faux-gabber abomination. 

Elsewhere though, the quality is incredibly high. PANDAstar‘s ‘Delirium’ features the album’s most euphoric melody, unforgettable and beautifully sweet, whilst <3an’s ‘Mariana Trench’ seeps watery, lucid delivery, a blend of slow-moving bass and deep ambient undercurrents. Kubbi manages to meld progressive electro with pop melodies and danceable beats on ‘Void Pt 2 (Renovation Mix), and Auxcide supplies those trademark, epic space melodies, slathered over thick layers of gorgeous harmony.

The best tracks on ‘Vol. 1’ are those where the artists outdo themselves. Decktonic’s ‘Dancing Is Permitted’ is a vigorous froth of summer melodies and strong kicks that are irresistible. ‘Czar’, Cheapshot’s contribution, is swagger at its most effective, conveying groove through enormous beats, making it the most exciting Cheapshot track in some time. nordloef’s outstanding ‘Mark II’, repeats this excitement, showing the veteran’s ability to remain as fresh and melodically robust as ever. The album’s crowning glory, however, is the final track, Vince Kaichan’s ‘Sailboat’. Full of striking motifs, harmonies, and layers of delicate nuance, ‘Sailboat’ is a testament to Vince’s growing prowess. It not only sounds strong beside the likes of cTrix and xyce, but it towers above them, sounding like an off-cut from Roboctopus' recent and fantastic 'Disco.txt'.

Minus problems with the track sequencing, some of the thematic jumps are too violent to create a cohesive listening experience; µCollective’s debut compilation is fantastic. Sam Wray’s curation deserves special praise, his fusing of the old established and the new revolutionaries works perfectly, and almost every track brims with quality. With all proceeds going to support µCollective plus mastering by DJ Cutman and art by Love Through Cannibalism, this is one package you owe yourself to get if you’re attending SuperByte this year.

PS: If you are attending Superbyte this year, come and say hi! I'll be on the dancefloor or at the bar wearing a bison t-shirt and a ponytail xo 

Tracklist:
01. Byzanite- Cakebomber
02. Holy Konni- Mysterio Guitar Sloth
03. PANDAstar- Delirium
04. xyce- Arbre De Viw
05. Paza- Damn Lokki
06. <3an- Mariana Trench
07. Cheapshot- Czar
08. Decktonic- Dancing Is Permitted 
09. Balloonbear- HAVOK
10. Skin Walker- Shanghai At Night
11. nordloef- Mark II
12. Auxcide- Threads
13. gwEm- High Gain
14. cTrix- Ion Cruising 
15. Kubbi- Void Pt 2 (Renovation Mix)
16. Vince Kaichan- Sailboat

Preview| Matt Nida - Particle Theory

UK piggy-master Matt Nida is releasing his debut EP via Cheapbeats (those ever-busy chaps) on the 16th, and those familiar with Nida’s past dub antics are in for a shock. ‘Particle Theory’ is more 90s UK electronic underground than it is Caribbean catharsis, transcending ‘chiptune’ monikers with deep acidic overtones and frequently fantastic bass and percussion.

    

‘No Not To Mind The Probe’ features some untouchable bass, a seething beast bouncing through the track with ferocious precision. Later the track ebbs into acidic lo-fi idm, sounding like a funky Henry Homesweet ‘Live-Mode’ mix, never once tripping up. Lo-fi vibes also resonate throughout ‘Snout To Tail’, with rave-ready beats, pounding rhythms and genius instrument choices, though the reverbed chords do become a tad over-used. In fact, the only real problem with the release is the odd misjudgement with instruments. Due to the minimalist and repetitive nature of ‘Particle Theory’, a formula which works well in this context, some of the instruments begin to grate fairly quickly. More focus on warmer tones throughout may have benefited this release massively, and no more is the evidence for this more glaring than in the stunning ‘Zero Room’, a track swimming in nuance, with subtle layers forming even subtler grooves riding parallel to the huge swinging pulsations of the kicks.

Along with a remix by Metrodub owner Minikomi, which injects some much needed life into the previous husk ‘First Principle’, ‘Particle Theory’ finishes with the gargantuan ‘Perpetual Motion’, and the only memorable melodies on the release. This isn’t a detriment to the other tracks, melody acts here as a placeholder for the percussive and bass rhythms, being more about motion than emotion. However, the melodies on ‘Particle Theory’ pronounce themselves alongside the gorgeous, staggering chords and harpesque wash of notes, forming minimalist piggy mastery at its best, and another testament to huge amount of talent in the UK scene. He may of ditched dub, but Matt’s talents are clearly multi-purpose, taking to minimalist idm with as much gusto. Keep the 16th etched in your calendars. 

Favourite track: Perpetual Motion

(Will provide links upon release, until then, check out CheapBeats) 

Review Round-Up #1| Crying, Yerzmyey & Chrono Triggers

There is a lot of quality chiptune being pushed out these days, and due to responsibilities elsewhere I've had to cut down review and blog pieces down to once a week. So, to alleviate the problem of 'so much quality not being covered', here is the first in what is likely to be a long line of review round-ups! This week I'll be covering: New York chip rock band Crying, ZX legend Yerzmyey and French duo Chrono Triggers' newest. Enjoy!

Crying – Get Olde [29/08/2013]

Crying, a New York chip rock band (as ‘rare’ as they are) with a female vocalist, recently released their debut, ‘Get Olde’. Often in the world of DIY bands vocals tend to be badly mixed, like they’re taking place in a different room from the music. The production on ‘Get Olde’ is so bad the vocals sound as if they are being sung in a different dimension. Singing in a style reminiscent of Lydia from Bright Primate, you’ll either tolerate or despise the vocals. I’m not saying they are uniformly awful; the CSS style female chants in ‘Bloom’ work fantastically, and the understated croons in album closer ‘ES’ are particularly gorgeous, but overall, the song quality suffers in their presence.

Bad instrument choices also plague ‘Bodega Run’, with a horrendous sliding chip instrument and guitars that can only be described as superfluous. It’s not all bad, as on the whole the actual music is superb. The chip elements really stand out; they skitter across tracks lending them an up-tempo ‘Guchi-esque summery grin. The guitar and chip duopoly work wonders on ‘Rat Baby’, and the title track’s chorus is glorious, moving from a euphoric wall of sound to staccato grooves and pop punk guitar play, and the frantic end to ‘ES’ spits bubble-gum flavoured post-rock nuance and intensity. 

Whilst on a technical front the album is terrible, the music itself is brimming with life, energy and an addictively charming character, one so vibrant all the problems with production, mixing and predictable song structures wash away into unimportant quibbles. With some tightening on the vocal front, this band could be huge, and not just in the chiptune scene.

Favourite track: ES

Yerzmyey – Microsongs [02/09/2013]

ZX-Spectrum deity Yerzmyey is back, and remarkably soon after June’s ‘Brutal And Aggressive’. So, cutting out the introduction for the man you already know:

Microsongs is an album of repetition. This isn’t negative, as tracks lodge their hooks in quickly before moving on to the next catch with clinical precision. However, some tracks, namely ‘Egao’ (a track far too similar to opener ‘Chouyaku’) and the placid ‘Enro’, don’t lodge those hooks in fast enough to be anything other than passing curiosities. Also, due to the near-rigid ‘Alex Mauer’ track structuring (Binary or Ternary structure > repeat > repeat and fade) tracks ‘Ai’ and ‘Senshi’ outstay their welcome; whilst ‘Senshi’s beats and ‘Ai’s scales are fantastic their undynamic instrumentation and structures leave the formula wearing thin.

Not everyone can hit gold all the time (even ‘Unconditional Acceleration’ had ‘Galaxy Tonite’), but on the most part Yerzmyey does. The bittersweet beauty of ‘Doko Ka Ni’ and ‘Naguru’ are astonishing, 

‘Choyaku’ is a perfect sugary sweet opener; simple but full of character, and ‘Kure-Ji’ is a high speed, high energy anthem with motifs that roll off the tongue, ready to be bellowed. ‘Beltable’ describes it perfectly.

The best track here is also the most misplaced, album closer ‘Yuki’. Whilst it stands out from the pack, its stunning, scenic bittersweet melodies and sexily slow, dragging grooves surpass anything I’ve heard from Yerzmyey since, well, ever.  Whilst four tracks may be lacking, this release still has six great ones and a closer that is pure platinum. If you haven’t yet checked out Yerzmyey, I’d highly recommend you begin here.  

Favourite Song: Yuki

Silnaye & Chrono Triggers – Margarita Distortion EP [15/09/2013]

‘Margarita Distortion EP’, a collaboration between Spanish singer Silnaye and French chip-electro duo Chrono Triggers, is due out September 15th on CouCou Netlabel. With the addition of Silnaye, who sounds remarkably like Karin Dreijer from The Knife, Chrono Triggers have elevated their sound beyond previous exports.  

This paring’s mixture of club-ready vocals and chip/EDM works brilliantly. Title track ‘Margarita Distortion’ sends the vox into a glitched frenzy, moments of ‘Dazzling In Parties’ sound strongly like Alice Glass visiting a David Sugar track, and ‘The Shape Of Nothing’ could easily be a cut from The Knife’s ‘Deep Cuts’, a wealth of slow pop grooves  and electro hooks. Whilst all the tracks are remarkably dance-floor friendly, the best moments of this release come in when genre boundaries are being flaunted. ‘Hot Blue Neon’ starts somewhere between 80s synth-pop and dance-punk, before shifting into glitchy acid. ‘Beluga’s Attack’ runs from experimental, dissonant electro in jungle-heavy breaks, before jumping straight into some acidic trip-hop beats, and it all works surprisingly well, with every jostle in focus handled with expert precision and incredible panache.

However, for an album so rigidly reliant on ‘club moments’, the beats are lacking, some sounding so weak it leaves tracks limp when they should be injecting adrenaline. Nowhere is this truer than in the releases’ dud, the bland and uninspiring ‘Amplify’, a replaceable slab of repetitive drippings which highlight why so many despise the EDM genre with almost deliberately ironic accuracy.

Whilst this is unlikely to stay interesting after repeat listens, those looking for cheap dance thrills and some expertly crafted chip/vocal dance should enjoy this. EDM chip with heaps of intelligent design, bountiful genre distortion and some truly fantastic vocals; EDM can be much, much worse.

Favourite track: Hot Neon Blue

Review| AndaruGO- CONSPIRACY SECTOR

Cincinnatian poster-boy and cyberpunk enthusiast AndaruGO released ‘CONSPIRACY SECTOR’ this weekend. Marking his fourth release, this concept album based on data collection, the internet and our reliance and willingness to be involved in both builds on the tomes of LSDJ knowledge from the past whilst injecting sensibilities of his own. Stripping abstract and ambiguous conceptual thematics aside however, ‘CONSPIRACY SECTOR’ shines in a scene which is bloated to the point of eruption with repetitive LSDJ offal.

‘CONSPIRACY SECTOR’ is built around songs without rigid structures, though that’s not to say they aren’t without direction. Each track’s constantly shifting harmonies and driving percussion keep everything sounding tight whilst it floats through a wash of motifs and shoutable anthems. ‘CYBER MINDER’ moves from intense rave phrases into even more intense trance-esque flurries before finally rearing its head back to spit out huge melodies and even larger rhythms. ‘LIARS’ meanwhile kicks the cyberpunk (or datawave) dial to 10, a vestibule of ravaging beats and lump-in-the-throat melodies before it rolls itself into melancholic bliss.

The percussion also deserves highlighting. The beats at the helm of ‘DATA DEALERS’ saunter whilst remaining aggressive and on the opening of ‘DEVILS’ they move from violent groove to an even more violent furore. ‘MUNGEN’s percussion keep the pulsating bittersweet space motifs cruising, and lends the release its perfect closing. The only thing that keeps 'CONSPIRACY SECTOR' held back is the sometimes disappointing production, which hinder ‘DEVILS’ and ‘DATA DEALERS’ especially. Furthermore, whilst the freeform structure works in most cases, ‘DATA DEALERS’ feels like it loses its way; its over-repetitive beats cause it to stutter around the halfway point and it never recovers. Also, with regards to some of the instruments; it’s been about 5 years, can LSDJ programmers give those Nullsleep sounds a fucking rest please?

So; it’s not perfect but it’s pretty damn close. AndaruGO once again excels on the emotional front; almost every melody reeks of heartfelt sincerity and connects with more than just a sense of harmony. The tighter tracks help elevate ‘CONSPIRACY SECTOR’ well above any of his previous works, and alongside some of the biggest beats to be pushed out of a Gameboy and melodies lauding the history of chiptune, AndaruGO has excelled beyond his peers more confidently than ever. 

Favourite track: CYBER MINDER

Grab the release for free here.

Review| Hizmi- New Power

Cheapbeats have recently released a lo-fi glitch monster in the form of Hizmi’s ‘New Power’, in turn making up for their last two rather shaky releases. Written on a vintage X68000, a Japan-only home computer originally released in the late 80s, Hizmi, or The Eastern Aphex Twin, expels glitch madness and subtle melodic tones, all strung together with some of the most powerfully eclectic uses of bass I’ve ever heard. Whilst maybe not for the casual listener, those willing to wade their way through the patchworks of beats and melodic fragments are likely to find a fantastic release within.

Where ‘New Power’ succeeds best is in its ability to supply equal amounts of glitched chaos and consistent groove. Opener ‘Murasame’ cruises along at 30mph, seeping wonky hip-hop beats and sparklingly warm tones. ‘Swoop’ evolves from sparse percussive nuance into a trap beat so huge Chief Keef would be spitting vulgarities over it within seconds, and ‘Shigure’ flirts with lounge jazz whilst the scattershot beats and precise bass lend it a subtle groove.

Also of note are the sounds in general. Hizmi takes the X68000, runs clear of its use being a gimmick and instead heads straight for the door marked ‘Masterful Execution’. Whilst providing swagger, there is also a layer of luscious warmth running throughout, sounding like Boards of Canada as heard through a kaleidoscope.  ‘Gohyakubuchi’ strings together elements of downtempo with watery glitch, the subtle synthesised tones fashioning a collage of bubbly melodies.  Also, the album features frequent moments of staccato arps that twinkle like stars in a literary cliché that I refuse to complete, and they all add up to a listening experience which is as cathartic as it is disorientating (on first listen anyway).

‘New Power’ is fantastic, so good in fact it could have easily been released on the prolific glitch label Bedroom Research. Minus the rather superfluous, and to be honest bland, ‘Mpede’, Hizmi has crafted a set of varied, intense and detailed tracks that often surpass genre boundaries. Whilst the use of the X68000 here is unlikely to spur any revolutions within the scene or spawn many copycat producers, at the very least it etches Hizmi a niche corner of solitary brilliance, acting less as a preacher of the vintage home computer and more a purveyor of hardware experimentalism and the benefits that come with it. 

Favourite track: Swoop

Buy or stream the release here!

Preview| The J. Arthur Keenes Band- Mighty Social Lion

The three EPs Canadian Dan McLay, aka, The J Arthur Keenes Band, released thus far have been collectively revered by the scene as pinnacles in chiptune composition. However, TJAKB seemed to be adrift in a sea of influences; each release encompassed a different approach to a similar sound, though none cohesively linked to the next part of his canon. That is until ‘Mighty Social Lion’. Acting as a collision catalyst for most of his previous reference points, ‘Mighty...’ also signals a further expansion; this time into the realms of 90s alternative and britpop nuance.

‘Mighty Social Lion’ also marks a significant dip in the reliance on chiptune. This isn't a bad thing, as whilst these elements are understated, this lends the release an undeniable maturity, where chips are an instrument rather than a gimmick, undeniably aesthetic rather than foolishly crowd-pleasing (not that Keenes has ever practiced this).  In ‘Cardboard Box’, chiptune only comes to the forefront after a drawn out tease, marking the track’s shift from confined tension to bombastic euphoria. Chiptune carries the early 90s Radiohead ambiance of ‘Dumb Jokes’, every staccato arp complimenting the scaling guitars and swooning voices.

Maturity is also prevalent in the composition, with songs feeling less like the work of a teenage Robbie Shakespeare and more like that of a mature Win Butler. ‘Trials’ focuses on slightly sinister undertones, with staccato guitar and piano accenting the Beta Band vibe flowing throughout. ‘Worth Keeping’ keeps restrained in the first half and then lyrically whimsical in its closing. Elsewhere, Wild West themed ‘Old Dusty’ manages to traverse around the edges of tortuous superfluity and instead plants itself somewhere between emotionally immediate and musically ingenious. Also, the line “You gave me dirty looks” seems destined to become as iconographic as “This ain’t your home”.

Arthur also harks back to the grapefruits of old; single ‘Congratulations’ has an instantaneous hook, baring its sugar coated fangs and sinking in early, and ‘Under Construction’, is a welcome return to hook-laden abrupt bubblegum sweetness, sounding like a cut from 'The World's Smallest Violin'. It’s hard to point out real negatives on this release, though, apart from the odd moment of lyrical cringe (see ‘Cardboard Box’ and ‘Mr. Radiator’ for the worst offences). In fact, ‘Mr. Radiator’ is the only track that really misses the mark, featuring both the album's worst lyrics and most uninspired music. It’s not a terrible song, it’s just a rock in an ocean of diamonds is incredibly hard to ignore.

Overall? Well, the final track, ‘The Doors’, aptly explains the release as a whole. This track is epilogical in almost every sense; it encompasses almost all previous sounds on the album, forming a six minute dash of irresistible baroque pop chip with more hooks than a fisherman’s cloakroom. It jumps from sweet and pop-heavy to drawn out and controlled affection, winding its way to a grandiose finale. If last year's EP turned you off J Arthur's new direction, 'Mighty Social Lion' won't amend your position. However, by featuring sublime maturity alongside emotional cognizance, J Arthur has never sounded better.

Favourite track: The Doors
Grab a the release right here!

Review| seatrash- sedition

Recently Bit Shifter re-released his iconic ‘Information Chase’ on bandcamp. The re-release, whilst well received, showed clearly how unkind time has been to it. The crumbling of this monumental release’s power emphasises the need for a new totem pole of LSDJ simplicity, a new definer for chiptune’s growing reach and artist base, and its creator has arrived. Whilst ‘sedition’ is not the monolith of genius that the cultural predecessor of ‘Information Chase’ would need to be, it scratches at the door so violently it wouldn’t be heresy to suggest a sophomore effort would knock it clean off the hinges.

The melodies in ‘sedition’ are frequently perfect. ‘making things right’ straddles 80s ballad leads and 00’s power pop accompaniment, reeking of little-scaleian emotion with “lump in the throat” beauty. ‘falling’ slowly evolves into Eastern tinged arps speaking stunning phrases, and the title track overlaps its counter and lead melodies until the thick weave of serenity has you trapped.

The release rarely misses hitting blistering highs and euphoric brilliance. Album closer ‘with you’ highlights this perfectly; once it finds its feet it constantly hits home with passion, falling into 80s synth pop ballad territory with the skill of Depeche Mode.  The only obvious gripe is the production, which is lo-fi at best, though whilst it doesn’t add anything to the music, it doesn’t take away from it either.

Overall, ‘sedition’ is understated splendour. Its presentation and distribution has been muted at best, and it is a genuine shame, as the powerful grip within these five tracks won’t be nearly as praised as they should. Whilst no icon of the scene yet, the songs are individually better written than anything I’ve heard in a long time, and future first time LSDJers (and veterans) would do themselves a great service by taking notes from Seatrash. Eyes peeled for his next release; with some direction it’s likely to be one of the greatest releases in chiptune for some time. 2013 is the new 2006 people.

Favourite track: making things right

Download and stream the entire release here.