Game Music 4 All

JamSpace, OCReMix, concerts and more at Otakon in Baltimore, MD July 17th-19th

2009-07-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

So Right after Nerdapalooza (Don't worry, I am working on that lengthy post) comes Otakon! and Dom (of MAGFest fame, and of course, brilliant musician, and host of Dom's Live Videogame Music Show) has informed me that Otakon (otakon.com) is the place to be for VGM lovers such as you and I.

For those in the Baltimore, Maryland area, you can look forward to the ever amazing JamSpace, which is an incredible all day room filled with instruments for any and all musicians to take a crack at. This once experiment of MAGFest is now a beloved tradition and host to some amazing moments in VG inspired music history. Amazing sets, insane collaborations, and hilarious jam sessions all take place in what is the ever incredible JamSpace.

On top of this there is also word that there will be an OCReMix discussion panel going on at 6 PM on the Saturday of the event. Should be filled with some amazing talent, and very interesting discussion about vgm and the ocremix community. And what about the concerts!? Oh man, are there some concerts! Friday night, starting at 5 PM, Otakon is host to the incredible Random AKA Mega Ran. Not to mention the ever hard rocking and experimental This Place is Haunted (who have some new songs from their upcoming album available to listen to by the way)! The insanity doesn't stop there though, as Baltimore locals Armadillo Tank and Dom's band Rare Candy storm the stage Saturday at 1:30 PM and 3 PM respectively.

If that isn't enough to satiate your thirst for awesome VGM shenanigans than you are simply impossible to please. Definitely check out the show, and say hi to Dom as well for organizing JamSpace and generally kicking ass!

Nitro Game Injection #120: Skyrocket Slam

2009-07-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

Nitro Game Injection is back with their 120th episode! The podcast is a look into VGM as well as the VGM doujin and remix scene, hosted by the very capable KyleJCrb and Larry "Liontamer" Oji. This could possibly be the longest running VGM related podcast around it seems. Anyway, episode 120 was released on July 4th, which might give meaning to the title Skyrocket Slam. Check out the newest episode at kngi.org and check out the info for their newest podcast below

Happy Alien Invasion Day! To help tide you over between the food, booze, and explosives, we have a brand new episode.

Kyle shows that he did not do the research on any discussion points, and unashamedly peddles for money via the NGI Amazon Store while Larry dreams of being famous and mounting 22-inch rims to his wall while swimming in dollar bills. They also discuss the many lyrical interpretations of Mega Man, hate on RPGs, pay tribute to the loss of game development’s whipping boy Duke Nukem Forever, and as always, much more!

Chiptots - l.i.g.u.e.o.s.p.i.x.e.!.s album release

2009-07-15T23:59:00.000-07:00

So soon after Chibi Ma wrote about their latest EP Chiptots are already back with their first full length album l.i.g.u.e.o.s.p.i.x.e.!.s, and as anticipated it is truly something amazing!

The eleven song album picks up where the self titled debut ended. With more catchy rhythms, chippy chirps, video games samples, and rock and roll attitude. Unfortunately, as with their last release, I don't speak Portuguese so sadly I have no idea what their songs may be about. Luckily it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of their hard rocking tracks. Hopefully I may have a fuller review of this album out soon as I am a huge fan and this small blurb can in no way do this impressive album justice!

Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy

2009-07-13T17:09:00.001-07:00

On the night of July 10th, 2009, Dreams came true. At the Benaroya Hall in Seattle, WA the Seattle Symphony decided to hold a Distant Worlds concert. For those of you that don't know what Distant Worlds is, it's a concert performed by professional orchestras across the globe playing various pieces from the Final Fantasy series. They have gone to many places already including Singapore, Stockholm, Taipei and the upcoming San Francisco performance which is on July 18th, 2009 at the Davies Symphony Hall. For those of you who know me or have read my first blog on here know what a big Final Fantasy fan I am. I have also mentioned in my first blog about how Nobuo Uematsu, the composer of Final Fantasy, is my hero and I would love to meet him. Well, the chance came by after reading news of Nobuo Uematsu will be attending the Distant Worlds concert in Seattle. It was 2 weeks before the concert and I instantly needed to go. A good friend and I figured out our money, got gas, and on Friday started driving to the city.

When we finally got to Seattle we parked the car and headed in to the big Benaroya Hall. As I walked in, people were everywhere in semi-formal clothing and the occasional someone with a moogle hat or an FF plushie of some sort. Final Fantasy was in the air and I was on cloud nine. The doors open and we went in to take our seats. The inside was 3 levels high (I was on the orchestra floor) and the room was instantly packed. Made me even more thankful I was able to get tickets in time. As we waited I could hear the orchestra tuning their instruments and getting prepared. Hearing glimpses of Aerith's Theme and To Zanarkand already had me at the edge of my seat. As the concert started, Nobuo Uematsu himself walked out on to the stage and bowed to the audience. Everyone stood and cheered in praise of him. I was taken back, I wasn't expecting to see him right away! After that pleasant surprise the conductor, Arnie Roth, came out to get things started. The spotlight was on the Choral and the Final Fantasy VIII logo flashed across the screen. A huge smile grew across my face for they were singing/playing Liberi Fatali. Images from the game played with Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy fighting added with scenes of Rinoa Heartilly and the antagonist Sorceress Edea. A great way to start off the concert! After, Roth said his welcomes and told us what we were in for tonight. The next song they played was To Zanarkand from Final Fantasy X. I have to say, this was probably the most beautiful version I have heard of this piece. Although I like this piece a lot and have always found it hauntingly beautiful it didn't really stand out to me. But this performance totally changed my view. I was literally brought to tears on this one. Scenes of Tidus and Yuna was just absolutely wonderful. The screen cleared and then we saw FFVIII game play! The whole crowd chuckled for we knew it was random battle time. Don't Be Afraid was epic! There was so much power behind it. I definitely felt the energy from the performance. What came afterwards is something very dear to my heart, Aerith's Theme. First, Aerith Gainsborough happens to be my favorite video game character ever so to hear her theme performed by a professional orchestra live is absolutely breathtaking. Combine that with scenes with Aerith and you have a moved Chibi Ma. Are you ready to get old school? Medley I-III was awesome! It had it all, town songs, battle, chocobo themes, etc. Definitely can bring up anyone's mood. For Final Fantasy V, you had acoustic with a mix of Amano art. Very well done! I do wish they showed some FFV game play but in the end, lovely. Vamo alla Flamenco was fun and lively! Good pick from Final Fantasy IX. FFIX also is my favorite Final Fantasy so I wish they had other song picks but this works.

Here's my favorite from the concert, Love Grows from Final Fantasy VIII. I'm a total hopeless romantic and a big fan of Squall and Rinoa so to hear the main love theme made a very content moogle here. Okay, not a big fan of Final Fantasy XI but great song none the less! Ronfaure gave you the big adventure feeling as it should! To end part one, they played the Final Fantasy Main Theme. Need I say more? This song is a staple to a FF concert. To not have it would be outrageous. Off into part 2 they had to make a few changes unfortunately. They went straight into FFVII: Opening-Bombing Mission, good pick to open the second half! Fisherman's Horizon from FFVIII afterwards was wonderful as always. Another FFXI, Memoro de la Stono was big, deep, and just enjoyable. The Man with the Machine Gun from FFVIII was great and Swing de Chocobo was hilarious. Now here’s the sad part for me, they had to cut out Theme of Love from FFIV. This song happens to be one of my most favorite FF songs so i was disappointed to not hear it. Opera-Maria and Draco from FFVI was gorgeous. It was sung by Angela Niederloh, Stephen Rumph and Michael Delos. To finish off the concert was Terra's Theme from FFVI. Another favorite, done wonderfully! As the credits for the concert played the crowd cheered and clapped (especially for Tetsuya Nomura, Yoshitaka Amano and of course Nobuo Uematsu).
In conclusion, this concert was something to remember. Listening and watching made me realize how Uematsu's work has brought so many different kinds of people together. That not only gamers but others outside are starting to appreciate it for it is. These masterpieces need to be known and acknowledge and it was!! The Meet and Greet with Nobuo Uematsu at the end was what really meant something to me. Nobuo has been a hero of mine since I was 13 years old. His music has inspired me, motivated me, and is the reason why I know the piano today. I never thought I would ever get to meet him. Yet there I was shaking his hand. Nobuo Uematsu is so nice and polite. He's down to earth and treats his fans so well. I am so thankful I got to meet him. Something I will remember for the rest of my life. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this concert, fantastic music, spirited audience, and a legend to meet and memories to share. This is a chance that shouldn't be missed.

iqtu - Rollie Poley Years EP release

2009-07-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

Imagine taking all the serious business of preschool playground activities, now imagine adding a soundtrack to that. Where you would end up is probably pretty close to the new album Rollie Poley Years by iqtu. The 9 song EP is 15 minutes of relaxing melodies and smooth sounds. I could best describe the EP as nostalgic dreaming music. The songs move quickly between one another and the soft notes definitely give you that reminiscing feeling. Also, this one is especially a great album to listen to while writing I must say (since I am listening to it as I type this)! Definitely head over to Pause right now and grab this album, then just sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Letters VS Numbers episode 019: "I came SO close to chipmunking the whole thing"

2009-07-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

We are back from our unwarranted hiatus and after my mixing failures in episode 18 MisterB is back at the reigns of production! So let me introduce you to the highly refined Letters VS Numbers episode 019: "I came SO close to chipmunking the whole thing". This week we argue about Sony's advertising, decide what fictional creatures are allowed to exist, and even take more of your awesome tweets! Not only that but we announce the production of the fictional Shakespeare based video game, "Gaming of the Shrew." So go into your local game retailer and pre-order it today! We also take this podcast to the next level! Whatever that means.

Remember that you can head over to twitter.com/lversusn and follow us! We will tweet when we are recording, then you can tweet questions or comments to us while we are on the air!

Listener Emails
We have a boatload of emails this week! So many I don't even feel like naming who sent them! Remember to send us emails at lettersvsnumberspodcast AT gmail DOT com so we can read them on air!

To listen in (and for full track listings and info) be sure to head over to (the brand new domain) lettersvsnumbers.net Or subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe through iTunes.

zan-zan-zawa-veia - mole soul ep release

2009-07-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been falling behind on all the great releases over at Pause and am now trying to rectify that terrible mistake! I begin my bit of catch up with the mole soul ep by zan-zan-zawa-veia. The album is 6 adventerous tracks of simple melodic tones infused with glitchy sounds and textures. I think zzwv explains it best.

This cream of nine month’s work is a set of curious songs sung by a neglected NES, buried alongside the sounds of dinosaurs - progressive rock, the earliest game soundtracks, cabaret and other such styles left to hibernate. All six pieces avoid the immediate and mechanical, instead delving naturally into exploration.

With an explanation like that it's no wonder this album is such an odd smattering of music. The album is definitely better for it though. You can hear the influence of old game soundtracks with the infusion of small catchy riffs that will have you feeling like someone is playing a classic NES game of your youth off in another room. As with all Pause releases this one seems to bring something new to the table and is an interesting listen to say the least.

STFUAJPGM, a new chiptune podcast

2009-07-05T23:21:00.000-07:00

Fans of video game music, art and culture should check out a sweet little podcast called STFUAJPGM. This fairly new project describes itself as "a miniature micro-music mixtape magazine", with each episode featuring video game style music, videos and other art focused on a particular theme.

There are currently three episodes available for download and so far the show has featured contributions from Animal Style, alex mauer, Shnabubula, NESMETAL and Lawrence Power. The show is always on the lookout for contributions of any form too, so get in touch if you're interested.

alex mauer - Vegavox 2 album/cartridge release

2009-07-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

What can possibly be said of alex mauer? Both an amazing chiptune musician, and artist alex mauer has released his new album Vegavox 2 via pause in both mp3 and nes rom cartridge format for free download (link to download here). Not only this, but for the big fans and collectors, alex mauer (with coding by nocarrier) also saw fit to make this his third album to be released on an actual Nintendo Entertainment System cartridge! For $30 the limited edition one of a kind Vegavox 2 album will be yours to place into your NES and rock out with the lovely on screen graphics and effects. For a taste check out the preview below.

Now as for the actual music. It's of course stellar to say the least. Kicking off with Zenith the album comes with a space age tune but the following track Floating Point has us searching through a deep dark cave. Gravity Hill brings us out of the cave and into a dangerous forest, and from there we arrive at the Law of Cosines, which is the boss battle if there ever was one! The album is quite on the short side but doesn't suffer for it. As mentioned the music will take you on a catchy trip from one land to another and you will enjoy every beat and pulse of it!

IAYD full concert set at Pulsewave - shot by 2 Player Productions

2009-07-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Found this amazing footage via Nobuoooo and posted at Offworld. On 06/27/09 IAYD (I Am Your Destruction) played at Pulsewave in New York, and REFORMAT THE PLANET filmmakers 2 Player Productions were there to film it all. So check out the footage over at the 2PP Vimeo page or just watch the embedded video below.

IAYD @ Pulsewave in NYC, 06.27.09 :COMPLETE SET: (1/2) from 2 Player Productions on Vimeo.

IAYD @ Pulsewave in NYC, 06.27.09 ::COMPLETE 40m SET:: (2/2) from 2 Player Productions on Vimeo.

Vincenzo - Chip Drops album release

2009-07-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

The third and newest release coming to us from the recently redesigned DiscoNinjaz brings us some amazing lo-fi jazz stylings with Hungarian artist Vincenzo. His new album Chip Drops (free download here) is six songs and 13 minutes of catchy, smooth chiptunes, thumping drum samples, and rocking guitar riffs.

Pay attention to my particular favorite tracks. Tuesday 44 sounds like it could be the soundtrack to the funkiest SNES game ever made, while Menthol Excess brings a guitar riff in to set the stage for a fast upbeat track that brings in some nice piano bits and thumping bass to round out the track.

Disconinjaz has a great track record going for their releases so far, and I look forward to them keeping it up! Also have to mention, look at that awesome artwork for this album, it's amazing!

Multifaros - The Factory EP release

2009-06-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Swedish and self described "chip/blipblop-artist" Multifaros is back with an amazing new EP! Five tracks of LSDJ created chiptunes dedicated to all the aspects of factory life. The album is available through either Multifaros' site or the mp3death label site for free download. You can imagine a pixelated montage of factory lines, product ads, and staff meetings throughout the course of the EP. Laid back catchy tunes define the album, and make for a great relaxing listen.

little-scale - Error Repeat album release

2009-06-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

Recently one of many amazing chiptuners from Australia, little-scale, released a new album Error Repeat (download here). The 5 song EP contains 15 minutes of jamming tunes to bob your head to. The opening track Come Back To Me, is a particular favorite. Starting off with a stepped lo-fi intro, which leads into the main bubbly upbeat melody and some spacey riffs. The song starts to break down a minute from the finish, and falls into some simple lo-fi beats and white noise like sweeps which all lead seamlessly into the next track. The rest of the tracks keep on in this fashion and meld very well into one another like any great electronic album. I am really enjoying the album and have had this one on repeat for a while.

You can download it, for free of course, from the CalmDownKidder Records page.

Chiptot's New Release!! "Chip Goes Pop"

2009-06-27T22:19:00.000-07:00

Add a few classics, a dash of new, cover it with chip and, POP! you have a new EP by Chiptots. "Chip Goes Pop" is an energized collection of oldies and popular songs re-done just to fit anyone's fancy. It's upbeat twist will get you belting out the Jackson 5, Katy Perry, Ben E. King, A-Ha, Cyndi Lauper and even some...Spice Girls?! Here is the track list.

1. ABC
2. Hot'n Cold
3. Stand By Me
4. Take On Lover
5. Time After Time

Out of this bunch, it's hard to say which did I like better than the other but i will have to say Stand By Me is what really made me smile from ear to ear. Who knew that a chiptune version of a 60's classic could be so pleasing to hear! Download this, turn up the speakers and get ready to dance like no one's watching! Tell us what you want, what you really-really want? You want this. Trust me.

Nerdapalooza 2009 Official Trailer

2009-06-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

I know I just posted about Nerdapalooza, but that was before this gem surfaced online. Check out the video below for the official trailer for Nerdapalooza 2009 in Orlando Florida, and for more details check out the official site or the Nerdapalooza blog!

This is also a good time to mention the big Nerdapalooza raffle. If you plan on attending Nerdapalooza 09 check out the raffle at gamemusic4all.com/npfund. Entering the raffle is $10 for the first ticket and $5 for each additional ticket and you can win albums from performing artists, art, computer parts and more!

STG Compilation Album release

2009-06-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

So thanks to a vague email, and an equally vague website, I have been informed about the Japanese STG Compilation MEGABURAKKUREBERU (download through this link or translated version). To the best of my understanding (though I may be wildly off, please inform me if I am) this album is a compilation of Japanese DJs and remixers creating music inspired by, taken from, and a tribute to the shoot-em-up genre of video games. The album has definitely grown on me, and is certainly an interesting techno, breakbeat style album. There are many other styles represented on the album through the 16 tracks as well.

For a new experience I certainly recommend this album, it is a free download of course, and certainly does get you in the mood to go it alone against endless waves of alien ships. This album has also caused me to investigate several of the bands from this album, so you can expect posts in the future from artists on this album such as Shako-Pani, NESS1943, dj-bit, and more.

OCReMix and 8-bit Weapon Reset Generation remixing contest

2009-06-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

Recently OCReMix and 8-bit Weapon contacted me with news of a remix contest for folks in the VG Remix and Arrangement community! Check out the full thread about the contest at this OCR thread or read the info below from 8-bit Weapon themselves.

We're teaming up with Overclocked Remix AND Nokia to hook up the artist who can do the best job of remixing and interpreting our Reset Generation Soundtrack! The Reset Generation soundtrack was composed using primarily a Commodore 64 and a Nintendo NES. There are 21 Tracks to remix and there are midi files available for each track!

Besides getting their ReMix posted to OCR as our first N-Gage mix, we have delivered an amazing phone hookup courtesy of Nokia.

WHAT CAN I WIN?!? (Winning collaborators will be responsible for divvying up their prizes)

1st place!

* The Nokia N81 phone (a US$399 value) w/ 8GB memory and Reset Generation installed!
* An 8 Bit Weapon t-shirt, to show your chiptune love!
* A signed limited edition of 8 Bit Weapon's latest EP, Electric High, in a real 5.25" floppy disk!
* Your choice of an OCR t-shirt along with a pair of OCR stickers, so you can fly the colors!
* Your choice of 1 more prize out of the OCR prize pool below!

* Cakewalk SONAR 7 Producer Edition (NFR)
* Sony ACID Pro 6 (NFR)
* Sony Sound Forge 9 (NFR)
* Novation V-Station Virtual Instrument
* SONiVOX Playa Hip-Hop Virtual Instrument
* A bundle of loops by M-Audio
* Project Gotham Racing (Microsoft, Xbox 360)
* Unreal Anthology (Midway, Windows)

2nd place!

* An 8 Bit Weapon t-shirt, to show your chiptune love!
* A signed limited edition of 8 Bit Weapon's latest EP, Electric High, in a real 5.25" floppy disk!
* Your choice of an OCR t-shirt along with a pair of OCR stickers, so you can fly the colors!
* A limited physical edition of OC ReMix's Final Fantasy VII album, Voices of the Lifestream!

3rd place!

* An 8 Bit Weapon t-shirt, to show your chiptune love!
* A signed limited edition of 8 Bit Weapon's latest EP, Electric High, in a real 5.25" floppy disk!
* Your choice of an OCR t-shirt along with a pair of OCR stickers, so you can fly the colors!

If you want to win a badass free Nokia N81 phone, the limited edition of 8 Bit Weapon's latest album signed, some fashionable gear and MOAR, you've gotta get crackin' on your ReMix! Let's get it on!

You have from now until the middle of July to complete as many entries as you want. But once we hit 11:59PM EST on Friday, July 10th, 2009, we're done accepting contest entries! All contest entries need to be emailed to admin@ocremix.org, subject "Nokia & 8 Bit Weapon!" Be sure to mention who was involved & what songs are being ReMixed!

Official Remix Contest Page:
http://www.ocremix.org/forums/showthread.php?t=23912

So what are you waiting for? There isn't much time left!

My Parent's Favorite Music - Testing the Waters album release

2009-06-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

Big news, HUGE NEWS, The highly anticipated new album Testing the Waters from My Parent's Favorite Music has finally been released. After the baffling ordeal that happened earlier this year, Steffo of MPFM returns from Japan and drops this amazing 9 song album for the masses. The album is available through the MPFM website for the price of $10, and for your troubles you also get an awesome sticker and button. Here is some more info straight from Steffo himself about the album.

The new album and 1st of set of 6, highly (not really highly) detailed pieces of a map. These will be the albums that I'll be working on until I croak. These won't be masterpieces, but they will be a good amount of my life summed up into these tiny little packages of paper and plastic. Every bit of this thing was put together by myself with the help of some of my online buddies.

Nerdapalooza 2009 Performance Schedule announced - Orlando Florida July 10-12, 2009

2009-06-22T03:28:00.000-07:00

This is one huge Nerdapalooza update. First we will get the main facts out of the way. Nerdapalooza is a two day event (and a preshow the night before) in Orlando Florida dedicated to every type of nerdy and VG insired music under the sun. Check out nerdapaloozafest.com for information about location, tickets, and everything else you need!

Here is the current schedule of performers and set times straight from the Nerdapalooza website.

Friday Pre-Party :: July 10, 2009

A Comic Shop :: 114 S Semoran Blvd, Winter Park, FL, 32792

Free Beer :: Free Pizza :: Free Performance

Schedule

8:00 PM :: Jay Tholen
8:45 PM :: Confuscious
9:30 PM :: MC Gigahertz
10:15 PM :: Surprise Artist
11:00 PM :: Schaffer the Darklord - Headliner

Saturday, Day One:: July 11, 2009

Holiday Inn Express Convention Center :: 6515 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819

Schedule

12:00 PM :: Opening Ceremonies
12:15 PM :: Odd Austin
1:00 PM :: My Parents Favorite Music
2:00 PM :: Marc with a C
2:45 PM :: Captain Dan & the Scurvy Crew
3:30 PM :: Devo Spice
4:15 PM :: Scrub Club Records
5:00 PM :: Krondor Krew
5:45 PM :: Rocket Propelled Geeks
7:15 PM :: The Megas
8:15 PM :: I Fight Dragons
9:15 PM :: MC Frontalot - Headliner
10:45 PM :: Surprise Headliner

Sunday, Day Two:: July 12, 2009

Holiday Inn Express Convention Center :: 6515 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819

Schedule

12:00 PM :: mCRT
1:00 PM :: Random Encounter
1:45 PM :: The great Luke Ski
2:30 PM :: Emergency Pizza Party
3:15 PM :: Dual Core
4:00 PM :: The House of Black & Fred Lives (local Wizard Rock showcase)
5:00 PM :: Uncle Monsterface
6:00 PM :: Beefy / The Grammar Club / Shael Riley
7:30 PM :: ZeaLouS1
8:15 PM :: Schaffer the Darklord
9:15 PM :: The Protomen - Headliner
10:45 PM :: mc chris - Headliner

As you can see there are some empty spots yet to be filled, so the folks at Nerdapalooza still have a thing or two up their sleeve. You can purchase your tickets for Nerdapalooza at the NaP eventbrite page. You can also check out the full list of artists there! Not only are the amazing folks above performing, but you can see the rest of the amazing performers over at the eventbrite page as well!

Besides all the wonderful performers I am more than happy to announce that hosting the event, introducing bands and killing time and such will be none other than MisterB and myself from Letters VS Numbers Podcast! Now now I know what you are saying, and sadly Chibi Ma can't make it out this year for Nerdapalooza, but I am happy to say that she will be holding down the fort at GM4A while I am off embarrassing myself!

Well that and more is what you have to look forward to in less then a month down in Orlando, Florida! Hope to be meeting some of you fine folks there!

Select Start Records first release: Rico Zerone - E-Lusion EP release

2009-06-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

A new label has come on board the chiptune train, Select Start Records. Here is what the site is about in their own words.

Based in Ann Arbor-Michigan, Select Start Records is a new label embracing a broad range of video game inspired music, chip music and visual mediums. All of Select Start Records' releases are available for free download. SSR is planning to release 7-inch records, CDs, vinyl toys, and other forms of audio and visual communication in the future.

Select Start Records has also released the first album from their label for free download. The E-Lusion EP by Rico Zerone is available on SSR's download page for the album. It is a carchy lo-fi album done entirely on milkytracker. The album ranges from upbeat squeaks to glitchy crunches to laid back ambience. A personal favorite track of mine is D24M4 which kicks off with a some punchy notes and a jazzy mood. The whole track, with it's laid back feel and upbeat tempo, reminds me of a hard-boiled detective movie made into an SNES game. Definitely my favorite track on a catchy EP. Check this one out and watch out for more releases from Select Start Records.

Hipster-Free Singles Club Vol. 1 release

2009-06-17T23:32:00.000-07:00

The ever hard working nerdcore blogging hero Z. from Hipster, Please! has unveiled his latest secret effort, known as the Hipster-Free Singles Club. Volume 1 of this effort brings us three very catchy tunes. The first track is the Famicom J-rock stylings of Hidari with their song ChocolaTommy . Next up is GM4A favorites, the NES powered rock of I Fight Dragons with the track The Faster The Treadmill... from their recently released Cool is Just a Number EP.

Where this three track single album takes an amazing turn though is thanks to Snake Eyes and his amazing mash up, remix, whatever of both of the previous songs to make the wildly catchy and amazing final track Chocolate Treadmill. So even if you own the original tracks from these amazing artists, the final remix track is more than worth the download! I definitely have to say I hope Z. has many more of these awesome singles in the pipeline!

One more thing. Definitely have to mention the amazing artwork by Dave "The Knave" White. Well done sir!

starPause - AKID EP release

2009-06-16T23:57:00.000-07:00

Glitches, breaks, crazy samples, and wild effects define the new album from starPause. The AKID EP, as it's known, is available via the 8bitpeoples site. Free of course. The four song EP spans near 20 minutes of thumping tunes created in Piggy Tracker. This is one wild album, one for those who like their chips with a bit of wild experimentation and electronic funk.

Magitek - Odd Entities album release

2009-06-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

Finally, one of the nerdcore albums I have been most anticipating this year is finally out! The wildly experimental nerdcore group Magitek has released their latest effort, Odd Entities. Available for free download at magitekonline.com and includes liner notes, lyrics, and more. The nine tracks take you through lots of lyrical territory alongside some crazy experimental beats. It is tough to describe the array of sounds they bring to the table. Electronic, rock, trip hop, not to mention all the video game samples and references they let loose with seemingly little effort.

This would be the part where I point out particularly good tracks, but this whole thing smacks of effort and shows. Clever lyrics, complex beats (that would make a great electronic album in their own right I am sure) and awesome production value. I will say though, that the track Gold Teef (For Err Body) is a particularly fun track thanks to the hilarious lyrics.

Mario in the Barrio 2 - Free nerdcore concert Saturday 06/20/09 in Los Angeles, Ca.

2009-06-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend in Los Angeles, CA comes Mario in the Barrio 2, a nerdcore concert with several amazing acts, ZeaLous1, IllGill, Nameless, Doctor Awkward, and Beethovenboy. Alongside the concert shall be a Super Smash Bros Brawl tournament as well, so be sure to bring your A-game for this event! This also marks the long awaited return of ZeaLouS1 to the stage! This is all going down Saturday, June 20th at the Coliseum Gaming Center, and as the title says, the concert is free! Full details below!

Saturday 06/20/09 3p-7pm

Coliseum Gaming Center
214 W. 39th St
Los Angeles, Ca 90037

ProjektZero selling $5 beats to pay medical bills

2009-06-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

You can read the full letter from Projektero Through this link. A few of the main points are excerpted below. ProjektZero is a good friend and one of the hardest working guys I have ever met, so please read this and if possible and necessary definitely grab some beats!

Earlier this year, I found out that I had a rare genetic defect called Meckel's Diverticulum.

Wikipedia page for Meckel's Diverticulum

Typically, this defect is found in infancy, but somehow I managed to carry it for nearly 21 years without anyone ever noticing. Then again, I've been a pretty healthy guy, never had to have a CT scan or anything like that. But, when it hit me, it hit hard. I suffered from intestinal blockage and went into the emergency room, where they operated to remove the outgrowth from my intestines. I have since recovered and I'm absolutely fine and back to normal (even better, I suppose).

That said, I had to spend more than a week in the hospital, and racked up a very large amount of debt. My family, like many, is under insured, and I've been left with substantial debts.

So that is the basics of it. PZ continues on explaining just what the $5 will get you.

For five bucks, you can reasonably expect one or two hours of my time, and I will do the best that I can in the time that I am given. This is aimed primarily towards the mixtape crowd, and I assure you, I will do everything in my power to make you satisfied with what I produce. If you're trying to let people hear you for the first time, my beats will suffice. If you're trying to produce an album that you're going to push to record companies, I may not be your best choice. It's 5$, and you're going to get what you pay for, but I'll do everything I can not to disappoint you.

Once again, full message here. You can contact ProjektZero through the following means. On AIM at DJProjektZero, or on MSN at ProjektZero@live.com, you can also email at EMCentralAdmin@gmail.com.