'Arcade Hits' by 8bit Rockers (19.09.00)
ep/lp release #16
Arcade Hits is a full-length album with 15 tracks of music you could call
game-electro sound. A heavy influence of music from late 80's/early 90's
console or c64 games is heard on the whole album made by the man behind
the names Illusion and ShamusCase, Sami Liuski. This isn't the real retro
electro though because he made the sounds with modern synthesizers using
today's sound manipulation (or that's how it sounds like anyway).
Some of the tracks are made clearly from the comical view of things (as
"russian kowboy" and "kittys theme"). Still this shouldn't be thought as a
parody or a joke - Arcade Hits is more of a salute to the c64 or nintedo
music scene. All the tracks really aren't game-electro: "estee lauder" is
an ambient track (with a little harsh sound though) and tracks like
"squareballs", "kittys theme" and "sugardrunk" have crazy filtered jungle
beats (the squarepusher-kind). "dolf" even samples acoustic guitar. The
bonus tracks are more like 80's disco tunes ("electro disco" even has
great vocoder vocals).
This is a must for people who get shivers in their spine when hearing chip
or sid music. Though I didn't spend my youth playing nintendo or c64 I
like this album a lot. So I can recommend this for everyone.
[92%]
-S.Louhela
'Memories Of Tomorrow' by K.Ylikulju (19.09.00)
ep/lp release #17
If you've been waiting for a second Clayderman from K.Ylikulju's new ep
you might be dissapointed because Memories Of Tomorrow is a three-track
ambient ep so there's no fast beats or raving basslines. Though, If you
ask me this is as good as Clayderman, maybe even better: Memories Of
Tomorrow has a clear melancholic theme and I'd say the soundscape is
richer than on Clayderman.
At[1] is build on a pulsating sequence pad with layers of organ and a
choir. Later on the heavily compressed drums come along still keeping the
tune on it's slow tempo melancholic way.
At[2] was released earlier this year on the Rikos Records Promo CD.
Defeneately one of the best tunes on that compilation. At[2] also builds
on a sequence (like At[1]) which plays more or less on the back ground for
the whole song. A string pad and a bass line forms a perfect harmonic
combination with the sequence and the fading-in piano loop really hits the
spot. This is the best ambient track I've heard this year.
As at[1] and at[2] are very similar to each other (the sequences and
harmony combinations and all that) "chored" the track between them is more
minimal - mainly played on strings and a sine bell of some kind. Still
this track has a moving and memorable melody and fits on the album.
All three tracks are great compositions and real masterpieces that will
move you for sure. Only thing to critisize here is the album's name which
reminds me of Enya. Oh yeah, and as usual you can get this album on CD
too. It even includes a 22 min bonus track (called Don't listen) which
more than doubles the running time. Just contact Ky�sti below.
[95%]
-S.Louhela
Incoming releases:
Singles coming from Spark and fun-tourist.
http://milk.sgic.fi
