Digitalcasm Daily Play #41

TeamSurpreme Vol. 41 by Nalepa

About this artist

Nalepa is the monicer for LA based "music producer, composer, professor, DJ, VJ, Dubspot Instructor and Ableton Live expert" Steve Nalepa.  He's got some incredible videos on his website including one he made for a Virtual Boy track.
website  -  soundcloud  -  facebook  -  myspace  -  twitter

Why this is good

This track is Steve Nalepa's contribution to the 41st volume of TeamSupreme's weekly beat cypher.

TeamSupreme, and several contributing producers curate a sort of weekly production challenge.  Someone from the group picks two samples, and a BPM and forwards said samples and rules out to the masses. Participating artists then have roughly an hour each to create a beat around the samples, and designated bpm.  At the end of this, TeamSupreme publishes a youtube video compilation with all of the tracks and artists who, I'm assuming had the balls to follow through, on a weekly basis.  Surprisingly from what I have listened to thus far, most all contributions are very well done (especially if all contributors are actually abiding by the strict guidelines).  Also surprising is how Nalepa has managed to contribute in someway to every single volume.

Digitalcasm Daily Play #35

Matt's Theme By Ben Landis

About this Guy

Ben Landis is prolific a music creator and composer based out of Los Angeles, California. His specialty is making retro sounding video game tunes with top notch compositions.

Facebook  -  Soundcloud  - Adventures in Pixels

Why I Like this

This is a l-i-v-e recording of one of Ben's tracks, performed by an actual orchestra!  Ben already gets a ton of love on soundcloud from people who show up for his usual chiptune sound.  Getting a live orchestra to read through an arrangement of one of the compositions is quite an achievement and takes his concept to the next level.  Matt's Theme (live) It's featured on his Adventures In Pixels album.  Happy listening!

More Soon.

Game on

A good friend of mine asked me to make some music for his upcoming game, Kid Electro.  He asked for something "upbeat, 8-bit, and funky."  This is what I came up with over a few days. 

Digitalcasm Daily Play #34

Overworld! cover by 7 Minutes Dead

About this guy

I originally blogged about 7 minutes dead on Digitalcasm Daily Play #4 on October 19th of this year. 7 Minutes Dead is the moniker for Alex Gulikers of Dallas, Texas. Alex is a prolific producer of EDM with 42 tracks and counting on Soundcloud.
Facebook -  Soundcloud  -  Twitter

Why I like this

It's a rework of the title theme from Super Mario Bros. 2.  Need I say more?  Listen. To. This. It's good, and not gimmickly done either.

See you soon.

Digitalcasm Daily Play #22

Shinkansen Girl  by Katsucurrytime

About these guys

According to Soundcloud, Katsucurrytime is based out of Liverpool, in the United Kingdom, and has produced music inspired by the Akiba arcade scene in Japan.  Seems legit.

Website  -  Facebook  -  Soundcloud  -  Itunes

Why I like this

For Some reason Shinkansen Girl reminds me of Super Metroid and is part of a self titled three track EP.  It has a good hook, and an unusual chord progression that definitely makes you wax nostalgic for 16 bit sidescrollers.  With Shinsansen Girl, Katsu has re-imagined that experience as if these games were  played in dark dingy clubs with smoke machines, instead of on the living room floor with bottles of Squirt, and your neighbor friend.

See you tomorrow.

Digitlacasm Daily Play #11

Fridge by ErikBokk

 

About this guy

Eric Nietti is the man behind this catchy videogame/japan-pop/breakbeat sounding gem.  He hails from Norway, and produces chiptunes, electro house, and 8 bit music.
Facebook  -  Soundcloud  - youtube

Why I like this

Fridge.  It's all about the portamento.  When the 8 bit chords come in and move by slowly pitching up or down to the next spot, it's gold.  It's "that something special" that this track needed for me to favorite it.  That "something special element" seems to be a trademark of Erik's tracks.  Never mind the fact that I feel like I'm watching the credits roll after I just finished beating my favorite Super Nintendo game.  Most all of Erik's music have something unusual, but really nice going for them that make each song greater than the sum of their parts.  Also the production is super clean from start to finish.  Well done!

See you tomorrow!