The Black Box
(2013)
why you'll love it: A more original and classy take on chiptune. Also, "Lonely Rolling Star"
why you'll hate it: Trapped in a stagnant genere
It's been too long for my liking since the last YMCK album. The jazzy-pop chiptune group seems to have blinked out of existence over the last 3 years. It feels like a real stroke of good fortune that I stumbled across The Black Box while ruminating over that very thought. aivi & surasshu are a chiptune duo, with lounge, jazz, and some pop influences. At face value, they fill the very space I was looking to have filled.
To end just there wouldn't do justice to aivi & surasshu though. They aren't just another chiptune band. The use of classical piano really helps bring some grace and higher sense of quality to a genre that is usually shallow and niche, even at its best. The decision not to have vocals is common for this genre, but at least is another thing that sets them apart from YMCK, and makes them not sound as detrimentally "cutsey".
While the album as a whole is a smooth, enjoyable listen, the clear highlight is a cover of "Lonely Rolling Star", a song from the (honest to god - SO GOOD - not just a video game that I like) soundtrack to Katamari Damacy. Boy, do I ever love the Katamari soundtracks. As much of a stereotypical light it casts me in, I have to admit; my heart warmed when I heard that cover. As far as music that doesn't make me sound like a mindless fanboy, the next best track on here is probably the swing number "Here's How!"
I can't blame you for rolling your eyes at the first mention of chiptune; even if (or maybe especially) you play a lot of video games.. It has over-saturated the scene, and is mostly co-opted by insufferable empty headed video game geeks. If you give The Black Box a chance, maybe you'll conclude that the duo brings a bit more to the table than most of their peers. The album is freely distributed on their bandcamp site. Check it out. Maybe it will leave an impression on you.
No comments:
Post a Comment