Archive for the ‘Album Reviews’ Category

Party in the [USA] – the ANAMANAGUCHI [USA] Tour

Posted by The ChipWIN-tern

Boy, 2020 has been a long decade, am I right? It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that just over a month ago, I was attending the Richmond, VA stop of ANAMANAGUCHI’s [USA] tour. As you may have read in the past, I always love checking out them ‘guchi boys when they’re in town, and this was to be no exception. However, unlike in years past, this concert was preceded by something completely unexpected – ANAMANAGUCHI’s press folks apparently read one of my old event reviews and wanted me to interview the guys! Obviously, I wasn’t turning that down.

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A Square Meal: ‘カワイイチップチューン VS カッコイイチップチューン 対決コンピレーション’ (Cute vs. Cool Chiptune)

Posted by Pixel Guy

Confrontation is, occasionally, inevitable. Most of the time, however, we can learn from our differences and enrich our own perspective. In some cases, even highlighting these contrasting elements can be a good thing. After a spectacular showcase compilation last year, しのりゅー brings to us yet another incredible release that showcases this pixelated dichotomy. For this chapter, 56 artists explored the contrasting themes of cute and cool in their own unique styles. So let’s take a look over ‘カワイイチップチューン VS カッコイイチップチューン 対決コンピレーション’ (Kawaii Chippchūn VS Kakkoii Chippchūn: Taiketsu Conpirēshon), released through novtos.

Artwork by ひこてる
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A Square Meal: ‘Silly Snake 2: Silly Snake’s Soccer Blast’ by City Guys

Posted by Pixel Guy

Nostalgia – just reading (or writing) that word can induce a trance because of the semantic satiation. Like it or not, those nine letters have become part of how the world views chiptune and some other musical genres, especially in recent years. Putting aside if there is or is not truth in those words, today I’d like to take a slice of that cake. While the excessive romanticization of the 80s & 90s games, sometimes, verges on the cliché; City Guys break the line between the ideal good and the actual good with a bright and vibrant album that is a delight not only for the VGM lovers but also for anyone who enjoys music. So let’s take a look over ‘Silly Snake 2: Silly Snake’s Soccer Blast’ by City Guys, released through Pterodactyl Squad.

Artwork by Mila K

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Rhyphte Reviews: ‘General Musings’ by cactus.

Posted by Rhyphte

Well, this is probably the last you’ll be hearing from me for a minute, folks. Got some IRL adventures to sort out before I can pursue my hobbies in the same way again. So let me kick off the review portion of this announcement with the revelation that cactus. is from Melbourne! Crazy to me since I was born there and had no idea (that cactus. resides there—pretty sure I know where I was born)! There’s so much talent in the southern hemisphere and the list of Aussie musicians that I am aware of grows longer day by day!

(very fitting) album art by Joshua Webb

‘General Musings’ is a collection of what cactus. calls ‘title-first’ compositions, which are songs written around expressions or phrases deemed sufficiently interesting by the creator. I think that the concept is quite refreshing, bringing many different and specific ideas together into the spotlight without the need for a binding theme. It’s a great prompt for generating new and interesting musical ideas!

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Aydan Appreciates: ‘Next Level’ by Graz

Posted by Aydan Scott

Graz’s music catalog has been expanding slowly but surely over the last few years, with the release of multiple singles, EPs, and collaborations with other artists, in addition to a few features on our very own ChipWIN compilations over the years. Through Orlando-based netlabel Tiny Waves, Graz has released his latest EP, ‘Next Level’, a five-track EP featuring two of his most recently released singles in ‘Need Ur Love’ and ‘Run It’. Let’s check it out!

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