Top 11 chiptune songs reviewed in 2015

GOODBYE 2015, FOR CHIPTUNE YOU WERE JUST SWELL.


So it's finally come to this. A top chiptune list. C'mon you knew this was coming! After all the fantastic music we've heard from genre, I don't see any reason not to! However, 2015 was bursting at seams with music from community, and I couldn't cover every single brilliant song. Instead what you see below is MY LIST from music I have reviewed, handed picked out of the 50 posts I have made over the last year. Now, you may think, why 11 songs? Well there were too many tunes to choose from (obviously), so enjoy the list, comment what like, what you hate and what you think 2016 will be like!

11. Zabutom - Initiate 


Kicking this List off is first song off Zabutom's album, 'Redux34' and is called, 'Initiate'. As soon as you start listening to this, you're surrounded with fantastic gameboy arps, pounding bass and extremely proggy drums. I am huge fan of progressive music, and Initiate was no exception. There's always a different hook going on through the song whether its the crawling arpeggio from the synth or the resonating sound of the guitars near the end. The best song to listen to whilst driving.

Buy Redux34 by Zabutom on Bandcamp for $6

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10. J3WEL - Acid99


This track was originally going to be a 'Star Wars day special' from J3WEL so thank god he saw the potential and left it for his latest album, Sick of This. The brilliant glitchiness that comes out from 'Acid99' is enough to make you stomp your feet to the beat. The awesome use of certain Star Wars samples is astounding, from Han admitting that he's "got a bad feeling this", to Yoda's babbling glitch! A great window wobbler!

Buy Sick of This by J3WEL on Bandcamp for $4

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9. COMPTROLLER - Desperate Clear



Speaking of Window Wobblers, at no.9 we have Comptroller's distorted cyberpunk track, 'Desperate Clear' and was created on LPGT via a PSP. As soon as you start to listening to this song, your ears are covered in so much distorted bass. It's so bloody gripping, that it has you on edge when the drum fill comes in! The real gold part however; the breakdown at the end of the track, which works with glitched out Japanese female voices, it's extremely harrowing but incredibly beautiful! 

8. PALADIN SHIELD - Silver Gates



Time to get into some chiptune surf rock with Paladin Shield's Silver Gates at no.8. This is the first track off their debut self titled album, and opens up brilliantly with washed out guitar, distorted bass & beautiful gameboy leads. Not to mention watery vocal from members, Jesse & Tiaday, harmonizing with poetic & heavenly lyrics! It's a pleasant introduction to a truly formidable album!

Incidentally, 2016 will see their followup album released on Data Airlines, complete with remixes. I for one cannot wait!


7. .MPEGASUS - Radmarket



I thorroughly enjoyed Mpegasus' debut album, Quixotica when I first started out with Chip Bit Sid, so it's not surprising to see one of his songs on the list. Quixotica 2 saw a huge progression from the previous album in 2015, both showing off his confidence and finesse. This is ever more apparent with No.7, Radmarket, in which I found myself constantly returning back to listen. It's fresh funky beats & leads make it an easy one to groove to whilst showing off Mpegasus' distinct music style.



6. SHIROBON - Meteor



At No.6 we have Shirobon's 'Meteor'. This artist has been in my music rotation constantly, since I first saw him play live at the HYPERWAVE LAUNCH PARTY in London. Shirobon's music is the most defined in all chiptune, but with 'Meteor' he went the extra step, taking inspiration from 90s rap & Garage music, and creating one face melting track. I was sincerely blown away by it's main hook, the raunchy & gritty sound really becoming the driving force of the track. 


5. TRI ANGLES - Orbitals



Short but sweet, Tri Angles' Orbitals EP was a very welcome addition to the chiptune music genre, creating some excellent drum & bass beats through gritty sounds and even featuring the spectacular 'AMEN' drum samples. So it's no wonder that at no.5 we have its Title song (Orbitals) on the list, containing some of the best chaotic drum making I've seen in music so far, something I think will be difficult to top in the future.

4. TIMID SOUL - Yankee Rose



When I started playing this during 'Gameface', it's hosts (Graeme Booth) first reaction was, 'this is bloody good!' He was not wrong. 'Yankee Rose' by Timid Soul is a fantastic & bouncy track containing, many, many sample whilst playing over some cheerful chiptune synths & eclectic drum beats. The sound is such a fresh & funky disco feeling that one could listen to over & over! I still find myself coming back to this song and loving every bit of it.



3.  CHEMA64 - s u n s e t チェイス



 Another track I keep coming back to time & time again. At first glance of 'VIZIERS' by Chema64, you'd expect a more subtle tone. Instead what you find is the complete opposite and probably some of the best grime & dubstep done on LSDJ. No.3 is the first track off VIZIERS, 's u n s e t' and features a number of seriously cool tricks, from heavy kick ass beats, to incredible use of the WAV channel; you would not expect those sounds to come from a lowly gameboy!


2. HARLEYLIKESMUSIC - Get The Bleach



 This would've been no.1 if had not been for the dark horse in december; but let's forget that. Harley has been having a god damned amazing year, from releasing 'game changing' album, 'Game Changer', to everyone finding out the entire album was composed on a 'single Gameboy Advance SP'. Prior to that Harley composed his music on Korgs software for the Nintendo DS, so when he changed over to the SP, he was the envy of every LSDJ Artist. I still haven't figured how he does his music. 

At No.2 'Get The Bleach' is one of the signature tracks off 'Game Changer'. It's definitely a huge raver to listen to, and it feels like as if an old skool rave is going on inside your headphones. I haven't really come across anything like it, especially in terms of sound design!


1. BOY WITHOUT BATTERIES - Homeward Bound



 I had completed this list in the days leading up to the end of December, and during that time I was listening to Boy Without Batteries' latest album, 'Young'. Although Young was an awesome album, I was adamant I wasn't going to list to him, due to be the list being complete. How glad I feel that I changed my mind. 

After listening to this album god knows how many times, I think it's safe to say that Boy Without Batteries deserves no.1, not just with the jaw dropping track, 'Homeward Bound', but how he managed to make pop punk music on a gameboy! You can tell that there's been some serious thought been put into to making it, using every channel of LSDJ to its fullest potential (and without crashing the damn thing), just like what Harley's amazingly done. However due Boy Without Batteries putting further limitations by using a lowly DMG, I have to give it to him. Apologies Harley! :(


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WOW, THAT WAS A BLAST.


That's the end of the list! I hope you like it. Obviously some people will not agree with it, so I'm going to put a poll up soon to give you guys the chance vote which artist you loved the most! Of course, there were so many bands that I can't put them all on them so below is an Honourable Mentions list.


Honourable Mentions:

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