VGBA Explosion #7 - MyNewSoundtrack Triple Play

I'm finally back! For how long? I don't honestly know, but I do bring great tidings of awesome video game music with me! So let's ignore the absence and just leap right into the tasty jams.

For this round of VGBA Explosion, I've chosen to cover a specific artist, MyNewSoundtrack.
This artist is a very different take on the usual format of the kind of music that I review/talk about. Instead of just covering it like rock, metal, or electronica, the artist instead redoes music in various video game styles. I'll get to the examples of this soon enough, but it's something along the lines of chiptunes but... more awesome in what it does and how well it is done!

Now the review here is going to be going over this person's recent album releases, but he has quite a few tracks up on Youtube, so you should definitely check out the channel!

MyNewSoundtrack Youtube Channel!

There's quite a bit there to take in and... it is all awesome! Now, if you didn't already click and explore the channel, I'll briefly go over what the artist does.

Like previously stated, most people cover or remix songs through a rock, metal, or electronica styling. True some people explore beyond that, but those three are the most common from what I've seen. MyNewSoundtrack takes random tracks (namely video game but there's a random selection of other music in there) and redoes them using other sound chip systems. Examples of this include Power Rangers theme song done in the styling of Mega Man X music or various Mega Man X themes done through the Sega Genesis sound set. There's a huge variety of what MyNewSoundtrack does, but it's all a really great listen. He has released a few albums in the past, (Mega Man 1 and Mega Man 2 music redone in the style of Mega Man X) but he's finally released a few compilation albums. Let's check them out!

Best MMX Hits (Volume 1) 

Available on Bandcamp ($1)

Type of Album - Covers via Mega Man X sound set.

Favorite Song - Power Rangers Main Theme

The first album (and probably my favorite) is the Best MMX Volume 1. It contains a variety of music from Castlevania, Legend of Zelda, and other classics. On top of that are a few oddball (but very awesome) selections from Mighty No 9 (unreleased), Shovel Knight (awww yeaaaah), and Power Rangers (see Favorite Song). It's one of my favorite listens because the Mega Man X series is easily one of my favorite game series, and the first one is at the very top of that. Many of the songs are pretty close to sounding like a stage from the series too, so that's a nice bonus for me. I could put this album on repeat or next to the actual game (Mega Man X)... and I'd be pretty happy. 

Best Genesis Hits (Volume 1)

Available on Bandcamp ($1)

Type of Album - Covers via the Sega Genesis sound set.
Favorite Song - Spark Mandrill (Mega Man X)

This is a very interesting and different take from the first album I talked about. While the first one focused entirely on one game's sound, this one focuses on the unique and jamming style of an entire console, the Sega Genesis. Funnily enough, many of the tracks on this album are Mega Man and Mega Man X songs. My favorite one listed above is my favorite because it's just a great song. Even before the Sega Genesis modification, Spark Mandrill's got a killer stage track. Give it the Genesis Twist, and the magic is going down in my ears. The remaining selections on this album hit even more of the oddball (but very awesome) with tracks from Touhou, Batman (NES), and Take On Me by A-Ha. This is a very thrilling and fun to listen to album. It's like Sonic has come out to jam for us... Wait a minute. 

Best 8-bit Hits (Volume 1)

Available on Bandcamp ($1)

Type of Album - Covers via 8-bit style (I think it's towards the NES more than anything.)

Favorite Song - Chemical Plant Zone (Sonic 2)

The explosion begins with a band and ends with a slightly smaller bang! Not saying this album is lesser than the other two, but it probably is in third place of the three. Regardless, it's another spectacular edition to the lineup. Now, you might be thinking "Isn't this one quite a bit more chiptune than the others?" The answer is "VERY CLOSE YEAH BUT DIFFERENT!" True, there are people who do "8-bit" covers of songs all over YouTube, but these covers feel quite a bit better than those. They have a very specific style they're going for (I feel NES but might be wrong), and they don't feel like kinda half-assed or generic. They have a lot of depth and feeling put into them. And the selection? It's easily the most varied of the three albums! True it has some of the same items like Sonic, Zelda, and Mega Man, but there's some different choices with titles like Dragon Ball Z Budokai and Mario & Luigi SuperStar Saga. There's even a track from Shantae and Actraiser! A very fun and entertaining listen all around. 

These are all great albums and currently on my listening list (also set to repeat), so I highly HIGHLY recommend them! If that's not enough, consider this... Each album is only $1. That's $1 for 15 awesome covers... remixings? reskinnings? However you wish to see it, they're all a huge bargain and super amazing! I look forward to future volumes from MyNewSoundtrack. Hopefully soon...

UNTIL THEN! We always got fairly frequent new releases on the channel like...

PS - Thanks for reading and to any of those who stuck around and came back. Going to give it a shot to write again. No promises though. T-T

~May the Crystals Guide Me~

News Post! (5/31/2015)

So... It's been some time. It's almost been two months since I've posted anything on here.
We all know I haven't been a very constant poster since I finished up the Final Fantasy series. Even then, I was starting to slack a bit near the end as I got less and less time to play and generally put off getting the post typed up.

Part of me wants to see this blog grow and go further, but the rate at which I'm going plus the actual free time I have to myself... It's not looking good. Every time I come around here to try and post something, I'm either tired, unmotivated, can't think of what to post, or just rather take my free time for me. I applaud those people who do a blog in their off time and do so well. I just can't get things together sometimes...

ANYWAYS! I'm going to try and get things back together soon, but I can't really give a definite of how or when.

I've got a few games I could easily review if I took the time, and there are plenty of albums I've gained since my last real posting. Either way, I'll figure something out and hopefully get my act together within the next week.

Wish me luck, and let's hope things can go up from here!

If you're still around and checking this... You sir/madam/other are just a huge trooper, and I thank you for sticking around. Until the next post...

~May the Crystals Guide Me~

VGBA Explosion #6 - Random 2015 Purchases

For this round of VGBA Explosion, I've decided to hit up a random selection of Bandcamp items I've had on the wishlist. I'll buy several items from my Wishlist and then list 3 or 4 of them that turn out to be winners! Now that this has been said... This is what won!

Do a Barrel Roll! - Boss Rush

Available on Bandcamp ($7)

Band - Do a Barrel Roll!
Sites - Bandcamp
Type of Album - Video Game Remix.
Genres - Rock. Metal. Funk.
Favorite Song - Those Who Still Fight On More Further (FFVII boss battle theme)

The band, Do a Barrel Roll!, is a random group I learned of that was going to MAGFest 13. (I didn't go myself... but I will attempt to someday!) I honestly didn't know anything about them beyond that. Their website seems down at the moment, but their album is still very available through Bandcamp. It's their first full album and was released early last year. But... what do I think? It's a really good start. They've got a great sound and decent selection here. I will eagerly await more of their material in the future! It's not a free album though, but it only costs you $7 for 9 tasty tracks. Get at it!

Droidekka - Droidekka

Available on Bandcamp ($4)

Band - Droidekka
Sites - Bandcamp
Type of Album - Original Video-Game Inspired Music.
Genres - Reggae with a twist of electronica.
Favorite Song - Blasto!

I've seen Droidekka a few times before down in Texas. (Oklahoma doesn't really have a video game music scene...) They're a pretty cool group, and they do quite a few video game covers live. As for their self-titled album... Not really any video game covers here. There's still a nice sound going on here though! It's got this reggae, electronica mixture that does them quite a bit of good. It's a good album for a kinda low-down, calm music. Something you could enjoy grooving on in the background. For $4? It's a cheap way to support a great band. Give them a shot for a different sound.
Here's a video I got of them when I went down to Texas for Party Madness 64.

Now on to the final album for this explosion...

My New Soundtrack - Mega Man 2X

Available on Bandcamp (Pay what you want)

Artist - MyNewSoundtrack
Sites - Bandcamp 
           Youtube
Type of Album - Video Game Remake/Remix. Will explain further down.
Genres - Chiptune.
Favorite Song - Air Man and Quick Man.

With the final album, I bring you yet another quite different idea! The artist who goes by MyNewSoundtrack (real name is Luis Sies) has spent their time making a huge assortment of video game covers making use of another game's sound style! In most cases, he uses the Mega Man X sound chip set to recreate other songs. He's got quite a selection on Youtube, and you should really explore that when you get a chance.

As for this album though, he focuses purely on all the music from Mega Man 2 and remakes it to sound like it was done with Mega Man X style. It's a very interesting and often quite awesome take on the series's music. Every song is redone here from the title music, to all the robot masters, and even the stage select and new weapon bits. It's a really awesome album, and part of me would like to hear this music while I play Mega Man 2. (See how well it syncs and all.) The best part of all? This album is "Name Your Price" and can be obtained for free if you feel such is fair. Personally, I'd recommend a few dollars towards a guy who does a great job. Regardless, this album wraps up my trio of random new buys!

And that's all I've got for now. Stay tuned and be prepared for more fun times at Recurring Fantasy!

~May the Crystals Guide Me~