Rad Raygun Soundtrack
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Album Title: Rad Raygun Soundtrack |
| Record Label: Bandcamp |
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| Catalog No.: N/A |
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| Release Date: May 16, 2013 |
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| Purchase: Download at Bandcamp |
Overview
Both a loving homage to Game Boy platformers and a parody of 80s cold war politics, Rad Raygun‘s blast from the past is complemented by a retro-inspiring score by FantomenK (aka Simon Norberg).
Body
Like many other retro-inspired indie scores, FantomenK’s Rad Raygun soundtrack mixes vintage and contemporary electronic sounds. However, while many similar soundtracks taking a trip down memory lane opt for chiptune rock, this soundtrack rides high on a tidal wave of dance beats and euphoric melodies.
Cleverly evoking the kind of electronic music popular when the original Game Boy made its splash, Rad Raygun‘s rhythms manage to be instantly catchy, gritty and at times surprisingly complex, particularly on knotty, syncopated “Irafghanistastan” and the hyperactive “Chernobyl”.
Not every track is as dizzying a trip to the dance floor as these densely arranged examples. Still, every cue on Rad Raygun keeps churning out surprises — try the funky steel bass breakdown on “Berlin” after its 80s dance pop intro — and never forgets to fire up gamers for another round of fighting those evil Communists.
Summary
At 21-minutes, Rad Raygun is a little overpriced at five dollars, but is well worth sampling through Bandcamp. Overall, an excellent chiptune score brimming with personality.
Do you agree with the review and score? Let us know in the comments below!
3.5
Posted on March 23, 2015 by Simon Elchlepp. Last modified on March 21, 2015.
About the Author
Simon Elchlepp A former German film student now living in Melbourne, Australia and working at the University of Melbourne's Architecture faculty - and a passionate music lover with an eclectic taste. Specialising in Western game music, I'm here to dig out the best scores Western video games have produced in the last thirty years.
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