CRYSTAL embraces old school sound, with ‘Ecco Funk’

taken from the forthcoming EP 'Ecco Funk' Download/Stream http://smarturl.it/CRYSTAL-EccoFunk/Pre-Order https://flau.bandcamp.com/album/ecco-funkartwork by R...

Fans of 80’s new wave, CRYSTAL prepare to deliver a new EP fresh from the past

With retro melodies and a touch of sparkling chiptune, ‘CRYSTAL’ are laying claim to their own unique place in the Tokyo synthwave scene. It’s clear to see that Ryota Miyake and Sunao Maruyama are influenced by decades past and keen to resurrect retro sound to bring life and energy to their modern music.

Their discography shines with the vibrant electro pop funk of the late 70s and early 80s, unapologetically groovy synth and energetic electronic percussion keeping the mood neon bright. A love of retro gaming also finds its way into CRYSTAL’s sound, samples sneaking into their tracks from classic franchises and generating a layer of nostalgic comfort.

Their firmly retro sound is niche but the bubblegum energy captured by CRYSTAL is infectious. The pair has received praise for their work from names like French label Sound Pellegrino, and has collaborated with artists including Ikonika and Matias Aguayo.

The duo just released their new EP, titled ‘Ecco Funk’ on the alternative Japanese label Flau. Referencing the cult classic game Ecco the Dolphin, the lead track plays around with dolphin chatters and smooths out the mood with cosmic sighs.

Support the new album on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify

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Listen to the label- Flau Records
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Eclectic and electronic- listen to our playlist below!

Video game music maestro Chip Tanaka is back with his new album ‘Domingo’

Three years since his debut release, legendary Nintendo composer and chiptune maestro is back with his second album ‘Domingo’

In 1980, armed only with a degree in electronic engineering and an unlimited imagination Chip Tanaka set off as Nintendo’s in-house composer for 8 and 16 bit video games. Best known for his soundtracks in the classic games: Metroid, Earthbound and Super Mario Land, he has also written music for anime and TV and developed sound hardware for NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and Game Boy. Tanaka was one of the key musicians that was featured in the mini-documentary series of influential Japanese game composers, ‘Diggin' In The Carts’. 

Featuring a colorful and quirky album cover, Tanaka released his debut album ‘Django’ under the music label Sporadic Vacuum in November 2017. His music is full of unpredictable sounds, largely influenced by reggae and dub, it has somehow blended in with the unique sound of Nintendo and rich chiptune stylings. 

His new release, ‘Domingo’ is composed of 11 conceptual pieces, each reminiscent of his childhood and the environment that surrounded him. The key theme being nostalgia for people and places that shaped him; imagery of the sea, night, space and retro computers. In his own words, “it is my own requiem of memory by creating the sensation of making something alive”. The new album includes a letter from Tanaka and a mysterious original sound source. 

Support the album on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify.

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Creative energy in composition, Trifouille1er with Nostalimbus

From his new EP Format Malin. Stream / DL: https://smarturl.it/trifouiller1er-fm https://soundcloud.com/trifouille1er https://www.facebook.com/trifouillepremier https://www.instagram.com/trifouille1er/ @nowadays-records www.facebook.com/nowadaysrecords www.twitter.com/nowadaysrecords www.instagram.com/nowadaysrecords www.nowadaysrecords.com https://nowadaysrecords.bandcamp.com #nwds

French producer Trifouille1er blends beats, downtempo, chiptune and electronica into a tasty package with his new EP “Format malin”

Trifouille1er seems to be the type of artist whose work stands on experimentation; time spent playing with what works and what doesn’t, in order to create an end product where everything falls into place as if it was natural and effortless. Certainly that’s how Trifouille1er’s music sounds; effortless and with pure enjoyment of the resources and talent at his disposal.

Native to France, Trifouille1er’s background involves afro beat, hip hop and jazz. There’s a healthy respect for retro glitch and old school boom bap cultivated in his discography. His earlier EP in 2018 showed off his free style of production, and a desire to try things and play with his process of creation. The freshly released EP ‘Format Malin’ feels like a more condensed release, smooth enough that the risks Trifouille1er must have taken in its construction no longer feel like risks at all.

‘Nostalimbus’ was the teaser track for Format Malin. Here synth glows in a framework of percussion, soft and sweet like an otherworld ecosystem, a theme heightened by the alien-like retro samples which begin to warp in as the synthesiser finds its’ own structure toyed with. It’s a vibrant sound with genuine heart.

Support the new EP “Format Malin” on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify

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Check out Nowaday Records
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Listen to more synthy beats in our “Electronic” playlist!