Hirokazu 'Hip' Tanaka's first album is everything an EarthBound, Kid Icarus, or Metroid fan could want

I've been a fan of Hirokazu "Hip"--now apparently "Chip"--Tanaka ever since I discovered he was responsible for Kid Icarus' glorious soundtrack.

My admiration of and belief in his talents blossomed when I found out he also had a hand in crafting the music for classic Famicom and NES games like Balloon Fight, Wrecking Crew, Metroid, and the first two Mother (aka EarthBound) titles.

Tanaka now serves as the president of Creatures Inc., although that lofty position clearly hasn't caused him to turn his back on his first career.



His just-released (not to mention first-ever) album, Django, is the perfect case in point.

Its 13 tracks are everything a "Hip"--or "Chip"--Tanaka fan could want. My favorites: the chunky "Beaver" (listen to it and watch its video here), the jazzy, laid-back title tune, the ethereal "EMGR," and the blippy, breezy "Prizm."

Really, though, you can't go wrong with any of the game-inspired soundscapes offered up by Django. Speaking of which, you can listen to the whole album at chiptanaka.bandcamp.com.

See also: my '10 Most Influential Games' write-up about Kid Icarus

8-bit Jessica Fletcher

Would it surprise you to hear that I'm a fan of the oh-so-elderly Murder, She Wrote? Well, I am.

Sure, ol' Jessica Fletcher, played by the wonderful Angela Lansbury, spent most of the sleuthy series' 264 episodes stuck in goody-two-shoes-ville, but she wasn't against shanking someone with her snark stick when the situation called for it.

Another reason I enjoy watching this show, which aired for 12 seasons, when the opportunity arises: Nearly every episode ended with Fletcher frozen in mid-laugh.

What does all of this have to do with gaming? Well, someone named Peachy recently produced an 8-bit remix of the Murder, She Wrote theme song, that's what. Listen to it here.

Miley Cyrus + chip music = my current guilty pleasure

Full disclosure: I kind of like Miley Cyrus' "Party In the U.S.A." I'm also quite fond of chip music, so it should be of little surprise to hear that I'm head over heels for Luke Silas' (drummer for the chiptune punk band, Anamanaguchi) recent take on the chart-topping tune:



The video above was shot during the three-day Blip Fest 2009, held in New York City last month. For more on the event (and Anamanaguchi), head on over to tinycartridge.com.

I'm dreaming of an 8-bit Christmas

It's the holiday season, y'all, and you know what that means: It's time to pull out the chip-tune Christmas albums!

What? You say you don't have any chip-tune Christmas albums? Well, dry those tears, little ones--The Gay Gamer (standing in for good ol' Saint Nick 'cause, you know, he's busy finalizing those "naughty" and "nice" lists) has a gift for you!

Actually, Doctor Octoroc has a gift for you: A free (downloadable) copy of his 2008 album, "8-bit Jesus." Yes, it was released around this time last year, but since it's still available for download (as a .rar. or. zip) from his site, I thought I'd mention it.

Hell, I downloaded the album last year simply because of its awesome cover:

The tunes contained within--which have titles like "We Three Konami" and "Little Drummer Nemo"--are just as awesome, though--as I'm sure you'll find after you download the album for yourself (or your loved ones--remember, this is the season of giving!).

"8-bit Jesus" isn't the only chip-tune Christmas album coming down the chimney this year. Rush Coil (who I wasn't aware of until yesterday, sadly) also has put out a holiday-themed album, "8-bit Christmas."

This one isn't free, unfortunately--a digital copy costs $3, while a "limited run" CD costs $10--but a quick listen confirms that it's well worth your cash. I particularly like his/her/its/their (??) shimmering rendition of "O Holy Night."