Xoc

Being a child of the 80s, I love listening to bands such as The Minibosses or The Advantage cover NES/SNES tunes from Mega Man, Contra, and other classic games of my childhood. Composers for earlier game consoles were given a limited musical palate, yet such technological constants helped further creativity, and forged greater compositions.

What happens, however, when these tunes get transformed by electronic musicians, metalheads, and multi-instrumentalists? In case of artist Xoc, his talent, vision, and 30+ instruments realized a brilliant interpretation of entire Super Mario World soundtrack.



Download the entire album here, free at Xoc's website

Julie Doiron

Julie Doiron's past albums have always been focused around fragile, naked singer-songwriter compositions. Her latest album, I Wonder What You Did With Your Day, is a departure from her melancholy past, featuring a full band and even a few menacing guitar riffs. Here's the rockin Consolation Prize - a driving, fuzzy bass indie-pop tune.



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Check out the video for Heavy Snow off her newest album I Wonder What You Did With Your Day:

A Northern Chorus

Last year I took a handful of business trips across the US, and while I was in New York I decided to visit the Cake Shop, a bar/record store/music venue, to hear this band on a whim. What a night - the opening bands were great, and A Northern Chorus left me stunned. In a room of under 100 people, I sat in front, mesmerized by the cellist, and the band's general ability to rock out one minute and create intimate, hushing atmospheres the next.

Unfortunately, after four albums since 2001, they decided to break up a few months ago. Listen to Skeleton Keys off their last album below.


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Check out their official video for "Winterize":

Maps and Atlases

Maps and Atlases is one my favorite bands to come out of the Chicago indie rock scene lately. Their sound is mathy (thank you ever changing time signatures) and melodic at the same time, like a mix between Faraquet, Minus the Bear and Hella. The addition of a vibraphone adds to their stellar instrumentation, along with the precise tapping, strumming, and picking of both guitarists.


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For an interview with the band and live footage, check out this video:

Dave From 2001

Here's a tune from an Internet buddy of mine, called Happy Birthday Bolickus, was released on a Boards Of Canada forum many years ago. What better way to celebrate a friend's birthday than with 80s PBS logo themes, marching beats, and Moog bass lines.


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Additionally, D2k1 also provided the music for this gem: