Underground Resistance and video games.

DigitalDjigit

Honky Tonk Woman
I know some of you are definitely UR fans so I thought this article may be interesting.

http://www.freep.com/entertainment/videogames/midclub-bar310e_20050410.htm

I love UR but it occupies this weird place. It seems much more accesible than most techno because of the melodies and symphonic sounds and yet at the same time it feels too "old people music" for video games.

"Hi Tech Jazz", it's a great track but calling it jazz is a bit laughable because the sax is so unsophisticated next to real jazz. At the same time I feel like it loses points from the kids for that melody, it's too emotional, too candid compared to hip-hop.
 

AshRa

Well-known member
DigitalDjigit said:
"Hi Tech Jazz", it's a great track but calling it jazz is a bit laughable because the sax is so unsophisticated next to real jazz. At the same time I feel like it loses points from the kids for that melody, it's too emotional, too candid compared to hip-hop.

It's not really fair to compare "Hi Tech Jazz" to JAZZ as a genre, it's better to look at it as part of a long line of brilliant house and techno records that use jazz as an ingredient (check Nu Groove out as well as most Mike Banks stuff).

It's a shame kids are more interested in today's yawnsome hip hop instead of ace old stuff like UR.

*curmudgeon mode off*
 

Buick6

too punk to drunk
Didn't Derrick May do a track for a Playstation game a while back?

I'd prefer really good techno for a videogame rather than the rubbish 'nu-rock' they always use.
 

kingofcars

Well-known member
i have very mixed feelings about how the UR sound (and the detroit sound at large) has matured over the years...
while the increased exposure is good, i feel like the sound has become increasingly compromised - and the incorporation of world music/jazz fusion is a pretty embarassing stab at commercial accessibility.
this was really apparent during UR's live set at the fuse-in fest a few weeks ago....complete w/ a 6 piece band, dancers, and native americans in full head dress! the music was powerful enough to carry the weight of the tacky gags, but only just barely...
what happened to "riot"? what happened to "message to the majors"? the 'fuck you' attitude has long been missing from detroit techno, and has been largely supplanted with crass hedonism or retrogressive notions of 'respectability'...
 

robin

Well-known member
surely derrek may wouldnt have done a track for a playstation game after the whole sony/knights of the jaguar situation?
 

Noah Baby Food

Well-known member
robin said:
surely derrek may wouldnt have done a track for a playstation game after the whole sony/knights of the jaguar situation?


Was before that I think. The game is "Ghost In The Shell", based on the manga. It was the first original material May had done for ages, that I remember.
 

DigitalDjigit

Honky Tonk Woman
Buick6 said:
Didn't Derrick May do a track for a Playstation game a while back?

I'd prefer really good techno for a videogame rather than the rubbish 'nu-rock' they always use.

Whatever happenned to original music for videogames. Remember all that great Nintendo music? It's the same as in movies, you just get overexposure to the same hits that are already playing on the radio and tv. Even after it became possible to put real music into games my favorite game soundtracks are all specially done for the game.

Of course now with sliding music sales writing music for videogames may be the best way for artists to get real money.

I am not sure I really wanted to discuss their grabs for respectability so much as whether the music will work in the context of the videogame and how it will be recieved.
 

cooper

Well-known member
DigitalDjigit said:
Whatever happenned to original music for videogames. Remember all that great Nintendo music? It's the same as in movies, you just get overexposure to the same hits that are already playing on the radio and tv. Even after it became possible to put real music into games my favorite game soundtracks are all specially done for the game.

Of course now with sliding music sales writing music for videogames may be the best way for artists to get real money.

I am not sure I really wanted to discuss their grabs for respectability so much as whether the music will work in the context of the videogame and how it will be recieved.

fwiw, moving shadow has licensed tracks to several videogames, notably SSX 3. works quite well in context - i think most people don't really notice those things so much, though. for me it goes back to trent reznor doing all the sound design for quake, which i thought was quite good.

also of note - the xbox and i'm pretty sure all the next-gen videogame systems will let you rip and compile your own soundtracks for most games. i think i said this before - playing burnout 3 to something screwed'n'chopped is a fantastic experience.
 

kingofcars

Well-known member
DigitalDjigit said:
I am not sure I really wanted to discuss their grabs for respectability so much as whether the music will work in the context of the videogame and how it will be recieved.

apologies if i went off topic, the article touched a nerve.
rockstar always does a good job with their soundtracks, tho, and recent submerge material would probably work pretty well in a racing game, especially stuff from the motech or electrofunk catalog...while some of it might be a bit mature and emotive, i don't think kids are going to notice when they're speeding down the streets of tokyo in a stolen ferrari, or whatever...
 

kingofcars

Well-known member
and yeah - right next to car commercials, videogames have been one of the best ways for electronic musicians to earn some quick $$$ in the past 10 years...
 

gabriel

The Heatwave
kingofcars said:
and yeah - right next to car commercials, videogames have been one of the best ways for electronic musicians to earn some quick $$$ in the past 10 years...

apart from poor scientist :(
 
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