Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009. Show all posts

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Machinarium - Bar Song/Pipe Wrench Dubstep

I've been playing adventure games since I was 12. I still remember that day in 1998 when I discovered Sierra's "Shivers" (demo version) and played it with my friends. That was one creepy game (managed to get it in full and finish it a few years ago). Of course, Shivers was just the first from a looong list of adventure games that I was going to play throughout the years. Each game, for better or for worse, left me something to remember it for. And Machinarium is certainly one of the games that gave me a LOT of reasons to remember it for, from its drop-dead gorgeous handmade graphics and supreme game design to its ingenious puzzles and lovable character (a lonely robot).
The biggest surprise however (considering Machinarium is a small-budget game) was its original soundtrack. It's one of the best game soundtracks I have ever heard in a video game. No joke. Composed by Tomáš Dvořák, it employs odd and ingenious music ranging from IDM (Intelligent Dance Music), downtempo, dubstep to even bossa nova to achieve a truly offbeat and refreshing whole result.
My advice would be to buy the game right now and start playing. It comes really cheap and as far as I'm concerned it's one of the best deals one can make as far as video games go. Machinarium is, simply put, food for your mind, eyes and ears too.



Sunday, April 11, 2010

Mat Zo-The Fractal Universe

Born in 1990 in London, Matan Zohar is one of the undisputed prodigies of today's EDM scene. At only 20 years of age, his discography contains releases on major labels such as Anjunabeats, Soundpiercing and Hospital and his list of remixed artists boasts with high-profile names like Tiesto, Andy Moor, Markus Schulz and Activa.
It was "Rush/Defined", his 2008 release on Anjunabeats, that caught my attention, with its overlapped layers of melodic fuzziness that reminded me of another young producer (Casey Keyworth aka Breakfast), but also had a very strong personal touch. In 2009 Matan was featured by Armin van Buuren on his yearly "A State Of Trance" compilation with the track "The Fractal Universe". It became an instant classic within the trance community and established Mat Zo as one of the most highly-regarded producers in the scene.