Chiptune Essentials

Video games entrance countless kids worldwide, and many reared on Nintendo and Atari have gone on to create upbeat music constructed from these distinctive 8-bit sounds. Originating in Japan, the chiptune genre continues to expand as artists explore the seemingly endless ways cartridge-born noises can be reconfigured and remixed. Results range from the rock stylings of Anamanaguchi to the work of artists such as Omodaka, who've added enka-style vocals to their folk-tinged take on the genre.