BIT.TRIP's Greatest Chips
BIT.TRIP's Greatest Chips by Bit Shifter, Bubblyfish, Nullsleep, Anamanaguchi, and minusbaby pressed on picture disc vinyl by iam8bit.
“With rhythm comes responsibility.”
Move to Intercept
Take a trip through Commander Video's colorful BIT.TRIP universe this week with Choice Provisions' & iam8bit's BIT.TRIP’s Greatest Chips. Pressed on beautiful Rainbow Trail picture disc and white vinyl comes a bright compilation across the crafted indie world that only BIT.TRIP could deliver. With compositions from Bit Shifter, Bubblyfish, Nullsleep, Anamanaguchi, and minusbaby, this album packs a pixel punch! Drop that needle and let's go!
Translucent
With compositions spanning every BIT.TRIP game, there is definitely a lot to like here. The incredible artists featured in each game gets an awesome spotlight on this release and truly shows the musical experience that these games are known for. The BIT.TRIP series completely took the world over back in 2009 with Beat and never looked back. Releasing a new game every few months all the way through to Flux, the explosive passion that the people involved in creating these game had was contagious and permeated everything these games touched in a nostalgia wave of sounds and visuals. This awesome series covers a multitude of gaming genres and adds to the charm and impact that it had on the lives of gamers ten years ago. With colorful and entrancing new twists on classic game formats, these indie games and their music will forever hold a special place in the hearts of gamers around the world.
Galaxy Tonite [DMG Version]
Drop that needle and let Commander Video & Co. take you on a mythical trip through crushed bits and joyful synthesized melodies. Cascading through pixels and rainbow traces of beats has never felt better; this album never holds back from its sheer raw retro sound and I absolutely love it! There's something so fun about watching and listening to your needle run through the colorful grooves here that will surely put a smile on anyone's face. If you are a fan of these games then you know the exact sound I am talking about! There's something so contagious about the tunes that fill the BIT.TRIP universe that just has to be experienced. This album has a sprinkling of all that wonderful pixel goodness in one disc, and I am here for it!
Blackout City
This album's biggest strength is just how unified the compositions are. While from completely different games and musicians, the album has this sense of cohesiveness that undoubtedly was Choice Provisions direction in crafting their games. Each revolution of the vinyl lifts the lid on another wonderful chapter in this indie series journey, one that many of us took along with the developers with each consecutive game release. The BIT.TRIP series is so unique and the music is something that always stuck with me long after putting the games down. The music is what brings me back to these games time and time again, and the same can be said of this vinyl. I can't wait to spin it again!
A Large Part of your Mind Sliced [What Mix]
This release from iam8bit is up there as one of the most gorgeous releases that this Los Angeles label has put out. The incredible picture disc encapsulates the BIT.TRIP games so well, and honestly is very stunning pressed on white vinyl. The color bands are vibrant and are super cool to watch as it spins. Having each side mirror the other from track in to lead out adds to the flavor here. The mastering is pretty good; with it being a picture disc, there is some definite surface noise with minor crackling through some of the quieter passages. This honestly rarely happens in these loud, chaotic, and vibrant tracks. Tying this whole release together is incredible artwork from industry veteran Drew Wise. It is accented with gorgeous embossing and spot gloss that just carries this simplistic yet genius illustration over the top. The RUNNER's rainbow trail crossing over the spine and spanning the back cover is an amazing design choice and adds so much character to this already lovely release.
Strange Comfort
Overall, I would say that this release is a fantastic commemoration of wonderful game series that Choice Provisions has created. The care and love poured into making this a unique and memorable release shows, and is something a fan of the BIT.TRIP series owes to themselves to pick up. The additional digital content is an amazing bonus, and just goes to show the dedication put forth for this release. This album is a gift to the fans, and it shows in every aspect of its design and execution.
I hope we see a release for each game in the future -- I know I'd buy them, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that sentiment!
Album Details
Music by:
Bit Shifter, Bubblyfish, Nullsleep, Anamanaguchi, & minusbaby
Remastered for vinyl by:
iam8bit
Artwork by:
Drew Wise
Vinyl produced & distributed by:
iam8bit
Where to Buy?
Unfortunately, this album has recently sold out from iam8bit's clearance sale. Originally released in 2015 and limited to 1,500 copies, this album remained in stock for quite a while, and is still easy to find online if you look around. If you come across a copy of this album, I highly recommend you pick it up. You won't regret it!