Welcome to Level With Us - a cozy video game discussion podcast where brothers Jared & Marcus play a game separately, then meet together to discuss it (kind of like a book club!). This show is for all ages, so curl up with your loved ones and enjoy as these guys gush about their favorite games, gripe about the annoying parts of games, and try to stump each other with nerdy trivia questions! If you have thoughts you'd like featured in our regular discussions, or for business inquiries, just e ...
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Each episode, Marcus and Jared curate some of their favorite lofi music for you. Whether you’re commuting, studying, or falling asleep, listen in and join us at the Café. You might discover your new favorite Daily Special… . . . Tags: Lofi Hip hop, Chill beats, Chillhop, Jazzhop, Aesthetic, Beatmaker, Indie Producers, Original Music Showcase.
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SteamWorld Heist II | REVIEW (+Free Game Giveaway!)
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The SteamWorld series has ALWAYS been excellent, but how does this new sea-faring sea-quel hold up? Marcus re-joins us this week to discuss it! And stay tuned to the end to find out how you can win a FREE COPY of SteamWorld Heist II! YouTube version: https://youtu.be/a9QzL7qu5dQ If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach…
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A new YouTube-exclusive episode is up! Please consider subscribing: https://youtu.be/9r9phVKhulw More episodes are on the way. Thank you for your patience!
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Metroid: Other M & Star Fox Zero | Nintendo's Black Sheep?
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Are Metroid: Other M and Star Fox Zero really that bad? ...I don't think so. In fact, I think there's actually a lot to love about these "black sheep"! Join me as I try to find all of their good qualities! Check out my other reviews on GG! https://ggapp.io/jkrgamer If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel fre…
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With a simple premise and controls, Isles of Sea and Sky is a lovely puzzle game with lovely vibes. If you're a fan of block-pushing games in The Legend of Zelda, or just love the gameboy aesthetic, this one is well worth checking out. Here are my thoughts on the game. Check out on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1233070/Isles_of_Sea_and_…
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No Rest For The Wicked | Mini-Review (Early Access)
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I don’t love Soulslikes…but I quite like No Rest for the Wicked so far. Here are my thoughts on the early access release! Check out my other reviews on GG! https://ggapp.io/jkrgamer If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com!…
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Name That Tune - Nintendo 64 Edition (feat. Nintendrew!)
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Nintendrew joins this week to play a good old-fashioned game of Name That Tune! As an avid collector of N64 games, how will he fare against some cruelly obscure tracks from that console's library? Let us know how well YOU do in the game as well! And thanks for listening!Nintendrew YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@Nintendrew?si=rKyOxHtOcY62cWJ8…
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We’re back with another "Backlog Brunch!" Today we discuss a whole litter of titles we haven’t had the chance to bring up on the show before, such as Balatro, Sifu, Coral Island, and River City Girls 2, among others! If you have upcoming indie game recommendations, or just want to reach out, feel free to contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail …
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Penny's Big Breakaway | Review (+FREE GAME GIVEAWAY!)
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The Sonic Mania team returns - and so does Ray Hargreaves! Today we discuss Penny’s Big Breakway, a skill-based 3D Platformer (with an emphasis on the skill) by the former developers of Sonic Mania. We hope you enjoy our thoughts, Jared being awarded his very first quick jab, as well as a free game giveaway! To find out how you can win a free copy …
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Today we reminisce about the good ol’ days of subpar Gameboy platformers, candy-themed web games, and driving each other crazy, with a nostalgic trivia battle! One advantage of us co-hosts being brothers is we know exactly what games each other has played, so we hope you enjoy 40+ minutes of us trying to stump each other, and going on plenty of nos…
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Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | Review
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Dallin returns to help us review the newest triple-A Metroidvania: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown! There’s a lot to love about this game: Excellent Combat, a fun water level(?!), and an engaging mechanic new to the genre. Join us as we chat about this and much more, with only a tiiiiny rant about notification settings in this week’s episode of Le…
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Surprise!! We’re back with one last little episode before the new year starts. It’s become a yearly tradition for Jared to spring a “Name That Tune” challenge on Marcus with absolutely no warning! Will you best him at it? Let us know! Image Source: https://www.polygon.com/23648669/best-video-games-2023 We’ll be taking a break for a while, but if yo…
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It’s that time of year again, where we sit back and reflect on the frankly INSANE amount of games released in the past 12 months. These are each of our top 5 games of 2023 - and Jared’s #2 may SHOCK you! Also, listen for a surprise reveal at the end… Wishlist Rise of the Golden Idol HERE: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2716400/The_Rise_of_the_G…
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Born of Bread | Indie Game Spotlight (+FREE GAME GIVEAWAY)
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Ahhh, do you smell that? Something special is ready to be taken out of the oven! We do really love a fresh-baked Paper Mario-inspired, don’t you? Take a listen to this episode to hear our thoughts on the game, including a few bread puns along the way! Win a FREE COPY of Born of Bread by entering our giveaway! https://sweepwidget.com/c/75462-b5ol7q1…
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The SteamWorld Series of games are well known for being exceptionally good - so good, in fact, that one of them is in my top 5 games of all time. So, with the newest entry about to come out, how well does the developer do as they try and tackle the “City-Builder” genre? Listen to find out in this mini-review of the game! You can purchase the game o…
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Deckbuilding! In! SPACE! We have played the new indie title Cobalt Core and we love its single-axis combat system and its charming writing. This week we review the game with all our regular segments, with only a slight amount of spoiler-censorship at the end. You can purchase the game HERE - Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2179850/Cobalt_…
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Headbangers: Rhythm Royale | First Impressions
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Welcome to the show where, at least this week, we talk about pigeons and make obnoxious noises! We got our hands on the new “Rhythm Royale” game, Headbangers! Listen to our overall thoughts on the game, and when you’re done you can enter our giveaway for a FREE copy of the game by clicking HERE: https://sweepwidget.com/c/74475-7z6kp5gq You can also…
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Super Mario TRIVIA CHALLENGE (& thoughts on Super Mario Wonder!)
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Mamma Mia! Mario Wonder just came out, which means it’s time to flex our knowledge of the series with a little trivia challenge! Stick around to the end to hear our thoughts on Wonder, as well as a… semi-decent Mario impression. Check out Jared’s GG profile HERE: https://ggapp.io/jkrgamer If you have indie recommendations, or just want to reach out…
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Take a little farm-sim, mix it with creature collecting, top it off with a little deck building, and you get the new indie title Moonstone Island! This week we discuss this game’s multiple facets, from its card-based combat to how low your chances of flirting are (in the game, AND real life!). Purchase Moonstone Island here! https://store.steampowe…
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It seemed impossible, but Sea of Stars somehow flipped the script and made JRPGs fun. This week we discuss the game’s fantastic combat design & visuals, do a cooking show, and correct ourselves at the last possible second. Purchase Sea of Stars here! Switch: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/sea-of-stars-switch/ Steam: https://store.steamp…
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We’re back! So much has happened since we last got together, so this episode we’ll be catching up on Marcus’s new life developments, indie recommendations from our listeners, and a very cool handheld indie console: The Playdate! Also, we may or may not have worked on a video game - listen to find out more! Reelistic Fishing: https://toadleyundercon…
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Name That Tune - Sonic the Hedgehog Edition! (feat. Ray Hargreaves)
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We brought back special guest Ray Hargreaves to challenge him (and embarrass him if possible) with a Sonic-themed game of “Name That Tune!” He knows his Sonic games, but just how well will he fare? How well will YOU fare? Let us know! Special thanks to Ray for participating and for sharing a few favorite Sonic tracks of his own! Contact us at Level…
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Let's! Revolution!, Ixion, & Thronefall | Indie Game Spotlights
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Marcus is now hitched, so it’s up to Jared to fill the new void in his life with some excellent indie recommendations! This week we’ve got a minimalist RTS, an insanely detailed city-builder, and a… minesweeper-like?!Purchase these excellent titles HERE:Let’s! Revolution! - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2111090/Lets_Revolution/Ixion - https://…
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Part cozy game, part terrifyingly weird experience - we cannot get enough of Pikmin 4! This week Mariah joins Jared once again to discuss this new entry in the acclaimed yet lesser known Nintendo franchise. And a hearty congrats to the winner of our free game giveaway! Contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! Timestamps: 0:00 - Introd…
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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom SPOILERS Discussion (+FREE GAME GIVEAWAY)
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It’s been two months since The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom came out, so how do we feel about it now? Keep in mind there are full SPOILERS in this episode, but if you don’t want to hear them, skip to the end to learn how you can win a free copy of an excellent indie title!Win a FREE COPY of Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon by telling us an in…
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Video game trivia with a splash of roleplaying: Welcome to Fake Fan Fantasy II! In this exciting second installment, Jared plays Game Master while Marcus has to identify attractive Zelda characters, UI sound effects, and Pokémon he’s never heard of. Will he gain enough clue coins? Or is he truly the fakest fan? Play along and let us know YOUR high …
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Toodee and Topdee (& Other Puzzle Indie Games Too)
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Oops! All Marcus! Jared is gone this week, so Marcus finally took some initiative and made his own episode! In this short review, Marcus gives his thoughts on Toodee and Topdee, a charming puzzle platformer. Contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also reach us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LvlWithUs…
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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The wait is over! This week we talk about the highly-anticipated game everyone else is talking about: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. There are no major story spoilers in our discussion, but we do mention one big area you encounter in the first few hours of the game. If YOU have thoughts on Tears of the Kingdom, such as a funny story tha…
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Beardo’s journey continues as he tries to solve the final video game trivia challenges of “Levelwithandia!” Will he succeed and save his failing business? Or will he be dumb and call Mr. Game & Watch an anime character? Find out in this final chapter! Marcus guested on “Escape This Podcast!” - Check it out: https://www.podbean.com/pu/pbblog-imt4k-1…
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Marcus challenged Jared to an all-out video game trivia battle - with a roleplaying twist! Grab your favorite beverage and settle in as these two bicker about different video game currencies, deckbuilding jargon, and knock-off names of video games. And be sure to stay tuned because pt. 2 will be posted next week!Contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at…
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Years ago, We made those fiction skits of lofi beats cooked up in a café. Then we stopped... but we never stopped listening to lofi. We want to revive this podcast feed with a new way to feature new lofi beats! Join us for Daily Specials, which we'll begin releasing soon. It will only appear on Spotify, so if you're listening on Apple Podcasts or a…
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Metroid Prime Remastered, Hogwarts Legacy, & more! | Backlog Brunch
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Welcome to our side series “Backlog Brunch,” where we catch up on all the games we’ve been playing in the past couple months! While we’d love to dedicate a full episode to each game we play, Backlog Brunch will be our chance to share our thoughts on several games all-in-one! Stay tuned to the end to hear the winner of our DREDGE Giveaway! Contact u…
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Narrated by Jake Smith (Insta: @theejakesmith_22) Beats by Klapi (Insta: @klapimusic) Created by Marcus Richardson.
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To win a free Switch code for DREDGE (North American region only), listen to the rules (28:00) and then e-mail us the creepiest undersea creature you can think of to LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com!Today we review DREDGE, an indie that’s about fishing, item management, and maaayyyybe going just a little bit insane. Let us know what you thin…
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God of War Ragnarök | SPOILERS Discussion
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Ragnarok may have come and gone a few months ago… but it’s never too late to revisit the Nine Realms! Today Jared is joined by Dan from Octopus Deathpunch for an extended deep dive into God of War: Ragnarok’s story and gameplay choices, and what we thought of them! MAJOR spoilers ahead; feel free to skip this episode if you want to experience the g…
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Let's Make a Layton Game (feat. DearestHershel!)
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The Professor Layton series isn’t dead!! With the announcement of “Professor Layton and the New World of Steam,” we thought it would be fun to not only speculate on what it could be like - but pitch our OWN ideas for what would make for a good franchise revival! Joining us once again is the impeccable Bob from DearestHershel to discuss ideas for th…
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Sonic Frontiers (feat. Ray Hargreaves!) | Review
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We’re thrilled to once again welcome Ray Hargreaves on the podcast to discuss Sonic Frontiers (albeit a couple months late - whoops!). For this episode we talk about the ups, downs, and loop-de-loops that this game brings to the franchise. Expect fun rants, lots of laughs, and even a "Name That Tune!" Contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [do…
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We were delighted to get to try Wavetale this week, an indie game where the player gets to glide along the ocean using a superb movement system. Listen to us gush about the overall presentation, get our star pieces and quick jabs mixed up, and plug a new podcast Marcus has been working on! You can purchase Wavetale on the Switch eShop! https://www.…
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In this bonus episode, Marcus plays “Name That Tune” for some of the biggest games of 2022 - and so can you! Keep track of which music tracks you guess correctly, and see if you scored higher at the end of the episode! For a little cheat sheet as you play, check out the video version of our episode!: https://youtu.be/-jAAftB_ljQ Tell us your score …
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We played a LOT of games in 2022 and these are our absolute favorites!Contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] com!You can also reach us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LvlWithUsTimestamps:0:00 - Intro0:44 - Honorable Mentions4:52 - Jared’s #55:44 - Marcus’s #56:13 - Marcus’s #48:25 - Jared’s #49:59 - Jared’s #310:51 - Marcus’s #312:00 - M…
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Lil Gator Game & Soccer Story | Indie Games Spotlight
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This week we play with the format a bit as we each cover our own assigned indie game, then report back on it! Lil Gator Game and Soccer Story have a lot going for them, especially since they are heavily inspired by two of our favorite indie games: A Short Hike and Golf Story. But do they live up to those excellent classics? Join us for a cozy discu…
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Ooblets (feat. Cozy Louise!) | Indie Game Spotlight
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Splenda! This week we are talking about the cutesy Farm-Sim-Meets-Pokemon indie game, Ooblets! Joining Jared today is cozy streamer “Cozy Louise,” who is here to lend her expertise on the game’s farming elements, dance battles, and weird names like “Frunbuns!”You can find Louise’s content HERE:Twitter: twitter.com/cozylouise72Twitch: twitch.tv/cozy…
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A Little to the Left, Somerville, & The Knight Witch | 3 MORE indie mini-reviews!
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This week we’re review-discussing 3 MORE indie games!: A Little to the Left, which is a cozy puzzle game (and ASMR?), Somerville, which is a dark, narrative-driven game (and action movie?), and The Knight Witch, which is a bullet-hell metroidvania with deck building elements (and about climate change?). You can purchase A Little to the Left HERE: h…
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Today we celebrate making it to 50 episodes! We’re so grateful to have come this far, and look forward to even more episodes in the future! Join us for a little chat about our lives, our visions for the future of Level With Us, and even some Fake Fan questions! Also, the winner of our free game giveaway will be announced today! Contact us at LevelW…
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Bwaaah! Mario & Rabbids are together again in Ubisoft’s new triple-A release, Sparks of Hope! Join us today as we discuss how refreshing it is to have a tactical strategy game with all the simplicity and fun that Mario games usually have to offer. Stick around for a special “Name That Tune” and even an indie game giveaway!Special thanks to Ubisoft …
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Trifox, Slime Rancher 2, and The Last Hero of Nostalgaia | 3 Indie Mini-Reviews!
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A top down action-platformer, a first-person farm sim, and a satiricle soulslike? What a variety! This week we’re covering three wildly different games: Trifox, Slime Rancher 2, and the Last Hero of Nostalgaia! We got to play a good chunk of each, so here are our thoughts, along with a Star Piece and Quick Jab for each one! Special thanks to the de…
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This week we’re pleased to have Denise from SeeingStarsGaming on board to chat about recent title “Hokko Life” by Team17! Does it meet the “cozy” qualifications Denise’s channel is known for? Or did the creepy body proportions of its characters mentally disturb us? Listen to find out! Denise’s Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SeeingStarsGaming De…
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As fans of Andrew Kenady (Nintendrew), we’re ecstatic that he’s released his own indie title called C.A.R.L.! And after playing through this action-platformer, we can indeed confirm that the game is G.R.E.A.T. (a Good, Really Exceptional, Amazing Time!). Listen to hear our full thoughts, and some more acronyms! Special thanks to Andrew for the pre-…
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Fast-paced gameplay! Bullet-time action! Metroidvania! These words describe recent indie release REDSHOT! For this week’s episode, we give our impressions of the game (and listen to some rad NES tunes as we do!). Check out REDSHOT on Steam! Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1745520/REDSHOT/ Contact us at LevelWithUsPodcast [at] gmail [dot] …
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This week we are reviewing “Lost in Play” by Happy Juice Games! This is a point-and-click adventure without any pointing or clicking, and its art style reminds us of our favorite children’s cartoons we grew up with, like Gravity Falls, Hilda, and Over the Garden Wall! Join us as we discuss the game, debate whether fart jokes are tasteful, and make …
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This week we turn to the more niche and eclectic indie games as we discuss “The Signal State” on Steam! This game is all about solving interesting programming-esque puzzles themed around modular synthesis! What is that, you ask? Listen to find out! And even if you’re not into modular synth, skip towards the end to hear some of Marcus’s synthesizer …
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