Episode 80 :: Gradius Rebirth, Dropsy

Video Game Grooves

Blog Link: http://videogamegrooves.com/2021/05/08/episode-80-gradius-rebirth-dropsy/ ‎ The season has turned, and for a brief time in Video Game Grooves climes life will be a bit more active and a bit more moist. So we are joined by Aaron from Ship to Shore Media to preside over the action and the, uh, moistness in the form of video game music on vinyl records! Specifically this episode the action belongs to the release of Gradius Rebirth from Ship to Shore. The Rebirth series is a bit special in the pantheon of games and their remakes, and Gradius in particular, ostensively lost forever on Wiiware, lives on with its cutscenes and darkness in this vinyl release. We look at both the narrative-driven elements of DARKNESS and also the fast-paced space jet vibe ala Manabu Namiki, and generally appreciate the little spot Gradius Rebirth holds in the series history. We move on to the moisture with Dropsy, from Joyful Noise Recordings, and it feels just like a damp hug. The mood of Dropsy is something rather unique as well, and we get as close as we can stand to the horrifying/maudlin/sweet combination without freaking out. We appreciate the musical output of the 12-hour Chris Schlarb recording marathon, as well as the Mothersbaughan element of the album, and its overall listenability. Of course we have new releases and represses and shipping announcements to cover, as always! And finally, we talk to Aaron about the sustainability of the market for video game music on vinyl through the introduction of new (and possibly younger) devotees, and what that means for the release schedule and selections for labels in 2021. Outro: "Fugitive Foxtrot" - Dropsy, by Chris Schlarb Twitter – @vg_grooves, @jeremy_lamont, @ajohnagnello, @stsphonoco Facebook – StSPhonoCo Links: Yakuza 0 (Laced Records) https://www.lacedrecords.co/collections/yakuza Apex Legends (Enjoy the Ride) https://enjoytheriderecords.com/collections/enjoy-the-ride-records/products/apex-legends-soundtrack-etr110 Myst (Fangamer) (Black Screen Records) https://www.fangamer.com/collections/myst/products/myst-vinyl-ost https://blackscreenrecords.com/products/myst-original-soundtrack-by-robyn-miller Frostpunk Complete Soundtrack (Gamemusic Records) https://gamemusic.net/product/frostpunk-complete-soundtrack/ Mr Nutz (Wayo Records) https://www.wayorecords.com/en/vinyls/724-mr-nutz-original-soundtrack-vinyl-collector.html Super XYX (Respawned Records) (Black Screen Records) (sold out) https://respawnedrecords.com/collections/featured/products/super-xyx-vinyl-soundtrack https://blackscreenrecords.com/collections/distro/products/super-xyx-original-soundtrack-by-epilis R-Type Original Sound Box (NIS America) https://store.nisamerica.com/preorders/r-type-original-sound-box NeoGeo Pocket color Selection Vol 1 game bundle (PixnLove) (sold out) https://www.pixnlove.com/nintendo-switch/902-neogeo-pocket-color-selection-vol1-snk-limited-edition.html https://www.pixnlove.com/nintendo-switch/901-neogeo-pocket-color-selection-vol1-capcom-limited-edition.html Arknights: Contingency Contract (Monster siren) (requires proxy) https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1-b-s.w20726869-22044789652.1.4a2d66adw4St78&id=640489773953&skuId=4599001768177 Necrosphere (Very Ok Vinyl) https://www.veryokvinyl.com/products/vov-001 Friday Night Funkin (Needlejuice Records Kickstarter) https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/funkin/friday-night-funkin-the-full-ass-game Image Gallery