By Devonne Tourre, Asst. Digital Media Editor
Released on April 4, 2019, “HOW 2 PLAY” is That Andy Guy’s latest extended play (EP) that infuses classic synths and chiptune melodies into a four-track experience that sounds right out of an arcade game.
That Andy Guy, otherwise known as Andrew Masson, is a musician that combines synths, piano, beats, and chiptune into powerful melodies and tracks that are super unique and a bop to jam out too. Amidst releasing single after single for the past few months, That Andy Guy’s last big release was “Switch Jams Vol. 1,” which features songs that were made on KORG Gadget, a digital audio workstation released for the Nintendo Switch on April 26, 2018.
The way that he incorporates beats with his electrifying melodies is just awesome. Plus, there’s a cute chiptune song in there too. Let’s go through each track of “HOW 2 PLAY” to see what each track brings to this awesome sounding EP.
The first is “insert (7) more coins.” This song is a perfect way to start the EP, as it captures my attention with its shaking tambourines and thumping bass. It seems like you’re feeling the adrenaline of digging around your pockets for the last coins to insert into the arcade cabinet. The glass shattering sound effect was perfect, making me think of watching a screen flicker on.
The next is “Solo Play.” It’s mellow, as the beat mostly loops like any background music does in a video game. The high synths bring an eerie mystery, as if I’m wondering what lies ahead. I’m high-tailing it on the journey though, as we don’t slow down until the end of the song.
The next song is “Y O U L O S E.” This is where you’re on the last hit point and we’re feeling weak. The heaviness on this track is astounding, as the grunginess of those underlying synths and deep bass is really what carries the entire feel. It smooths out towards the middle of the song, giving us a sense of dreams and hope. Until then, as the grungy synth kicks back in, it reminds us that we lay motionless on the ground.
The last one is “Loop 2.” It’s reminding us that we are still in a video game, and that it’s coming to an end. The song keeps building up, until it comes crashing back down, like when you turn off the console and go back to the real world. Surprisingly, “Loop 2” feels like the mechanics of something greater, almost as if it’s the beginning of the end.
That’s where the loop is–– the beginning to the end. This EP is definitely worth a listen if you want something to close your eyes and think to. Even if you don’t like video games, the different instrumentation that That Andy Guy utilized to compose these tunes is something that anyone could get behind.