Hyperdub are proud to present Diggin In The Carts - A Collection Of Rare And Pioneering Japanese Video Game Music. This release builds on the critically acclaimed Red Bull Music Academy radio documentary series of the same name that chronicles the history and global influence of this exciting early strain of electronic music. Researched and curated by Diggin In The Carts writer / co-director Nick Dwyer and Hyperdub label head Kode9, the collection plunges deep into the rare archives of the chip era of Japanese video game music. Available on CD and digital, with a vinyl run to follow early in 2018, the collection features artwork by renowned Japanese anime artist Koji Morimoto, whose distinctive style has featured in films like Memories and The Animatrix. The music in this collection was made for globally renowned systems, from Famicom, Super Famicom and the PC-Engine through to popular Japanese home computer platforms like the MSX, MSXturboR and the PC-8801. Diggin In The Carts showcases these works not just as 'Music for video games,' but as incredible pieces of electronically produced Japanese music that stand on their own. From Soshi Hosoi's Steve Reich inspired minimalist masterpiece 'Mister Diviner' from The Mahjong Touhaiden, to the dazzling high-tech chip soul of Toshiharu Yamanishi's 'Shooting Stars' from legendary Mega Drive shooter Thunder Force IV, and not forgetting the saw tooth heavy darkness of the Konami Kukeiha Club on titles like 'Mouryou Senki Madara' and 'Esper Dream II', Diggin In The Carts aims to bring the pleasure and depth of this music to an audience inside and outside the gaming world.
