One of the cornerstones of 1980s revivalism is the rediscovery of 8-bit music or “Chiptune,” the art of using sounds from old computer chips and NES games to create modern music. Now, a musician named Quinton Sung has undertaken perhaps the most ambitious 8-bit project yet: recreating the elaboratel -produced music of Radiohead using only those antiquated sounds.
Last month, Quinton posted an 8-bit version of Radiohead’s turn-of-the-millenium classic Kid A, and now he’s back with a Nintendo-fied reimagining of the band’s groundbreaking 1997 release, OK Computer.
That the two records are still enjoyable after their 8-bit conversion is a testament both to the quality of Radiohead’s songwriting and Quinton’s creativity and attention to detail. For children of the ’80s, there’s something weirdly nostalgic about hearing beloved albums punctuated by Super Mario coin grabs, Contra explosions, and Battletoads punches.
So what’s next for Quinton? Is an 8-bit rendition of Radiohead’s second album, The Bends, on the horizon?
Possibly. He’s already posted a reimagining of its opening track, Planet Telex.
Photo via YouTube