In recent years, I have created my own multi-media project called Button Masher that brings together jazz and video game music. This project has received widespread recognition on social media from general audiences, as well as from notable jazz musicians. For this project, I use Ableton Live to recreate and utilize the sound design of retro video games. Just as jazz builds on early popular music, my Button Masher project extends retro video game music. As in jazz, each tune includes both structured parts and improvisation. Many of the tunes cover video game melodies that were popular. Other tunes are originals that utilize the sound design of well-known retro video games.
Lacey Johnson
Lacey Johnson is a newcomer in the VGM Community, but is already making waves. The "Keytar Kween" produces Video Game covers on her YouTube channel where she is the sole musician, arranger, and engineer. Her exuberance is infectious, and it’s easy to see why so many people enjoy her music. Lacey has shown the world how cool the keytar can be. Recently, Lacey has been taking her Virtual Live show Offiline and has performed in Orlando, FL at the Persona 5-themed "Whims of Fate" show hosted by Ongaku Overdrive. She is working on booking more shows to spread the gospel of Video Game Music around the world!
Israfelcello
I'm a Nashville-based classical cellist, and I've played all over the world with a number of major orchestras. The other side of my career is in recorded music, I have played for the scores of many major video games and movies, including God of War, Halo Infinite and Destiny 2. As a long time fan of video games, this lead me to start to arrange my own covers and here we are!
Super Soul Bros
The Super Soul Bros are a collective of San Jose musicians, whose fusion of funk and jazz meets the nostalgic melodies of classic video games. Formed in 2012 by keyboardist Robbie Benson, the Super Soul Bros have gained notoriety for their dynamic musicianship, high energy shows, and infectious grooves--comparable to jamming a ‘70s James Brown record into a Nintendo Entertainment System. Whether they’re taking requests on the fly, or the crowd’s busting into a full-on soul train, it’s always a party with the Super Soul Bros.
The Red Panda
Jordan aka The Red Panda is a New Mexico based producer, DJ, musician, and all around artist. Jordan's musical career started when he started playing the drums in his church; he still plays to this day. His love for music bloomed in his early years of high school, and in 2018, he created his EDM alias, The Red Panda. As visionary and artist, Jordan creates all of his branding and artwork, including cover art. He takes inspiration from the likes of Haywyre, Hideki Naganuma, Knower, and Tokyo Machine, and grew as a performer and musician and played at many local venues like the Art Walk, and Electric Playhouse. He has since composed and produced the soundtrack for the low poly platformer, Toree 2, by Marcus Horn of Siactro. Fun Fact: his favorite game is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky.
Find the Rabbit
Started in Aug. 2014, Find the Rabbit began her career as a Visual Artist (VJ) in the Music Industry with her first event for The Chainsmokers at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA. Based in San Francisco officially operated in 900+ events all over Northern and Southern California working on events such as Kehlani at San Francisco's Pride City Hall Mainstage to NVIDIA GTC Conference Silicon Valley. Rabbit is Partnered streamer on Twitch that DJs Trance and Bass music (Hardstyle and Hardcore).
Jewel Maiden
Jewel Maiden is a video game cover producer and DJ. 💎
She transcribes a majority of her video game covers, note-by-note, for piano players! Her sheet music transcription passion has allowed her to branch off to creating lively and nostalgic video game covers & arrangements. 🎼
Jewel has performed at MAGFest POSE, VRGE, Sailor Moon Expo & more. ✨
It is her dream to promote the beauty of video game music and share its wonderful energy to everyone! 💖
Faith in the Glitch
Faith in the Glitch is a Replicant sent from the future of 1989. His mission? To terminate dance floors before they're able to attain sentience and destroy humanity. By blending the sounds of synthwave with weaponized industrial bass, dancers are able to get to 88 miles per hour and go back to the future, where a cyberpunk dystopia awaits. Time is an illusion. Reality is fragile. Have faith in the glitch, and dance like your life depends on it. BECAUSE IT DOES.
TinyWaves
Tiny Waves is a record label, events promoter, and production company dedicated to empowering artists and cultivating a thriving & supportive community. Based in Orlando, Florida, they have a strong focus on EDM, video game remixes, chiptune elements and anime aesthetics to bring a high-energy positivity to the stage AND the scene, online and off.
Watch Out For Snakes
Watch Out For Snakes is 8-bit chipwave from Atlanta geek Matt Baum. Layering NES and Game Boy chip sounds, Watch Out For Snakes creates darkly energetic tracks that pay homage to old video games and 80s films without taking things too seriously.
Since the early 2000s, Baum has been experimenting with minimal synth and throwing down with a keytar in various Florida and Atlanta outfits, but it wasn’t until 2012 that Watch Out For Snakes was born. Unable to choose between playing music or playing video games, Baum split the difference, synthesizing samples from the old NES and Game Boy systems of his youth to build a unique sound – part synthwave, part chiptune, all retro.
As WOFS, Baum crafts original material that draws influence from artists such as Depeche Mode, Sparks, College, and SURVIVE but also takes time out to cover NES soundtracks from games like Ninja Gaiden and Mike Tyson’s Punchout!!
He also tours extensively with past appearances that include synth/vgm fests like MAGFest, BitGen GamerFest, Neon Rose, Outrun the Sun, and Echosynthetic Fest performing alongside artists like Dan Terminus, Street Cleaner, The Megas, and Master Sword. Baum also organizes Terminus Retrowave, a monthly live electronic music event in Atlanta.
Game Genie Sokolov
Hailing from Montréal, Canada, Game Genie Sokolov, who goes by Adélaïde, is a complex, multifaceted artist who juggles chiptune, synthwave, synthpop and vaporwave. She is, among other things, a drag queen, a gaymer, a software engineer, a radio host and a composer. Her music and sounds morph along with her as she searches for her sound and identity.
Only One Ronin
Only One Ronin is an artist based out of Oakland, CA. His content is mostly shaped by the anime, comics and the pop culture he enjoys. While at the same time, also based on deep thought and introspection from his real life struggles and aspirations. As of recently, he has become a streamer on Twitch. He is also Co-creator of Skill Ckeck, a tabletop role-playing game based on freestyle rap, also Twitch.
