Tag Archives: Band

Introducing Anamanaguchi: The Band Behind the Soundtrack for the Latest Scott Pilgrim Game and More

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S
Canadian author and cartoonist Brian Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series,
Scott Pilgrim, weaves a narrative rich with pop culture. It explores the
themes of teenage angst, love, redemption, hubris, and pride, all while
providing a distinctly Canadian perspective on emo, indie rock, and shounen manga.
This coming-of-age tale follows an initially unlikable teen navigating
the 2000s across six graphic novels filled with clever nods to everything
from Japanese manga and Western superheroes to video games and Tintin.
Notably, it has also inspired a hit movie, a Netflix animated series in
2022, and a video game released in 2010, both of which featured music
by Anamanaguchi, an indie rock band based in New York City.

“My favorite scene in the Scott Pilgrim cartoon is when Knives and Kim
are just jamming in a room together and not much happens,” laughs
Peter Berkman, one of the band’s lead songwriters and guitarists.
“It really touched my heart. It’s not a joke.”




Netflix’s Scott Pilgrim Sex Bob Omb takes off.
Photo: Album/Alamy

Anamanaguchi first gained recognition for their instrumental music
utilizing video game hardware, solidifying their place as pioneers in the
chiptune genre
while still in college. During their inaugural self-funded tour, Berkman
received an unexpected email from someone at Ubisoft.

“We got an email from someone working at Ubisoft about a video game for
a Universal IP tie-in, but they didn’t elaborate. We thought, ‘Maybe a
new Alien vs. Predator game or something along those lines?’ Regardless of
the particulars, we knew we’d want to take it to the band and say yes.
I’ve always loved game and movie soundtracks.” It turned out to be an
offer to compose music for the first Scott Pilgrim video game, released in 2010.

Currently, Anamanaguchi is experiencing a resurgence. When the game
was re-released as a complete edition in 2022, the band launched the
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Game Soundtrack Tour. Last year, they
composed and performed music for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, a Netflix
spinoff that offers a meta-commentary on Scott’s life. This year,
they supported Hatsune Miku at the Fortnite Festival, showcasing their
long-standing connection to the realms of video games and live music
while releasing their first album in six years, titled Anyway, in August.
This album presents an intriguing alt-rock interpretation of their signature
synth bass sounds, still echoing their 8-bit influences. They are also
in the process of creating the soundtrack for the upcoming Scott Pilgrim
game, another engaging fighting game set to launch next year.


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Peter Berkman of Anamanaguchi performed in 2015.
Photo: Gary Miller/Getty Images

One segment of the band is delving into analog sounds and alternative rock angst,
while another group is rejuvenating their connection to Scott Pilgrim.
“Working on the soundtrack for the new game Scott Pilgrim EX revealed how we can adjust
our record world, further embracing the soundtrack style suited for the game,” Berkman shared.

Berkman noted that in the 15 years since their last collaboration, the band has
evolved in how they approach music. They’ve gained experience as producers,
become “listeners of music,” and have an even broader appreciation for the
diverse styles within video game music.

“It’s vital to establish a connection between the player’s experience and the
narrative unfolding at that moment, even as an adversary,” Berkman elaborated.
“If the moment demands something dark, gothic, or industrial, we can deliver it.
The freedom to blend these elements in a way never done before is crucial.
[Scott Pilgrim EX developer Tribute Games] actually let me experiment with audio mixing.
The musical cues we desire are paramount to us. The way the music flows, the rhythm…
with video game soundtracks, it’s where you can truly feel the authorship.”




At the beach at Scott Pilgrim EX.
Photo: Tribute Games Inc.

After experiencing the Scott Pilgrim EX demo, it’s evident that Tribute Games’
trust in the band has paid off. The music is lively and playful, cleverly bending
norms, creating prompts and expectations. The sound effects and motifs meld seamlessly
into the level’s texture. It evokes feelings reminiscent of Sea Power’s contributions
to Disco Elysium, despite the starkly different tones—pixel art, neon colors, and
the spirit of joyful adolescence.

“Tribute Games has afforded us a degree of freedom that is usually only granted
to companies that are still finding their footing,” Berkman chuckles. “Our involvement
in the development process has been refreshing compared to last time. Nightly builds
allow us to ask, ‘Is this stagnant? Do we need to add segments here?'” This level of
collaboration has deepened our understanding of arrangement and atmosphere.
This is the soundtrack we aspired to create.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

AI-Created Band Achieves 1M Spotify Plays, but Music Insiders Caution Listeners

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They garnered over 1 million streams on Spotify within a few weeks, yet it was later disclosed that a fresh band, The Velvet Sundown, was crafted using production techniques involving AI.

This revelation ignited discussions about authenticity in the music industry. Industry experts argue that streaming platforms should be legally obligated to mark music created by AI actions, enabling consumers to make informed choices about the music they consume.

Initially, the band described as “The Synthetic Music Project, Guided by Human Creative Oversight,” denied that their works were AI-generated, releasing two albums in June titled Echo, Dust, and Silence Floating.

The situation grew more intricate when a self-identified “subsidized” member informed journalists that The Velvet Sundown utilized the AI platform Suno for song creation, branding the project as an “artistic hoax.”


The band’s official social media outlets refuted this claim, asserting that their identity had been “hijacked.” They later issued a statement admitting it was an AI creation and “not human at all.”

Sources told the Guardian that streaming services, including Spotify, currently lack legal obligations to disclose music produced by AI, hindering consumers from understanding the origin of the tracks they listen to.

“We are pleased to announce our commitment to offering a broad array of services to our clients,” stated Roberto Neri, CEO of Ivors Academy.

Neri remarked that while AI can enhance songwriting when “used ethically,” his organization is currently focused on what they term “deeply concerning issues” surrounding AI in music.

Sophie Jones, Chief Strategy Officer for the UK’s Music Trade Organization (BPI), has advocated for clear labeling. “We believe AI should be a tool that enhances human creativity, not replaces it,” Jones stated.

“This is why we urge the UK government to safeguard copyrights, implement new transparency requirements for AI firms, license and enforce music rights, and ensure proper labeling for AI-generated content.”

Liz Pelly, author of Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of the Perfect Playlist, warned that independent artists could be taken advantage of by those behind AI bands who utilize music to produce trained tracks.

She referenced a 2023 incident involving songs uploaded to TikTok, Spotify, and YouTube, where Universal Music Group stated a song “infringes content created with generative AI” leading to its removal shortly after being uploaded.

It remains unclear what type of music informed The Velvet Sundown’s album. Critics express concerns that the ambiguity could result in independent artists missing out on compensation.

Pelly emphasized: “It’s not just pop stars facing this issue; every artist needs clarity on whether their work is being misappropriated in this way.”

For many, the rise of The Velvet Sundown is a natural progression in the intersection of music and AI, as legislative measures struggle to adapt to the swiftly evolving music landscape.

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Jones commented: “The emergence of AI-generated music competing directly with human creativity underscores that tech companies are leveraging creative works to train AI models.”

Neri asserted that the UK has the potential to lead in the ethical adoption of AI in music, but this requires a strong legal framework that ensures “guarantees, fair compensation, and clear labels for listeners.”

“Without such protections, AI risks repeating the missteps of streaming, where major tech companies profit while music creators are sidelined,” he added.

Aurélien Hérault, Chief Innovation Officer at music streaming service Deezer, stated that the company employs detection software to identify and tag AI-generated tracks.

He remarked: “Currently, our platform is transparent, and we need to ensure users are alerted about AI usage. In the near future, a form of ‘naturalization of AI’ should indicate whether AI is being utilized.”

Hérault did not dismiss the possibility of future tag removals as AI-generated music gains popularity and musicians begin to adopt it like traditional “instruments.”

A recent report conveyed to the Guardian revealed that up to seven out of ten streams of AI-generated music on the platform are deemed fraudulent.

At present, Spotify does not label music as AI-generated and has faced backlash for including AI music in various playlists previously, often referred to as “ghost acts,” wherein stock music is fabricated.

A company spokesperson declared that Spotify does not prioritize AI-generated content. “All music available on Spotify, including AI-generated pieces, is created, owned, and uploaded by licensed third parties,” they elaborated.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Research suggests that female bonobos band together to avoid male aggression

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woman Bonobos New research is discovering that they team up to find strength in numbers and combine them to dodge wild men.

With ChimpanzeesBonobo is one of the closest relatives of humans. Scientists have been wondering why bonobos live in general Women dominate Men are physically bigger and stronger, so they are social.

30 Years of Observation in the Congo – The only place where endangered bonobos are seen in the wild is to support the idea of ​​sisters who unite to assert their powers.

These groups of girls found women who ousted male bonobos out of the trees, secured food for themselves, and ranked them higher on the community’s social ladders, researchers found.

“It’s very clear not to step on as a male bonobo,” said Martin Sarbeck, Harvard research author.

The findings were published in the Journal Communications Biology on Thursday.

The combined number of female bonobos appears to change the tide to male fitness, Sarbeck said. This type of strategy allows women to get women to top the top in the Animal Kingdom. Find power in the group as well.

Female bonobos linked, even if they had no close relationships, supported each other against men, and solidified their social status. The observations show how female bonobos work together to protect themselves from male violence, bioanthropologist Laura Lewis said at the University of California, Berkeley.

The findings “support the idea that humans and our ancestors use coalitions to maintain and maintain power over millions of years,” Lewis, who was not involved in the study, said in an email.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Review: Reigns Beyond – A Spacefaring Rock Band Adventure in Absurdity | Games

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YYou might recall the Reigns series, known for its tie-in with Game of Thrones. The hallmark of the game is its Tinder-esque card swiping, where you swipe left and right to make instantaneous decisions before witnessing the outcomes. After crash-landing on a random planet, you find yourself becoming a part of an intergalactic rock band. This seems like an obvious choice, considering that you accidentally kill the band’s guitarist on a ship that spirals out of control. From there, you embark on a journey across the stars, visiting planets, picking up stowaways, encountering eerie space creatures, and occasionally uncovering secrets about space (or ships with mystical consciousness).

You’ll also experience numerous deaths. Rarely have I played a game where death occurs so frequently yet remains entertaining. I’ve succumbed to deadly space germs, suffocated by fluffy space bunnies, and even had my head bitten off by a shark-like manager. I’ve encountered explosions, gasped for air, choked, and starved. On one occasion, I accidentally wiped out all life in a solar system by plugging in a guitar amp. Each time you die, you’re reborn at the last planet you visited and ready to embark on another journey. With Reigns, there are no lasting repercussions, only temporary and catastrophic setbacks.

This doesn’t entirely eliminate the frustration. I lost most of my space battles, which quickly became tedious. When you aim to progress by acquiring a new guitar or visiting specific planets, random mishaps can lose their charm. Repetitive scenarios begin to surface fairly soon, within a few hours. However, Reigns never fails to be engaging, and I find myself eager to jump back in to see what absurdity unfolds next.

Reigns Beyond serves as a wild space adventure that you can dive into for brief 10-minute sessions, and the swift and witty dialogue is impressive. However, I began to question why I was part of a band. While you may land on a planet and perform a concert, these musical interludes are repetitive, unchallenging, and trivial. It’s amusing and surprisingly expansive as a space ensemble comedy, but somewhat superficial as a band buddy comedy. I also ponder if the title is facing any resistance at this point. “Reigns” made sense when it focused on being a monarch of varying competence, but it doesn’t quite embody comedic sci-fi, so it receives a pass. Sacrifices were made. It’s a minor tragedy. Because you won’t encounter anything as ludicrous as this multi-hour space journey for under-fives.

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“Reigns Beyond” is currently in theaters. £4.49

Source: www.theguardian.com