New Sound | I Fight Dragons

Chiptune music. Ever heard of it? Well, I have, thanks to the high levels of nerd running through my system. Chiptune music is original music made using the sound cards from old 8/16bit consoles. NES and Game Boy are the two most popular, but you can find music made from the Ataris, Genesis, SNES and others. I love it because it takes me back to those days of my youth, spent staring at my 8-bit sprite running around the screen. On top of that, I get amazing original music. It's a very underground genre of music at the moment, but it's growing. One of the coolest chiptune-infused bands out there right now is I Fight Dragons. Keep reading to find out why...



Not only do they have great chiptune music, but they add to it a “regular” set of guitars, bass, drums and keyboard. They're made up of:

• Brian - Lead Vocals, Guitar, NES
• Packy - Vocals, Guiter, NES, SNES
• Hari - Bass, NES
• Laura - Vocals, NES, SNES, NES Advantage, Power Pad, Power Glove
• Chad - Drums, NES
• Bill - Vocals, Keys, NES, NES Advantage, Power Pad, NES Zapper

They're based in Chicago, so I unfortunately haven't seen them live, but they have a nice collection of YouTube videos and their mailing list is always sending some cool new song/recording my way.
They have a great alternative rock sound made a little “poppy” with the inclusion of the keyboard and chiptune sound. I was leery of that at first, since I'm not a big fan of what some would call “pop rock” but I just can't get enough of these guys. When I'm not listening to them (like as I write this) I'm humming one of their infectious melodies. All day when I work their songs are running through my head.
The “real” music is well put together and gets quite complex at points. Make no mistake, this isn't a group of chiptune artists that also clumsily play instruments (Which I have heard before *shudders*). If there wasn't any chiptune, it would still be easy to imagine hearing them on your local Top 40/rock radio station. The addition of the chiptune, though, spices up the norm in a most original way making it seem familiar enough to appeal to a wide audience but innovative enough to attract new listeners. Everyone I've talked to about IFD are just as attached to their sound (you guys have a growing audience here in Houston!). In perfect form with the music are the lyrics. The lyrics fit the music like a well worn driving glove.

From the uplifting “The Faster the Treadmill... ” to the delightfully dark tone of the moral commentary that is “Money”, their first EP “Cool is Just a Number” (also available on iTunes)covers a nice spectrum of lyrical content and melodic moods, making the 6 song album a joy to put on “repeat” and leave. “With You” is a nice slow ballad that was the most surprising of all. I never thought of alternative rock and chiptune music to be a good compliment to a slow song. I always imagine the fast-paced nature of the old video games, and the equally fast-paced musical accompaniment. Testament to their musical chops, the sad/sweet lyrics sound great with the soft guitar and piano and a simple but powerful chiptune melody that brings everything together.
I'm always looking forward to a new song in their newsletter, which you should definitely sign up for if you like them because they're always including cool live and studio recordings. “Rickroll+Mario” is a great live recording. It is a cover of Rick Astley's “Never Gonna Give You Up” with a cool chiptune solo of the Super Mario theme during the instrumental break. Then there's the Beetles cover of “And Your Bird Can Sing” that sounds completely new with their unique flavor. I'm just wondering what other cool song from days gone by they'll re-awesome up and release. For that matter, I'm wondering what cool new original sound they're going to create.
Check this band out. Now.