Different View

Masaya Matsuura is a name that’s probably familiar to most as the designer of the first rhythm-action video game, PaRappa the Rapper. But before PaRappa ever spit his first bar, Matsuura was making music under the name PSY・S with vocalist Chaka (real name Mami Yasunori). Matsuura’s keen ear for hooks and early mastery of the Fairlight CMI synthesizer, alongside Chaka’s uniquely powerful voice, brought the band a steady string of hits throughout the ’80s and ’90s. Apart from being solid in their own right, PSY・S is interesting for the way their songs leave clues about how rhythm games would take shape. There’s a strong focus on huge, hard-hitting percussion — which is, of course, an important audible cue in a medium where keeping time is important.