It takes a certain kind of nostalgic masochist to make it through all of Hosono’s 1984 album Video Game Music, which maniacally recreates arcade soundtracks in all their chiptune, brain-trepanning glory. More succinct and imaginative is this three-track EP, which goes beyond mere recreation of game themes to instead imagine more behind the music. The programmed drums hit harder, anticipating the sound of techno to come, while the synthesized strings and melodic developments added by Hosono make everything feel more epic.

– Andy Beta