The Icarus Kid

For the generation of males lucky enough to be born in time to enjoy the Golden Age of video games (roughly ‘76- ‘85), Nintendo’s flagship console—the NES—is perhaps the most revered. Sure, there are Atari uber-enthusiasts, Sega megalomaniacs, and, heck, even ColecoVision has it’s corny collective. But it’s the NES that best evokes vivid basement memories of mythically bizarre heroes methodically working their way through “worlds”, powering up along the way with plants, potions, and a panoply of weaponry, all in an effort to save a damsel or defeat an overlord. The games were fantastical Choose Your Own Adventures of incredible 8-Bit proportions that were every bit as addicting as the Four Loko these brainless kids are ingesting nowadays. The music, of course, was much more than a toothless soundtrack, it was a score. A score you remember to this day as if it was a lullaby, a careful composition of dazzling digital sounds from Japanese composers that highlighted and enhanced the on-screen shenanigans. I mean, hearing it now, that shit takes you back.

Reverence often fails to avoid pastiche, however, and the last thing we need is to hear the music of the Mushroom Kingdom’s underworld appropriated by creative-less jerks. It would seem no one understands this better than local (via Kentucky) producer Dan Crowdus, aka The Icarus Kid. The man has turned his (and our) childhood memories into an astonishing homage to the cartridge giants: the Mario Bros., Link from Zelda, Samus Aran of Metroid, and many more. Amazingly, no samples from his adopted namesake, Kid Icarus, made the cut. Outside of Mario and the nameless astronaut from Section Z, Pit was my hero of choice. I played so much Kid Icarus that I had all the codes memorized, the sections inscrutably mapped, bargaining power with the black market and a healthy number of victories against the dreaded Medusa. Oddly enough, I almost never play video games any more. It just doesn’t interest me the way it used to, aside from the occasional ass-whuppin’ I lay on my buddies in Mario Kart 64 (braggart!).

So, naturally, I was all ready to hate on this self-titled record from The Icarus Kid. But Crowdus’ incorporation of NES sounds and music into his own high-flyin’, beat-thumpin’ techno mixes resists, for the most part, any hackneyed interpretation of these revered aural memories. At times, it actually kinda slays. “Benny & Clyde”, for instance, is an icy cool break-beat rampage where break dancers would need 6 legs and 6 arms just to keep up. Crowdus uses the artificially spooky music from The Legend of Zelda in the high-climax nu-goth sleepwalker “Dodongo”. His touch is delicate, often letting the samples provide the intensity, such as in “Hammer” which uses a Wrecking Crew sample to perfection. Other times, he surrounds a few simple sounds with his own tripped out cyborg symphony (“Muramasa”). His most motley—and thus best—track is the Mario Bros.-infused “Albatross”, which feels like 8 harrowing levels of multiplex computer fantasia all in itself.

Is every track an invincible Starman or gold coin? No. And if you can’t stand the hypnotism and spoon-fed velocity of strobe-lit innominate club hits, this probably won’t tickle your joystick. But if your appetite is for slickly integrated Nintendo-born techno-tronic, slap on that Power Glove and hit start. Actually, Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-A-B-Select, then Start. - Seattle Subsonic

This self titled release from The Icarus Kid promises to become the biggest thing to hit the tongue-in-cheek electronic music scene since The Moog Cookbook decided to make an electronic music version of Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Compiled from a multitude of game themes, many of which I don't recognize because I'm not a Nintendo user (boo), and padded with everything from booming dance beats to authentic orchestration, these throroughly enjoyable tracks will have you coming back for more, and more, and more.

Favorites include Hammer, Maru Mari and Benny and Clyde.

Rating: 891,807 (out of a possible 1,000,000) - ElectronicMusic.com

This self titled release from The Icarus Kid promises to become the biggest thing to hit the tongue-in-cheek electronic music scene since The Moog Cookbook decided to make an electronic music version of Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Compiled from a multitude of game themes, many of which I don't recognize because I'm not a Nintendo user (boo), and padded with everything from booming dance beats to authentic orchestration, these throroughly enjoyable tracks will have you coming back for more, and more, and more.

Favorites include Hammer, Maru Mari and Benny and Clyde.

Rating: 891,807 (out of a possible 1,000,000) - ElectronicMusic.com

The Icarus Kid (Adidas-tracksuit-wearing Seattle producer Dan Crowdus) made his live debut in 2009 at Re-bar's Bonkers! monthly (RIP), opening for San Francisco IDM/techno savant Sutekh. It was an auspicious bow, and it led to the Icarus Kid recording his first album for his own Electrowookie Records imprint (www.theicaruskid.com).

The Icarus Kid is a brash, ultravivid, hyperkinetic work that straddles the precarious line between cheeseball and sublime. Its 13 tracks are steeped in the Nintendo Entertainment System's bleep-osphere, which will automatically plunk nostalgic nerves with many humans who came of age in the 1980s and '90s. Using that tonal foundation, the Icarus Kid adds live keyboards and urgent, pumping beats to create compositions that make you feel like a lot is at stake.

Some tracks on The Icarus Kid—"Impulsive," "Octo Rock," "Hammer"—are geared for the imminent rave revival (not nu-rave, but real-deal fractal-ecstasy-elephant-bells rave music), with their speedy tempos and extreme high-frequency fibrillations. Others such as "Muramasa," "Fast Asleep," and "Game Over" veer into more ambitious, orchestral soundtrack territory. And yet others—"Dr. J," "Albatross," "Benny and Clyde," and "Maru Mari"—strut stratospherically and soar with melodic grandeur, like IDM masters Bogdan Raczynski and Astrobotnia. Whether he's in whimsical-knob-twiddler or serious-composer mode, the Icarus Kid displays a superb mastery of his tools. Expect more grandiose things from him. - The Stranger

Dan Crowdus dances on an edge that most would consider foolhardy or unprofitable. The Icarus Kid -his alias of mythological allusions- is a self described “…electronic music project that brings the classic sounds of the Nintendo Entertainment System to the dancefloor.” It could be said that he does not write his own music, though nothing could be farther from the truth. His concept is one that is singular and original, yet the execution is so convincing that one forgets that these are even Nintendo sounds. The melodies are there, but the beats are an electronic daydream. It is not a far reach to believe that somewhere in Seattle, WA, where The Icarus Kid claims residence/headquarters, people are getting down to these especially fresh and captivating beats. Revolutionary and spellbinding all at once!

When we received the CD here at IndieMusicLove.com, the first thing we did was bump up the volume on our massive stereo and go to work studying the effects of Dan’s hard hitting medleys on our physiological beings through heavy dancing. Once we were all tired out (about 4 hours later), we agreed that this was not just homage to video games, but that The Icarus Kid indeed did have an important intellectual role to play as a composer, while also providing visceral insight into the meaning of music in our technologically advanced times. Is he Indie? Absolutely. The fusion of nostalgia and present musical awareness is astounding. Top tracks on his 13 track self-titled debut include “Hammer”, “Game Over”, “Dodongo”, ” and “Panic”, though it was difficult to choose favorites among the many worthy songs on the album. All in all, the style is generally static throughout, but the listener won’t mind, because there is more than enough musical variety throughout. IndieMusicLove.com grants an obvious 5 out of 5 stars for Dan Crowdus’ groundbreaking debut into a much anticipated fruitful career in music.

You can check out The Icarus Kid by clicking on following link:

http://www.theicaruskid.com - Indie Music Love

Dan Crowdus takes video game music seriously. Since the age of three, he's been interested in both playing and making games, but it took until the original Final Fantasy for him to realize just how entrancing the meager NES sound chip could be. After the first horde of RPG monsters fell to Dan's scrappy little warriors, the now-famous Final Fantasy victory theme grabbed his ear in a way that no other tune had before: "I literally dropped the controller, closed my eyes, and let the music loop through about 20 times," says Dan. "After that I started finding more game music and doing the same thing, letting it loop and loop and absorbing it all."

Nearly 20 years later, Crowdus has taken this love of video game music to the stage as "The Icarus Kid," mixing familiar 8-bit beats into a thumping soundscape complete with a synchronized LED light show. Performing NES songs for a live audience isn't exactly a new idea (see The Minibosses, The Advantage et al.), but Dan manages to put his own unique stamp on the art of nostalgia that's definitely worth checking out:



In addition to filling me in on his act, Dan was also nice enough to let me ask him a few questions about himself and his art for the benefit of the Chiptuned audience.

1UP: What's been the general audience reaction towards your act? Do you find non-gamers enjoying the music along with gamers?

Dan: I've been surprised on how many people really get into it - I expected more of a niche appeal, but nearly everybody has played Zelda or Metroid as a kid. It breaks down barriers: before we started categorizing each other in middle school, we were all just kids playing Nintendo together. The show is designed first and foremost as a DJ set, so my top priority is to put on a show that people can dance to rather than catering to any one particular crowd.

1UP: How do you decide on which music to use in your remixes? Is popularity a factor?

I have two main criteria: The quality of the music (and my memories associated with it) and how well it would translate to the dance floor. Popularity is not a factor, but I'm not avoiding popular tunes either. I'm digging up every moment I could find where I was captivated by the music as a kid, even if it is a random level in an obscure game. For example, there is a 3-second loop that plays in Base Wars when you upgrade your robot. It's only bass and drums, but I loved it so much that I would upgrade them over and over again just to hear it. Now I have taken that loop and used it as a foundation to create an entirely new song on top (the track is called Muramasa, listen at http://www.theicaruskid.com). I'm currently working on a remix of the Golden Hammer music from Wrecking Crew, a great and under-appreciated game.

1UP: How do you feel about modern gaming music in comparison to 8-bit tunes?

I really miss the music that was created with the limitations of early hardware. Composers were forced to focus on simple melody and harmony, and this created some of the most fun and catchy songs of all time. Lots of modern gaming music has become similar to movie scores. This certainly heightens the emotional factor and provides for a greater feel of immersion, but it seems that in the classic gaming era composers were having more fun. Ever heard the Level 2 music from Kid Icarus? Try to imagine that in a game today!



Thanks again to Dan for his time. You can (and should!) check out his work at http://www.theicaruskid.com. And look forward to more artist profiles on Chiptuned in the future. - 1up.com

Listen up! The debut album of Seattle-based Dan “The Icarus Kid” Crowdus is available starting today, and features original electronica based heavily on classic video game music ranging from Duck Hunt to Metroid. These are not your typical remixes — The Icarus Kid is the type of album to turn a gamer’s head.

By sampling some of the most memorable themes and melodies from game soundtracks and injecting more sounds, more music, and more direction, the album manages to compile thirteen fantastic works of art. Some of the most unique rhythms and sounds from NES-era games, Dan’s keyboard finesse, and new instrumentation are superbly utilized in the creation of catchy, original melodies that you will want to hear for yourself.

Starting with “Impulsive,” the album features several dance-friendly selections, a trait shared by “Dr. J,” “Octo Rock,” and ever-intensifying “Benny and Clyde.” As with many of the upbeat songs on the album, you may be quick to recognize the humorous homages these tracks pay to the games they hail from. On the flip side, “Muramasa” and its ambitious orchestration begin to demonstrate the emotional potential for the album. It’s followed by “Albatross,” a Koopa-inspired epic featuring heavy rhythms and a booming bass. “Game Over,” “Panic,” and “Dodongo” share the eerie feeling of a looming presence, the latter evoking the image of a Zelda dungeon more daunting and more intimidating than any Link has ever encountered.

The forward motion of “Tank” was particularly enjoyable, leading to the seemingly celebratory “Hammer” and its impressively well-placed sound effects and rhythmic melodies. The waltz-like quality of “Fast Asleep” provided a serene and dreamy contrast to the album, but it’s so short and sweet that it leaves you wanting more. Luckily, we get more of Dan’s excellent talent with lyrical passages before the end of the CD. Following the heavy dance rhythms that open “Maru Mari,” the dark and round tone of the beautiful clarinet solo accompanied by the majestic string ensemble signal the beginning of the end for the album, before the percussion and other instruments enter for one last time.

The Icarus Kid is a well-composed and well-assembled tribute to the songs and sounds of all our cherished memories, and veteran gamers will enjoy it for that fact alone. That being said, the final arrangements are so creative, clever, and charming that they command an identity apart from the source material and can be enjoyed by a much larger crowd of listeners. The Icarus Kid is fun, inventive, and so incredibly engaging that you will want to check it out.

The Icarus Kid, from Electrowookie Records, is available now at http://www.theicaruskid.com/


Read more: http://www.thetanooki.com/2010/09/15/the-icarus-kid-nes-remix-album-review/#ixzz15VvRbDfX - The Tanooki

"A quick word about The Icarus Kid (aka Seattle producer Dan Crowdus), who's making his live debut on the same bill with Sutekh at Re-bar on Friday night. Yet another phenomenal discovery by Bonkers! promoter Ian Scot Price, The Icarus Kid creates a playful brand of IDM that bespeaks of too many hours basking in the ill glow of a video-game console. He conceives bleepy, cheerful, slightly unhinged melodies that swoop, burble, and soar with surprising sophistication. It's not all fun and games, though—his music is soundtracky and symphonic, too." - Dave Segal - The Stranger, Seattle