We can all relate to that feeling of wanting to go out on top.
In the exhilarating world of video games, where virtual realms come to life, finding the perfect soundtrack is a fine art that can make or break your entire experience. Battle Tapes, a band based in Los Angeles, has firmly established themselves in the scene by changing themselves into chameleons.
They’ve mastered the complex art of blending their sound to complement their projects, shifting and channeling their energy to match whichever scheme they grace perfectly. With their latest single, “Brand New,” once again making waves, this electrifying band has gone from strength to strength.
With a sound described as a magnetic balance of modern touch and tradition, their rhythmic releases create an electrifying atmosphere with you on the edge of your seat.
With releases featured in games as famous as “Grand Theft Auto V,” Battle Tapes’s mastery of their craft has been acknowledged by some of the most prominent players in the video game industry, a testament to their artistic ability and poise. With their latest album, “Texture,” already making waves with its release earlier this year, all signs point to Battle Tape’s continuing their gold standard for a long time.
“Brand New” from the album Texture has once again demonstrated its unparalleled ability to capture the excitement and abandon of gaming while delivering scintillating rock melodies. The accompanying music video goes perfectly with the release and sees the main character fight against age and glitches and armed NPC to hold his world record on the slopes, racetrack, and dungeon.
Designed with nostalgic graphics that perfectly capture the essence of Playstation’s first generation of games, it’s a blast from the past that dedicated gamers will surely enjoy. As the video ends and the glitch finally takes over, we can find solace in our protagonist going out on top. As Battle Tapes emphatically sings, “But you, keep me coming back like I was brand new” for the final time, and the instrumentals start to fade, there’s the magical feeling that things have regressed to the starting point, and your adventure can begin anew.
With “Brand New,” Battle Tapes continues their impressive streak of epic compositions worthy of any game. Whenever you need a soundtrack for your next gaming session, tap in and stream Battle Tapes’s new release, “Brand New,” available now on all major streaming platforms, and also check out the wickedly nostalgic music video available on YouTube.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Battle Tapes! We loved "Brand New," we had to ask! What was the inspiration behind this release? Could you take us through your
creative process?
Thanks for having us! So glad you like the new single. The song originated with the opening riff our keyboardist Riley Mackin brought in one day. Once we got the drum beat behind it, it gave it this super dope strut. The rest just fell into place. With the lyrics, I always try to counterbalance any "super cool guy" vibes with something more vulnerable. It helps take the piss a bit and humanize the song.
How did the inspiration for the music video come about? What was your favorite
the part about seeing the vision for the music video come to life?
I'd had the idea for a low poly, PS1-style graphic video in mind for a while but didn't have the right song or person to help pull it off. Luckily, this time around, we had both. A friend of mine put us in touch with the video's director, Hoolopee, and we just vibed right away. It was one of the best and easiest experiences we've had making a video—Esp one of this scale. Seeing us rendered down to these crude video game characters was hilarious. And Hoolopee did a phenomenal job creating these not-so-subtle nods to a few of our favorite games from that era.
How do you think gaming and music intersect? Are all of you gamers yourselves?
Music in games is like the active ingredient. In some cases, it informs you how to feel about something in the plot or clues you into the subtext of a situation. It's the thing that makes games come alive. It's also become somewhat of a new way to accidentally discover songs you might not have ever come across otherwise, like the way radio was in the past. Yes, we all are pretty big gamers. I'm really into sim racing, namely Gran Turismo. I've got a ridiculous, borderline embarrassing racing setup in my studio. Riley is currently on his 3rd or 4th run of Metroid Dread, and Pete (Drums) is playing Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom as I type this.
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard it before?
That's always a tough one to answer, so I won't. But according to Chat GPT: "At its core, Battle Tapes' music is a marriage of pulsating electronic beats and infectious synth melodies, perfectly complemented by the powerful vocals that convey both emotion and intensity. Their songs often feature a mix of ethereal and gritty textures, creating an intriguing balance between atmospheric and edgy elements."
What's next for Battle Tapes? Can we expect to hear more new music soon, and is there anything you want to share with your fans?
We want to play a few more shows this year, festivals, etc. Some DJ sets. Maybe even tour, who knows! But I think we are itching to put out more music sooner than later. I can't tell you how grateful we are for our fans. I know it's cliche, but they are literally why we put everything we do into our work. I honestly can't express our gratitude to them enough. A million times, thank you!
Comments