The type of joking concept that snowballs into one thing sensible and distinctive, Restrict Breaker: A Ska Tribute to Closing Fantasy VII is a brand new album imagined by GameGrooves and delivered to life by the Ska Punk Worldwide household. The album options the work of plenty of unbelievable ska musicians and is comprised of 14 songs impressed by the soundtrack of Closing Fantasy VII.
Pure Nintendo caught up with Allen at GameGrooves and Chris at Ska Punk Worldwide to seek out out extra in regards to the album and the collaboration.
Pure Nintendo: Inform us about your Closing Fantasy VII impressed ska album.
GameGrooves (Allen): After Skario Kart (our Mario Kart 64 Ska album) was well-received, I jokingly posted about one other ska album on Twitter, and Chris (Ska Punk Worldwide) despatched me a DM providing to collaborate on our subsequent ska mission. From there, we simply clicked, and whereas it’s been an extended highway to launch the album, it’s been a really enjoyable one.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): Mainly, it’s 14 ska covers from the Closing Fantasy 7 soundtrack. It options composers and arrangers from the gaming group in addition to bands from the ska group. There are additionally many several types of ska covers on this album from extra conventional ska to skapunk and even skacore. I’m extraordinarily pleased with each communities coming collectively so seamlessly.
Pure Nintendo: How did the concept for the album come about?
GameGrooves (Allen): After Ska Punk Worldwide (SPI) reached out to me, I knew that we’d do a follow-up of types to Skario Kart. I feel that we every got here up with a couple of concepts for what recreation soundtrack to cowl, however we each determined that Closing Fantasy VII felt like a superb match. I imply, who doesn’t consider ska once they hear “One-Winged Angel”?
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): I bought into ska in 1997, the identical yr that Closing Fantasy 7 initially got here out. In my head, they’ve all the time been linked. I used to be actually listening to my Much less Than Jake, Skankin Pickle and Kemuri CDs whereas I used to be grinding for the Knights of the Spherical materia. So when Allen and I began speaking about collaborating, this was one of many first concepts I had. We positively talked about different video games that will have been enjoyable, however I’m very completely happy we settled on this one. 15 yr previous Chris is tremendous stoked about this.
Pure Nintendo: How did you determine which parts of the unique soundtrack you wished to make use of for the album?
GameGrooves (Allen): I depart all of the arranging to the person artists. After all, artists are anticipated to maintain the principle melody intact, however with regards to style/model, something goes for many albums. For this specific album, I requested for ska preparations, and that was all of the steerage that I wanted to present.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): Proper precisely, we put the decision out and let the artists run wild with their interpretations of ska and the tracks they selected. It’s additionally been superior working with Allen and GameGrooves total.
Pure Nintendo: What’s the course of like for switching the style of a chunk of music whereas nonetheless retaining the recognisable core?
GameGrooves (Allen): In some instances, the mixture of soundtrack and style is sensible or it’s been achieved quite a bit earlier than (e.g. Zelda steel preparations or orchestral Closing Fantasy preparations), however generally, I feel it’s enjoyable to throw a curveball. GameGrooves has achieved this a couple of occasions earlier than with Skario Kart, our earlier ska album, and Hyperlink-182, our pop-punk tribute to Ocarina of Time.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): I can solely converse from the ska and punk perspective, however ska is such a danceable and groovy style that it turns into about discovering the groove and going from there. That’s why you’ll hear so many of those songs function sick solos whereas letting the groove journey out. There’s additionally so many sorts of ska that it’s a particularly versatile and fluid style, and I feel you may hear that within the several types of covers we’ve got on this album. Deciding what route you need your ska rhythms to take is without doubt one of the important and most enjoyable components of a ska cowl.
Pure Nintendo: What are your private favourite tracks from the album?
GameGrooves (Allen): Like all good dad or mum, I can’t select favorites, however I’ll say that I by no means anticipated to listen to “One-Winged Angel” as a ska association, so let’s go along with that lol.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): Yeah asking me to decide on a favourite isn’t truthful hahah I’m positively an enormous fan of Flying Raccoon Go well with’s “These Who Combat” it’s the heaviest and most skacore music on the album so in fact I like that. Have to say Easy Minded Symphony’s “Below The Rotting Pizza” the solos on that monitor are unbelievable. Oh! The solos on Flip and the Mixed Effort’s “Mako Reactor” are sick too. See I can’t decide, I may record all of them!!!
Pure Nintendo: This has been a really totally different type of mission to your standard releases. Was there something in regards to the course of that got here as a specific shock for you in comparison with what you’re used to?
GameGrooves (Allen): Individually, it was an actual blessing to work with SPI as a result of GameGrooves had by no means achieved a bodily launch earlier than this album. Chris helped me each step of the best way, and he introduced new artists onboard, so I couldn’t have achieved it with out him.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): Yeah, it has positively been a bit totally different. I’ve achieved compilations earlier than, however nothing like this. It’s been most stunning how a lot the gaming group has embraced the concept and the ska group. The artists/composers that come from the gaming facet of issues actually went all out on their tracks, and I like it a lot. Additionally, I noticed how a lot the gaming group total loved Skario Kart however the help has been even crazier than I imagined it could be. It’s been a tremendous expertise to this point.
Pure Nintendo: Are you planning on doing any extra releases like this in future?
GameGrooves (Allen): We positively plan on releasing extra online game cowl albums, and we are going to most likely do one other ska album sooner or later (Tremendous Mario 64?). After all, I’d like to work with SPI once more, and as for collaborating with different labels, I’d love to seek out extra communities just like the ska group which might be inclusive, numerous, and passionate.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): Yeah I’d like to do one thing else like this sooner or later. It’s been a dream come true. I’ve a variety of “common” ska releases within the works for the subsequent few years, however I’m certain I may discover a while for an additional like this if (ahem) SOMEONE (nudge) requested me.
Pure Nintendo: Are there another video games which have soundtracks you’d prefer to play with?
GameGrooves (Allen): Too many to rely. Majora’s Masks, Undertale, Ōkami, Tremendous Mario Galaxy, Chrono Set off, Pizza Tower. The record goes on and on.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): Yeah I even have an enormous record. Earthbound, Persona 5, Hyperlink To The Previous, Ninja Gaiden, Tremendous Mario 64, Splatoon, principally another Closing Fantasy. So many!
Pure Nintendo: What do you hope individuals take away from the album?
GameGrooves (Allen): I hope that folks understand what number of superior and inventive artists there are in each the ska and online game music communities.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): Gaming soundtracks and ska are fairly related in a variety of methods. Each aren’t taken as severely as their communities would really like and each have a variety of depth and selection once you actually dig in.
I would like individuals from the gaming facet of issues to listen to this album and dig deeper into the bands they hear and even go a step additional and take a look at extra bands they play with and are labelmates with. There’s so many sick ska bands which might be lively proper now so I hope that collectively we are able to flip some individuals onto extra of those bands.
I’m additionally hoping that folks from the ska facet of issues will dig deeper into a few of these composers and arrangers. The work they do is unbelievable and deserves extra of a highlight as properly.
Pure Nintendo: Do you could have any recommendation for anybody impressed to tackle related artistic tasks?
GameGrooves (Allen): Be versatile. This album was delayed for nearly 6 months, and we needed to make a number of changes alongside the best way. Luckily, Chris and I are on the identical wavelength, however with a view to collaborate, it’s important to talk usually and be as versatile as attainable.
Ska Punk Worldwide (Chris): I say simply go for it. No matter your concept is, simply get began. Undoubtedly be keen to be versatile simply Allen mentioned, but it surely’ll by no means occur when you don’t get began.
Restrict Breaker: A Ska Tribute to Closing Fantasy VII is offered to stream and buy now. Hyperlinks to all platforms could be discovered right here. You will get it on Bandcamp right here. You’ll be able to pre-order CDs and casettes right here.
You’ll find out extra about Ska Punk Worldwide by trying out their web site right here.
You’ll find out extra about GameGrooves by trying out their web site right here.