The 8-bit revolution has arrived – but this time it's not just about pixels and polygons. Canadian emo math-rock band Daydream Plus are rewriting the rules of album releases with their debut, 'Second Last Day Of Summer', dropping onto a fully-functional Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) cartridge. That's right, you'll need to dust off your old 40-year-old console or get cracking on eBay to experience this unique chiptune remix of the entire album – and it's an absolute game-changer.
"We're not just about being nostalgic for nostalgia's sake," declares Payson Power, guitarist and creative force behind Daydream Plus. "We genuinely believe that true ownership is a thing of the past with digital licenses. It's all about giving consumers what they deserve – and that means something tangible you can hold in your hands, not just a bunch of code on a hard drive."
The industry's shift towards digital only has been well-documented, but Daydream Plus are having none of it. PlayStation ditching physical game releases is the latest in a string of worrying trends – Grand Theft Auto 6, anyone? Power believes that this move strips consumers of their rights, essentially reducing ownership to a revocable licence. And what about those 'Day One' updates that leave you with an incomplete or buggy experience?
Daydream Plus formed in 2020 with Power at the helm, along with Tomb Mould members Max Klebanoff (drums) and Kevin Sia (bass). Two EPs later – 'Clues Recalled From Memory' (2022) and 'Escape At Your Own Pace' (2024) – comes their first full-length effort. And what a sound it is: accessible yet anxiety-ridden, with "weird" chord progressions that'll leave you on edge despite the melodies.
The album title says it all – 'Second Last Day Of Summer' captures Power's own school-day Sundays, when fleeting enjoyment was constantly overshadowed by the looming dread of the week ahead. It's a feeling many can relate to – and one that culminates in the bittersweet realisation that summer is coming to an end.
As for the NES cartridge remix, it's Power's brainchild – a passion project born from his love of retro gaming and electronic MIDI music. And the best part? It's an incredibly cost-effective way to produce something unique. Inspiration struck when he revisited the PlayStation games that first got him hooked on chiptune magic.