Altered Zones

Because I was a nerd and didn't have many friends when I was younger, I can't even begin to think of how many hours I've spent playing videogames, and therefore listening to videogame music. In an attempt to reconnect with my youth, I recently browsed the latest releases by Nintendo's Virtual Console, an online marketplace that reissues old videogames. I uncovered an old Neo-Geo CD game by Data East from 1994: "Street Hoop", known as "Dunk Dream" in Japan, and originally as "Street Slam" in North America. After watching a YouTube clip of the game, I quickly lost interest in "Street Hoop", probably due to lingering childhood memories of the far superior "NBA JAM: Tournament Edition". But I was immediately hooked by the overly compressed, borderline lo-fi of the house-inflicted piano chords, funky bass, and campy old school rappers, urging players to "take control of the court now" while chanting "go go go go!" --Ric Leichtung, International Tapes

MP3: Data East Sound Team: "Funky Heat"

Download the "Dunk Dream" soundtrack at videogame music nerd lair Galbadia Hotel