The Sega Dreamcast signaled an end, but it also birthed a new beginning for home consoles. Sega’s swan song as a hardware manufacturer provided some of the most diverse and genre defining experiences across the short period of its consumer relevance. Unfortunately, Sega lacked the necessary capital and market penetration to prolong the life of the Dreamcast beyond its initial push which lead to their departure from the hardware market, and as some would argue, the development of good games.
The entire “games as art” debate seems to hinge on the singular argument that since video games are ultimately a consumer good as opposed to something created with no deeper motivation besides free expression they can not be considered art. No matter who writes in favor or in opposition of the debate, the issue will remain unsolved for the simple fact that there is no way to provide concrete and justifiable evidence in support of either side of the argument.
Before this devolves into the aforementioned presentation, the main reason for talking about the Dreamcast is to set up an in depth look at the music (an often overlooked facet) and sounds that shaped the Dreamcast, and its continued influence on the musical landscape of the industry.
Over the next month I will be featuring a different Dreamcast game and its accompanying soundtrack that will hopefully provide an increased, or an even further appreciation of Sega’s last breath.
So… First up?
Jet Grind Radio
Accompanying Jet Grind Radio, the incredibly spastic and violently colorful cel-shaded rollerblading title, sits a soundtrack equally worthy of the same adjectives. In addition to capturing the distinct flavor that the game suggests through its visuals, the sound design laid a modern foundation for narration via an in game DJ (ala DJ ATOMIKA etc.) through Professor K.
Jet Grind Radio's Resident DJ, Professor K
By using Professor K and his pirate radio station “Jet Grind Radio” as the backdrop for the game, developer Smilebit perfectly executed on a soundtrack that aided in the realization of the distinct and flavorful world they set out to create. The track selection retains a mix-tape vibe that carriers throughout by using both original and licensed tracks (okay, in hindsight Rob Zombie’s “Dragula” didn’t need to be added for the NA release) that blend together seamlessly, much like any good DJ mix should. Contrary to the music one would imagine accompanying a dystopian future police state, the bright color palette and graphical style used by Jet Grind allowed punk, electronic, and hip-hop music to intermingle quite successfully – A stylistic mix that British MC M.I.A. channeled in her 2007 breakout album Kala.
Somehow I think M.I.A. and Jet Grind's Gum would get along with one another.
Providing Professor K’s “original” compositions were left in the hands of real life composer/DJ, Hideki Naganuma. Naganuma’s contributions are what usually come to mind when remembering music of the Jet Set series, with his breakbeat infused track Sweet Soul Brother acting as the defining musical piece and true ‘soul’ of the first game. Much like the acrobatic and fluid on-screen action, Sweet Soul Brother glides effortlessly through a melody so catchy that the number of times it has been stuck in my head probably counts into the thousands.
Jet Grind’s development was a gamble for Sega at the time, and much like the numerous other critically successful Dreamcast titles, the poor sales further contributed to the console’s swift death. When Sega turned third party it managed to squeeze a sequel onto the Xbox that stayed true to the original’s quirky style and once again provided a platform to further showcase Naganuma’s awesomeness. Although there hasn’t been an entry to the series since 2002, games like Katamari Damacy, The World Ends With You, and No More Heroes have taken ideas put forth by the Jet Set games and carried them forward, but the game’s soundtrack is so intrinsically connected with the visuals and game play that it would probably take a proper sequel to recapture the lightning in a bottle that Naganuma and Sega stumbled upon.
The Wall of Sound Playlist
Humming the Bassline – Hideki Naganuma
Sweet Soul Brother – Hideki Naganuma
Birdflu – M.I.A.
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