beatmania Song of the Day

"OVERDOSE"

Song: OVERDOSER (romo mix)
Artist: MIRAK (Hiroshi Takeyasu)
Genre: TECHNO
First appearance: beatmania (1997)

Another first mix classic today. OVERDOSER comes from Hiroshi Takeyasu, who was the sound director for the first four arcade beatmania games, and a key player in the series's origins. He came up with the club/DJ theme of the game after hearing the initial concept and pushed for the inclusion of electronic/club music. OVERDOSER, then, has the feel of classic 80's and 90's electronic and techno music, with a soundscape that builds over time and pulses with energy.

"You can, dancing and, grooving all night long, let's get everybody dance now..."
Song: 20,november
Artist: DJ nagureo (Reo Nagumo)
Genre: HOUSE
First appearance: beatmania (1997)

Man, ain't that something? Some news to get! Barely two weeks into this station and we're already getting taken off the air!

I was originally saving this track for November 20th, but seeing as that's not an option, I figure now's as good a time as any to bring out the original iconic beatmania track. Those classic bright house pianos, the four on the floor beat, the synth brass, the vocal samples... this track really is a force so mighty! (Funnily enough, that particular sample doesn't actually appear in the in-game version of 20,november; only on soundtrack albums.)

It's sad to know we're coming to the end of our time together so soon, but don't you worry; I'll be spinning the racks and playing the sounds right to the end. Dance in the lights and stay cool, everyone.

"One, two, three four HIT IT!"

Song: 2 gorgeous 4U
Artist: prophet-31 (Hiroshi Takeyasu)
Genre: BREAK-BTS
First appearance: beatmania (1997)

A very curious track from the original beatmania. Some weirdly ominous synths contrast with the fast-paced breakbeats and pitched-up vocal samples. This is, in fact, a stupid dope mix. Another oddity about 2 gorgeous 4U is that it is entirely unplayable in double play mode, being replaced with a completely different song that it is, in turn, completely inaccessible in single play mode. Some other tracks in the original beatmania have different mixes between single and double play, but these are the only ones that swap songs completely. 5 keys only!

"You're just like my mom and dad, when I'm happy y'all make me sad..."

Song: u gotta groove
Artist: DJ Nagureo (Reo Nagumo)
Genre: HIP-HOP
First appearance: beatmania (1997)

What better track to kick off this blog than the first song in the first beatmania game? (Specifically, it's the first in the menu, the lowest-difficulty track in the game, and the first one played in Expert Mode.) u gotta groove adds a few extra flourishes of piano and guitar on top of the beat and rapping that you'd expect from the genre. Personally, I enjoy the groove (haha) the song settles into about 42 seconds in; the more complex bassline and funk-influenced clean guitar gives the whole thing a bit of cool smoothness, and the MC over the crowd noises does a good job of selling the fantasy of being a DJ at an underground club that beatmania is selling. Let me hear you say yeah!