Between the early 2000s and the mid-2010s, electronic music went from underground to being played over speaker systems in malls. If there’s a measure of large-scale success, then it’s going from a niche to something soccer moms listen to while buying groceries.

And while Anamanaguchi’s music isn’t quite in grocery stores (yet), their rise to the top has still been impressive. There are at least 20 sub-genres of electronic music. Anamanaguchi fits best under “Chiptune,” which is impossibly complicated to produce. Instead of relying mainly on sampling other people’s music or playing their own, chiptune artists mix pre-existing sounds from video games. Yes, you heard that right. The sounds you hear in an arcade (minus the coin clinking), are the principal medium the band works with. We can’t imagine the patience it takes!

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game

The band first got together and started mixing music in 2004. They had been putting it out on their website for a small number of fans until they got their break in 2010. That break came in the form of a soundtrack for the video game version of the movie, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. That venture brought them to the front of electronic music’s general consciousness, allowing them to release two further albums. But who are the people behind the sounds?

The Band, Themselves

One of the cool things about electronic music is that it’s a learned skill (given that you have a general musical understanding). That means anyone can do it – no matter who they are. That’s a good thing for Peter Berkman, Bassist James Devito, Luke Silas, and Ary Warnaar, who supply the talent behind the sound. And speaking of talent, we expect to see them release a new record very soon.