How Lucati was Influenced by Classic Video Game Soundtracks
Inspiration can be found all around. You have to know where to look. Take Lucati, for example. Born Ruben Marcelo Smulovitz, Lucati draws inspiration from his Latin background and the video games he played as a kid. Games like Streets of Rage 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog formed his musical foundation. Those games had “great electronic music made with chipsets on a 4-on-the-floor beat,” he told EDM Maniac in an interview.
For those not familiar with those games, let me give you a little background. Streets of Rage 2 (SoR2), aka Bare Knuckle 2 in Japan, is a fighting game. One or two players battle it out with enemies throughout, picking up weapons and items along the way.
The soundtrack for SoR2 is more than background noise for a 16-bit adventure. It stands alone, with its glitchy synths, chunky basslines, and heavy influence from house, techno, and electronica.
Sonic the Hedgehog is a Japanese speed-based platforming game made by SEGA. It follows the misadventures of an evil villain fighting blue anthropomorphic hedgehog superhero.
This series’ soundtrack drew inspiration from genres ranging from ska, pop, funk, metal, electronica, and more. An 8-bit version of this game featured the same composer as SoR2 and catered to a more ‘chiptune’ sound.
It’s easy to see why Lucati was influenced by these games, as the music could be heard in a nightclub just as easily as in the games. It piqued his interest, encouraging him to think outside the box on how to harness these fond memories and transform them into musical inspiration. Those beats, coupled with his Latin background, paved the way for the music he creates today.
Lucati is known for his fresh take on house music. It’s a return to the days when groove reigned supreme, and even the most minimal beat could cause damage on the dancefloor. He’s masterfully fused his Latin heritage with his passion for classic gaming and, in the process, crafted a hypnotic and mesmerizing sound. Who knew that those chiptunes he heard so long ago would lead him down a path of creating music?
