Leah Isobel

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Articles

50 Super Nintendos meet Zappa on Xay Cole's '21st Century Wrist'

Dec 2, 2024 | 48hills.org | Leah Isobel

The lead single from Xay Cole’s third album 21st Century Wrist, “Young Money,” sounds like 50 Super Nintendos lined up next to each other; its layers of electronics converge and diverge, melodies coalescing out of the noise before dissolving into a sampled whip-crack or a startling, atonal guitar solo. But the song is also catchy, centering on a poppy drum machine beat and an infectious whoa-oh-oh vocal hook.
The great leap backwards: Dan Salvato creates new games for retro consoles

Oct 29, 2024 | 48hills.org | Leah Isobel

“What’s your favorite retro game, or one you’d consider a masterpiece? Is it a game you feel inclined to recommend to others?” This question comes via email from Dan Salvato, the developer of Doki Doki Literature Club; we’re discussing his September 14 talk at Oakland’s Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment about retro game development. I’d asked him if he believes there are any lessons that modern developers can learn from retro games.
Back after three decades (and going viral), Heavenly still scales twee heights

Oct 15, 2024 | 48hills.org | Leah Isobel

I was introduced to the legendary UK indie-pop band Heavenly in the late 2000s, when the cult emo favorites Los Campesinos! covered their 1992 banger “C Is The Heavenly Option.” The original song, a collaboration between Heavenly and Beat Happening’s Calvin Johnson, is a sterling example of the early-’90s twee sound: Its sparkling melodies bely sharp, sly songwriting, all wrapped up in the charmingly ramshackle aesthetic that characterized the era’s indie-pop movement.
Tomu DJ: 'You’re never gonna be legit until you believe you are'

Aug 28, 2024 | 48hills.org | Leah Isobel

It’s difficult to describe Bay Area producer Tomu DJ’s music. She draws on elements of hip-hop, techno, ambient, and jazz, with skittering drum patterns and warm, fluttering synth tones tracing out lullaby-gentle melodies. It’s simultaneously danceable and meditative, welcoming and isolated, melancholic and comforting, hard and soft. I was introduced to her music at the beginning of 2021, on one of many long Twitter scrolls.
Lands of the Ancient Lords: A 'Soulsborne' Celebration

Aug 18, 2024 | superjumpmagazine.com | Andrew Johnston |Leah Isobel

SUPERJUMP Weekly 👋 Hi there! Welcome to the latest edition of SUPERJUMP Weekly. This week, we're delving into the worlds of the Soulsborne games - from Demon's Souls and Dark Souls to Bloodborne and Elden Ring. In this issue, we also showcase the works of Leah Isobel and feature Citadelum in our latest On the Radar update. We hope you enjoy this issue. Please consider becoming a if you would like to support our unique brand of independent games journalism. Thank you.
'Do you pinky promise not to sock me in my sh*t?'

Aug 7, 2024 | 48hills.org | Leah Isobel

Between sets at punk/rock band Militarie Gun’s headline show at 924 Gilman on July 26, I noticed that there was a kid standing behind me. I bent over the edge of the stage, testing out camera angles for the upcoming set by Gouge Away, one of the openers; the kid craned their neck around me. They were half my height and I wondered if they would be able to see. “Do you wanna switch spots with me?” I asked. “Nah,” they said.
Now Playing at SUPERJUMP, Issue 18

Mar 10, 2024 | superjumpmagazine.com | Bryan Finck |CJ Wilson |Rachel Alm |Leah Isobel

We're back with another issue of Now Playing at SUPERJUMP! Our team has been working on a few new games and plundering their backlogs, so enjoy this week's entries and we'll see you back here soon with more recommendations and odes to the games we love!This past week I had finally gotten around to some games that have been in my backlog.
Now Playing at SUPERJUMP, Issue 17

Feb 24, 2024 | superjumpmagazine.com | Bryan Finck |Leah Isobel |Rachel Alm |Joshua Gautreaux

We're back with another issue of Now Playing at SUPERJUMP! With several high-profile games releasing in the past week and the gargantuan FF7 Rebirth just a week away, our team has chimed in with what is occupying their controllers in the meantime. So enjoy this week's entries and we'll see you back here soon with more recommendations and odes to the games our team loves!I've been bouncing around different games recently.
On 'Census Designated,' Jane Remover's restless intimacy strikes a new chord

Feb 6, 2024 | 48hills.org | Leah Isobel

In an interview with Madelyn Dawson for Paste Magazine, timed to coincide with the release of her new album Census Designated, the musician Jane Remover tells a story about one particularly scary night on the road. She was on the way to Seattle when a blizzard forced her to pull over in the middle of the night. “We were in the middle of absolutely nowhere,” she says, “There’s a little bit of fear.
Surprise price hike spurs talk of video game developers organizing

Nov 20, 2023 | 48hills.org | Leah Isobel

On September 12th, Unity Technologies—a San Francisco-based tech corporation that develops the Unity game engine, used to create popular video games—announced changes to its pricing structure, set to take effect at the beginning of next year. Among these changes, one particularly unprecedented policy stood out.