This blog post is partly about where some of the society money goes, but also about how we support our music events, and my role in the society. I'm John Lapage, and I have been exec of this society for a period longer than the majority of undergrads have been at this University. I started as Vice President at the end of the 09/10 academic year, was treasurer the subsequent year, and now I am 'Live Events'.
We made a new 'Live Events' exec role for this year, because organising the DJs takes a fair bit of organisation, and it deserves its own slot. I'm also aiming to get a few gigs on, possibly next term, finances permitting.
When I DJ, people ask me 'John, how did you become some sort of badass music demigod'. Flashing my pearlywhites I can honestly reply 'because someone showed me what buttons to press, and I have practiced since'. DJing on some types of kit is really difficult, but we have invested in equipment that is really easy to learn. So when our hypothetical Idioteque goer from earlier in the paragraph asks 'can I learn how to DJ', the answer is an unequivocal yes.
Indie DJing is the piss-easiest type of DJing, so much so that anyone who can do 'real' DJing quite rightly looks down their noses at us. Fact is, most indie songs are designed to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Most 'club', 'dance', etc etc music that a real DJ might play are designed to have a good middle, but the start and the end are really there so that they can be mixed into songs with a similar tempo and sound. Therefore at worst, DJing a set entirely composed of straight indie songs sounds pretty much like putting your iTunes on '10 second autofade'. With only a couple of hours instruction, a rank beginner can be shown how to recognise how to cope with different songs, and make an appealing set. The real challenge is actually in song selection, either from planning out a really good set, or when you get good, knowing what songs will mesh well with what you are playing, and also complement the current mood of the venue.
Me, using the old kit at a 24 hour Trampolining Charity event. DJing can be super lonely.
So why do we bother having DJs really? Fact is that most bars have music playing. Thing is, it looks better for a bar to have someone there, actively putting the music on, rather than just having an iPod playing. It's just about customer perception. Also if you are dealing with the SU or a big bar, they might be trying to sculpt an entertainment programme that covers a spectrum of music, and thus customers. These 'Indie Nights' (like Idioteque) come with strings attached - music policies, on what should and shouldn't be played. It's not very restrictive for us, but it gives the bar an air of legitimacy and variety that ultimately equates to 'more punters, more drinks sold'.
The level of simplicity might on the face of it sound lame, but that's enough for us to put someone on at Idioteque or the Zephyr lounge earlier on in the night, playing the music that they would want to hear in a bar, and getting a bit of experience. Later these people can be introduced to more complicated stuff like looping, effects, filters and so on, and you have the beginnings of a great DJ. With practice and a decent knowledge of the more electro end of the Indie/Alt spectrum, you can end up DJing just as proficiently the aforementioned 'real' DJs.
Our DJing is all MP3-based. Most DJs these days use CDJs, and honestly I don't really understand the point in keeping to that technology. Vinyl DJing is an art unto itself, and we also now have the kit to do this. We have two sets of 'Controller' that plug into a computer, allowing the program Traktor to operate to its full capabilities. The new controller we have just invested in allows up to 4 decks to be operated at once, both within Traktor, or from external inputs such as Vinyl Decks, or any stereo input. It's pretty boss, is what I am saying. This kit in total is the most expensive thing that we have spent society money on, so it's really important to us that as many members benefit from using it.
The Old Kit - Dinky, cheap and light.
The new kit. Fuller featured, robust and heavy as a motherfuck.
It really helps me if I can always find people to DJ. Therefore if you fancy being shown how to do this, and getting into it, get in touch with me (John Lapage) and I'll arrange a group session some time. You can get in touch by finding me on facebook, the uni email register (people search), or by messaging the Offbeat Warwick page. You have to be a paidup member to do this, for insurance purposes. There's no commitment, and we are all volunteers, even me.
There’s a lot going on at Offbeat – playlists, radio shows,
gig trips, quizzes and Idioteque to name, well, most of it. But as amazing as
all those are, they pale in comparison to our flagship ‘event’, our world
famous mixtape swaps.
The Haul
For those who have just joined us, or members who’ve been
practising their cave dwelling skills, essentially we meet once or twice a term
to swap CDs, have a few drinks, win some prizes, and generally have a good
time. You’ll be told much more about
this nearer the time, but the basic ‘Rules’ are as follows.
1. Pick up a blank CD (if needed) from one of the
exec/previous social 2.Think of a theme – the only limits are your
imagination, your music library and the law. 3.Pick 10-15 tracks (guideline number) and burn
them to the CD 4.Make some artwork – a little bit of thought and
effort make a huge difference! 5.At the least include a title, a track-listing
and a name (yours, ideally) 6.Come to the social and place your CD in the
elegant and stylish receptacle. 7.Once everyone’s arrived, it begins. If you’ve
put one in, take one out. 8.Then drink/mingle/find who has yours etc 9.… 10.Joy.
It’s all very simple, but a lot of fun – to make it even
more so, we offer prizes for the Best Theme and Best Artwork, as well as a few
bonus prizes, hidden in random CDs by the exec.
It’s important to note at this point that Best Theme and Artwork are not
judged by taste, but on Humour, Effort and Originality – there’s no music
snobbery or elitism, we just reward things which are objectively ace.
The Exec debate Best Theme and Artwork
So that all sounds fun, but why should you get involved?
Well, first and foremost, it’s a great way to meet other
Offbeat kids – talking about your CDs breaks the ice faster than a warmed up
hammer (just go with it) and it’s an ideal way to discuss music tastes without asking the
dreaded ‘so what’s your favourite band?’ We strive as hard as possible to
combat elitism and snobbery, so everyone and every taste is welcome, whether
you listen to bands that barely exist or stadium-hopping juggernauts – you’re
guaranteed to meet a range of people, and we tend to think that’s a jolly good
thing.
Not only can you leave the night with some new friends,
you’re also guaranteed some new music – and often not just a random pick and
mix selection, but tracks that have been deliberately and lovingly chosen. Each CD
can offer a little window into somebody else’s world of music, and frequently
you come across gems that you might easily have missed. It might even open your eyes and ears to
whole new genres - it can be difficult to make headway into certain styles or
eras of music, but having a personal guide in the form of a well-crafted
mixtape can be invaluable.
It’s not all about the music you take away either, as the
act of making a CD is perhaps the best way to explore your collection. We all have records we love and remember, but
trawling through your iTunes to find the perfect track to fit the theme can
unearth some long forgotten treasures, as well as highlight things you passed
over first time round. There’s also countless
layers of music nerdery to indulge in, be it beat matching, theme interweaving
or just pun making. Putting a song on a
themed mixtape gives it an extra layer of meaning, something that even if it
goes unnoticed by the recipient can still be highly enjoyable for the
craftsman.
And talking of craft, the act of making a mixtape is a way
of creatively and actively engaging with music, something I personally struggle
to do otherwise. With little to no
talent at actually making music myself, I derive great satisfaction from
shaping and rearranging the work of others into something unique and personal –
there’s a fair chance I enjoy making the things more than the person does
receiving them. The artwork is also pretty important - so little of my degree
is hands on and ‘craft’y , so the opportunity to get stuck in with some felt
tips and pritt-stick is one to gleefully seize.
Perhaps I’m over thinking the whole thing, and perhaps no-one
needs to analyse the simple act of burning some songs to a CD, but the other
day I came across a stash of Offbeat-made CDs in my collection, and it was
heartening to think that I’ll keep those little slices of personality for as
long as I can, and that perhaps one day someone will rediscover the ones I made
in a dusty attic somewhere. You can put
as little or as much effort in as you like, but it’s a chance to make something
unique, personal and potentially long-lasting, so why not give it your all?
Some of our lucky winners
So you’ve read through/skimmed the over-analysis and want to
make a CD, but need some inspiration? Well, to help you out here’s a list of ideas
and some we've had previously - the first few are simple ideas to get you
started, and then there are some of the more esoteric examples towards the end.
We hope that they ignite some form of creative spark, and we look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Best of [Year]
Childhood Favourites
Animals
Seasons
Countries
Books or Films (inspired by or in accompaniment to)
Tracks inspired by Wikipedia’s Random Article Search
Songs with Violins (encased in a home-made cardboard violin)
Around the world in 80 Offbeats (80 indie songs from around
the world, encased in a specially annotated Atlas)
Face Paints (came with a box of face paints)
Book of Birds (songs with birds in the title, accompanied by
hand drawn illustrations)
Hangover Mixtape (came with a bottle of wine)
The Offbeat Guide to Revision (encased in a revision guidebook)
Random (included a selection of films, and a toy car)
(Because lists of five are overrated)
I'm going to let the clips do most of the speaking for this entry, but I hope you realise that writing this took just as much time and procrastination as a more verbose article!
I love covers and different takes of music and film, so here are the seven best re-cuts I've come across on Youtube:
Ferris Bueller's Day Off as an Indie Film
Ferris Bueller's Day Off has to be one of my favourite films. It's feel-good without being saccharine, but at its heart it's a coming-of-age film, full of drama, which is exactly what this trailer captures. In fact in many ways, unlike the others on this list, this trailer is actually more faithful to the film than the official one!
The Fellowship of the Ring as Directed by Wes Anderson
The Lord of the Rings meets The Darjeeling Limited. With large battle sequences it's not quite an Indie film, but there's still something very Anderson about it.
The author has disabled embedding this video, which is a crying shame, but please, please take a look at this! Re-cut in the style of Wall-E (another excellent film) to the soundtrack of Terry Gilliam's Brazil, this is another film that I would actually pay through the nose to see. I understand how this may make people feel I have questionable taste.
500 Days of Summer as a Thriller
I actually haven't managed to see 500 Days all the way through yet, but there's still a week and a bit left of summer to go... Less if this trailer is anything to go by (!)
Jaws as a Disney Movie
I have literally no idea what went through the head of the guy who thought this up, but I'd like to meet him. There's something very difficult about trying to keep a straight face to out of tune singing.
Brokeback To The Future
Something every bit as ridiculous as any of the others on this list, Brokeback Mountain meets Back to the Future. Gloriously silly.
10 Things I Hate About Commandments
And finally, 10 Things I Hate About You meets The Ten Commandments, with a little Samuel L. Jackson thrown in for good measure. More possible, no, -definite- sacrilege, but a fair reflection of the whole list really, and so a good trailer to end on.
Honourable mentions:
Scary Mary Poppins
The Sound of Music re-cut as a horror movie
Pixar's 'Up' re-cut as Gran Torino
Pulp Fiction re-done with Muppet actors
Suggested reading:
Empire's "The Fifty Best Youtube Movie Trailer Mash-ups"
My first thing that is good is a film that I have watched SO many times this summer - Nocturna, a film about a boy who is afraid of the dark. So this boy Tim is afraid of the dark and has a favorite star that makes him feel better about that, but one day he notices it isn't there, and so he missions it through the night to get his star back. Okay, the storyline may not be great, it's a pretty standard message about finding courage and conquering your fears, but then it is also a film for 7 year olds and some of it is a bit cheesy as a result. You are probably sat there thinking, well, that sounds like EVERY DISNEY FILM EVER (except maybe Disney's Sleepy Hollow which was something that should never have been made) but it is not. The most obvious difference between this and most animated films is the style, everybody is out of proportion and hardly any characters have noses, but this just makes them better because the characters themselves are brilliant. Particularly the Cat Shepherd who has big arms for running on all fours and is nimble and wonderful.
So that also gives you a good idea of the general look of the film as well as the Cat Shepherd, as the whole film is set at night the colours are lovely and muted which I quite like.
If there is one bit you have to watch it is a brilliant segment while Tim and the Cat Shepherd are running through the city showing all the people that come out at night and give you bed-hair and shake the dew onto the trees.
Number Two
So I have been mocked by many people about this one since starting uni, but I really love National Geographic and so should you. So, my gran has been getting me and my dad subscriptions for years now and it's genuinely the best present ever, the first issue of your subscription even comes with a branded fleece. Everyone go out right now and buy a copy, unless you hate learning about the world and how it works and looking at awesome pictures of weird animals and reading articles on stuff like this:
This guy is a Roma gypsy who made it big selling metal and to show his status got this tie made. From real gold. With the brand of his car woven into the deisgn. Who doesn't love that right? Yes, maybe it is not massively academic, but it's a magazine full of interesting articles about complicated things written in a way that is easier to digest than a full-on academic paper, from archaeology to world politics. Also, their infographics are top-notch and dayum, bitches love infographics.
Number Three
The third thing in this list is this blog. It is updated pretty regularly with new and awesome things that are happening, mostly in the design/illustration/general arty stuff world, everything is linked which is good and they do loads of videos on different trades (prime example: pub sign painting) and how things are created and the such. Also, there are links to loads of class things such as this and this which are oddly addictive because everybody likes to think that they have an eye for colour/room design/how to use negative space to create a calm and collected mood. This blog has introduced me to so many interesting things and I just love knowledge.
Number Four
Someone Like Me (Tales From a Borrowed Childhood) by Miles Kington is a book that my Dad heard on Radio 4's book of the week and then demanded that my mum buy for him, which bless her socks, she did, and I promptly stole. It's written as if to be an autobiography, but is pretty much entirely fictional. But ignoring that, it is also one of the wittiest books I have read. Each chapter is readable in itself, so if you ever find yourself perusing a library, then find this and read:
a. The chapter in which the Kington's hold a memorial for an aunt who has not yet died
b. The list of advice from his father
c. The chapter about wardrobes
It is genuinely funny, if you are not going to take things too seriously and analyse the writing too closely, and if I had the money to be buying hardback books for everyone I would be giving you this right now as a reminder that most of the time, people are a bit ridiculous.
Number Five
So, Offbeat is a music appreciation society so my fifth item on this list is another list, but this one is a list of songs I've been listening to recently, some are new songs, some are less new but NO LESS GREAT.
1. Yuksek - On a Train
2. Jim Lockey & The Solemn Sun - Warriors
3. The Beautiful Girls - Morning Sun (excuse the random video)
Like most music wankers, I have a vinyl collection. I have always loved vinyl records, and used to sit listening to my parents’ Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd albums in the spare room as a kid. My own collection started with Record Store Day last year, where I couldn’t help but pick up a few pieces such as King of Limbs and the Grinderman ‘EVIL’ Single. 18 months later and I have a pretty big collection, having received donations from my family and bought that old record player from my mum.
However, this list isn’t about my best records. This is about ones that I have either found or bought simply because they are pretty weird things. Some of these albums shouldn’t exist, but the world is a better place for them.
KLARK KENT - Klark Kent
You can't find a photo of this guy without him looking like he is defying gravity through the power of drugs.
The Story
I got this from an amazing second hand book/record store in Heidelberg while out there for a conference. I bought this for two reasons:
The disc is green and see through (like kryptonite...geddit?!)
The blurb on the back (more on that later).
It turns out that ‘Klark Kent’ was a solo pseudonym of Stewart Copeland, before he went onto be the drummer of the Police. After listening to it, I wasn’t left wondering why his solo career failed.
The Cover
The cover is plain except for the fact that it is made to look like a big letter ‘K’. The real magic comes on the back. Here’s some excerpts for you:
‘The Navajos themselves insist that he is a “visitor from outer space,” having arrived by one of the flying saucers so saucily described in Chariot of the Gods. The claim is taken seriously, however, by only a few right-wing religious groups.’
‘...the beautiful Eponymous triplets, stricken into sadness after he had rejected their sexual advances, threw themselves, holding hands, from the floor of the Mobil Oil building, New York City, singing ‘Ave Maria” until microsceconds before splashing themselves on a lonely square of forty-second street below.’
‘His music, according to Rolling Stone, is both “uniquely original” and “sexually electric”. Playing four instruments at one time, and providing his own hoarse voice accompaniment, he has caused audiences in the Isle of Man, East Hendred, St John’s Wood, Islington and Fewcott (near Bicester) to faint, ejaculate, urinate, defecate and fornicate simultaneously.’
More albums need to be like this.
Musical Content
Unfortunately that cover description writes cheques that the music itself cannot cash. It’s pretty much self-indulgent schlock. This is what happens when you let drummers believe they can be real musicians. It’s not bad, it’s just boring.
My Ratings
Style: 5/5
Music: 2/5
Dark Past: 5/5
Haiku Review
Bombastic boasting
Unsupported by talent.
Go back to the snare
MUSIC TO LURE PIGEONS BY - The Night Pastor and Seven Friends
The Story
I bought this off eBay for about £10 after reading about it on a Cracked article entitled ‘The 4 Most Baffling Trends in Old-Timey Album Covers’. If you don’t want to read that, it was featured because there’s a trend from about the 50‘s through to the 70‘s to make themed albums for every occasion possible. This album’s concept is the awful, unavoidable nadir of that trend. I couldn’t help but seek this album out and hear for myself.
The Cover
The title is why I actually bought the record, but there are a few other treasures amongst the otherwise simplistic stylings. The back tells the story of the ‘Night Pastor program’, where Father Robert Owens set up a small ministry for ‘the Night People’ of Chicago - a sort of Christian Nightline. Read that link back there. Go on...I will wait...
‘Offbeat Ministry’. Yeah. This guy was AWESOME.
Beyond that eerie coincidence, the back is mostly taken up with the story of each piece and the musicians that play it, bringing us onto...
Musical Content
The album itself is actually really fun. It’s a band of Father Owen (piano) and members of his congregation - people from club and bar bands across Chicago. There’s some Duke Ellington bebop and more traditional piano solos from the priest. Not sure how good it would be for luring pigeons, though. Unfortunately there aren't any versions on youtube, so I cant give you an example!
My Ratings
Style: 4/5
Music: 4/5
Pigeon Luring Ability: 2/5
Haiku Review
Bought just for the lols
An unexpected story
Why do the birds flee?
BAWDY SONGS AND BACKROOM BALLADS VOL 1. - Oscar Brand, Folk Singer
Apparently this cover is rare, so here's a webcam photo, moustache included.
The Story
I got this from the charity shop in Cannon Park. They had a box of records out the front, which is basically a hipster honey trap. I flicked through the requisite Perry Cuomo albums (which I of course already own) but stopped at this one. This was something I had to own, at a price I couldn’t refuse (£1.25, what a steal!).
The Cover
The cover features a rather pretty topless woman who seems confused by the function of wicker screens. Actually, what function do wicker screens have? They are transparent...I...I just don’t understand. The attention to detail in this is quite nice though; I expecally like the bottle of scotch in the background.
The reverse consists of a very wordy tract extolling the virtues of dirty folk songs. If you read it you might come out thinking that it is your privilege, nay DUTY, to be able to exercise the freedom of listening to these songs. If this is freedom, I am moving to North Korea. Each of the tracks also has a brief description - here’s an example for you:
No. 3 Chris Colombo - Another famous ballad, this presents an interesting explanation of how Christopher Columbus managed to get Queen Isabella to put her faith in his abilities of discovery.
Ooh Matron
Musical Content
You kind of prepare yourself for some naive ‘Carry On’ innuendo when you start playing, and then it just blindsides you with a very nice folksy guitar riff, followed by blunt racism. The first track could best be summed up as the Fleet Foxes singing about Persian maidens who are quite happy to get gang-fucked by a bunch of strangers, but draws the line at camels and children.
It’s generally quite witty and funny, and well performed, just about as tasteful as Jim Davidson doing a running commentary of the Tottenham Riots. I can't find any of these specifically online, but here's one from Volume 3 of the same series.
My Ratings
Style: 1/5
Music: 3/5
Gender Politics: set back 20 years
Haiku Review
Persian gang rape songs
Set to pretty folk guitar.
I fear volume two.
TABU - Kombi and PIATA PROSTYTUCJA - Joanna Makabresku
The Story
I have merged these two, because they share the same story. I went to a conference in Poland, which was held at a weird castle in a town so remote that the local newspaper featured a story entitled ‘International Visitors to Putulsk!’. On the way back I left a bit of time so I could explore Warsaw before my flight. On the way from the bus station to the city centre, I spotted a sign that said ‘Hey Joe Records’ pointing down a sketchy looking alleyway. Feeling that this seemed legit, I followed the sign and saw an awesome shop where there were records piled right up into the window. I didn’t have a camera with me, so I shall have to refer you to flickr. ‘GOLDMINE!’ I thought. Then I entered the shop and realised that the window display was the shop. It was less than a meter wide, with records down one side, the window on the other, and a rather bemused looking customer right in front of me wondering how we would pass each other.
I asked the shopkeeper if he could recommend anything. He told me to just have a browse, because he was popping out, and would help me when he got back. Then he left me alone in the shop. I found these two records, which he described as ‘Shit 80s Pop’ (Kombi) and ‘great, kind of like Joy Division’ (Joanna Makabresku). It was a good day, as I also managed to later buy a fridge magnet that featured a drawing of the second prime minister of the Polish Republic dressed as a hipster.
The Covers
The band Kombi looks a bit two extras from a turkish ripoff of GI Joe, joined by Moby’s 80’s alter-ego. The back features some drawings that I would describe, but looking at them for too long made blood come out of my nose and ears, so I stopped.
Joanna Makabresku features a bunch of different black and white drawings, some similar to those on Kombi. Some of them have a bit of a Nazi-ish look to them, particularly the front cover, which makes me worry that I am listening to Polish racism and not realising it.
Musical Content
Kombi sounds a lot like Phil Collins, and should be judged accordingly. What is interesting is that Cold War Poland was only about 3 years behind the trends of Western music, which probably says a lot about the stagnation that Phil Collins causes wherever he goes.
Joanna Makabresku sounds like a band trying to subvert and transcend genres while under the effects of all the chemicals under the sink, recorded on someone’s dictaphone. I wouldn’t say that it’s the opposite of Joy Division, unless by ‘like Joy Division’ you mean ‘listenable’. It’s from almost exactly the same year as the other album, which could speak to some deep schism in the Polish national consciousness at the time, or it could just mean that different cultures aren’t monolithic beasts that exist for British and American pundits to pigeonhole. The most listenable track is below. If you hyperventilate first, some of the album is quite good.
My Ratings
Style: 3/5
Music: 3/5
Polishness: 5/5
Haiku Review:
Polish Shop Owner: “Sounds like Joy Division.” What a filthy lie
There are many things that I dislike a disproportionate amount. Among them, is end of year "best of" lists. Why are they always done in December or January? Anything released near the start of the year might be forgotten about, anything released near the ends of the year hasn't had enough time to have a proper opinion formed about it. Plus there are always, every year, albums that just fly under your radar that you don't hear about until halfway through the next year. So with that in mind, I'd like to offer you some albums from 2011 that you might have missed. For each one, you'll find a Spotify play button ('cause they're pretty nifty) and a youtube link to the same song from the album. If you don't want to read and just want to listen, here's a spotify playlist of the whole lot. With any luck, you'll be able to find something you enjoy that passed you by. I've tried to avoid the obvious releases that I think most people will have heard or that seemed to receive a lot of hype (e.g. Bon Iver, Low, The Antlers etc) but feel free to suggest anything you think I've overlooked in the comments.
Hey Offbeatles. Hope you're all having a great summer. Today we're going to be talking about video games. This post is primarily aimed at people who have merely dabbled in the rather daunting world of computer games, or those want to play something a little more thoughtful than the latest Call of Duty clone this summer.
So without further ado.
Audiosurf
Audiosurf is a game about riding a neon spaceship along a racetrack generated by a song of your choice. It is about as amazing as it sounds. It is probably best described as guitar hero on acid, without the stupid plastic guitar. It can build a track using any mp3 file, so if you've ever hoped in vain that guitar hero included Soviet Funk as a genre, this is the game for you.
The game can be picked up on Steam or on the official website, and there is even a free demo available.
Who should play it: People who wish they had synaesthesia. How to get it: Steam, Audiosurf website.
VVVVVV
VVVVVV is a game all about exploration, the sad feeling of isolation, and avoiding flying stop signs by walking on ceilings. It's a love letter to old platformers, and somehow manages to create a world that feels bigger than most big budget RPGs. The games real strength is in its fantastic soundtrack, an 8-bit homage to the golden age of 2D platforming (which can be found in its entirety here: Souleye – Pppppp)
This game is not for everyone, the art style is very archaic and the story is pretty bare bones, but for those who invest enough time in it, and can get over the sometimes frustrating puzzles and obstacles, I promise you, you won't regret it.
Who should play it: People who are constantly plagued by nostalgia. How to get it: Steam.
Fez
Fez is a platformer about a boy who is given a magic hat by a cube shaped super being. Oh yes, and the hat allows you to perceive the mysterious 3rd dimension. It's hardly super original in its premise and mechanics, but you're unlikely to find a modern game that is more visually engrossing, and downright trippy. With the box-art designed by Bryan Lee O'Malley, and music by the ever amazing Disasterpeace, this is definitely worth picking up if you have an xbox to play it on.
Who should play it: Nerds who like geometry. How to get it: XBLA.
The Binding of Isaac
What can I say about this game? Brought to you by the minds behind Super Meat Boy, The Binding of Isaac is a rogue-like, the same genre as Zelda, before it went 3D. In the opening scene of the game, Isaac's mother hears the voice of God, telling her to lock her son in the basement as punishment for his sins. Yep. The main gameplay mechanic is killing monsters in randomly generated dungeons using your tears. Death is permanent is this nightmarishly difficult, biblically inspired, dungeon crawler. A game of BOI can therefore take from 30 seconds to half an hour, and anywhere in between. If you are going to try one game on this list, it should be this one, I promise, you won't have experienced anything similar.
Who should play it: People who "enjoy dark humour". How to get it: Steam.
Have a great summer you guys, see you on the other side. xx
