Remember when the biggest heartbreak of your week was losing a level? "wellplayed" turns a failed romance into a retro video game, and it's ridiculously fun. The new single from informal. and Conrad., featuring Allegra Miles, is out now on Insomniac's Gotta Move label, and it sounds like an arcade that decided to throw a party.
Who Is informal.?
informal. is an LA-based producer and DJ. His whole brand is about staying casual and letting loose, with an attitude that never takes itself too seriously. His sets are high-spirited and open-format, often played barefoot behind the decks, and his productions are bouncy and upbeat, usually ignoring genre lines completely.
What Gotta Move calls his "delusional optimism" has taken him to headline shows at Elsewhere in Brooklyn and the LA party series Tell Somebody, festival slots at Worlds Away, Wonderfront and Showcation, and support sets for Audien, Two Friends and Phantoms. On Gotta Move, he has already released the singles "nohardfeelings" and "timeslikethis".
Conrad. and Allegra Miles
Conrad. is a Korean American producer from Chicago, known for what the label calls "colorful sounds" that pull from bass, indie, pop, house and beyond. Allegra Miles is an LA-based singer-songwriter, and this isn't the first time Allegra Miles and informal. have teamed up: the two worked together on "feet2myface" last year.
informal., Conrad. and Allegra Miles' "wellplayed": Game Over for Love
"wellplayed" is a vocal-driven indie electronic track with a retro video game theme. Allegra Miles' topline compares a relationship that didn't work out to a good attempt at a game: you tried, you lost, and you can still respect the effort. It's a smart, lighthearted way to write about a breakup.
The production goes all-in on that idea. Chiptune synths, sawtooth electro leads and springy basslines sit on top of an arcade-style house groove, and then the track flips into a crunchy, colorful trap climax. At just under three minutes, it moves fast and doesn't waste a second. The game theme isn't just a gimmick either. It shapes the sound, from the blippy synth lines to the cover art, which shows an arcade cabinet with "well played" on the screen.
Dance Pop With a Stutter House Twist
"wellplayed" lives where dance pop meets alternative dance, stutter house and a little hyperpop. Stutter house is all about chopped, hiccuping rhythms and nostalgic vocal hooks, and it has become one of the most fun corners of club music. Add the 8-bit sounds and you get a track that feels both new and like a memory from your childhood console.
Final Thoughts
What's your favorite video game sound in music? And would you rather lose at love or at Mario Kart? Tell us in the comments.
A Tip for Independent Artists
informal. built a fanbase by being himself. If you're an independent artist doing the same, DistroKid (affiliate link) makes it simple to distribute your tracks to Spotify, Apple Music and the other major platforms, and this link gets you 7% off your membership. It's an easy way to reach more listeners and keep more of your earnings.
