With Bits and Bytes, Videri String Quartet (VSQ) seeks to seamlessly bridge the world of classical music and video game music. The album features tracks from classical greats like Shostakovich, Dvořák, and Haydn as well as VGM greats like Uematsu, Kondo, and Wintory. The question on all our minds is how well did they succeed? We’ll get to that later.

First, let consider the basic principle of this album. Both classical and video game music have a rich history, although they differ greatly in terms of development and longevity. One might assume that comparing classical and video game music is the same as comparing apples and oranges, but Bits and Bytes is here to prove that both can not only coexist together on the same album—they can synergize to create something new. Thanks to their careful, deliberate track selection, VSQ has created an album that transcends both genres.

Of course, I’m overlooking the obvious. Videri String Quartet have honed their skills as arrangers, performing on several VGM albums and even releasing a tribute to Jeff Williams in 2016. It’s all too easy to take for granted the exceptional musicianship on display in Bits and Bytes, but as everyone hopefully knows, arranging covers is anything but easy. I’ve lost count of how many “One-Winged Angel” covers I’ve heard at this point, but somehow VSQ managed to find a new take on this VGM classic, and that’s in part thanks to the pristine production.

I won’t pretend to know much about mastering or production, so I’ll simply say that the album ensures that every single note sits well in the larger composition. The tracks vary greatly in length, but never overstay their welcome (aside from “Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American", II. Lento”). Any other complaints about the album would simply be quibbling so I will happily recommend this to anyone and everyone.

Bits and Bytes succeeds in proving that classical music and video game music have more in common than we might think. Both genres rely on storytelling and immersive atmosphere to convey emotions, experiences, and states of mind. I think the ultimate triumph of this album is that I have new artists to discover and new worlds to explore, thanks to Videri String Quartet.

Rating: 5/5