My Favourite Game Denis Karimani

The artist known as Remute on making music with Sega Mega Drives and the enduring appeal of retro games

Von Denis ‘Remute’ Karimani’s career since his debut EP Hypnoconsole in 2002. Two years ago his album Limited was released on 3.5-inch floppy disk – and his latest project, Technoptimistic, comes on a Mega Drive cartridge. Here, he discusses his love of Sega’s 16bit system, and why niche formats make for more rewarding listening.

What are your very earliest memories of playing videogames?

I got a Commodore 64 when I was five years old – that was my first entry into the gaming world. Right after that I got a Nintendo Entertainment System, and when I was eight I got a Mega Drive. That was the most powerful gaming experience of my childhood because of the graphics, and of course the music. I actually had the feeling that I was in the minority with a Sega console in Germany – I was the cool kid with the Mega Drive and every kid wanted to come over and play.

Was it the Mega Drive that first sparked your interest in music?