Chasm

Released in early 2021, Chasm marks a pivotal evolution in Nullsleep's (Jeremiah Johnson) discography. Known primarily as a pioneer of the chiptune movement and a co-founder of the 8bitpeoples collective, Johnson's earlier work often leaned into high-BPM, aggressive Game Boy punk. Chasm, however, slows the tempo and expands the sonic field. The four tracks function as a cohesive suite of 'industrial chiptune,' utilizing the Game Boy's sound chip not for nostalgic melodies, but as a source of raw, digital grit. The production is notable for its use of space and reverb, a departure from the typically 'dry' and 'flat' sound of 8-bit music. Critically, the EP has been viewed as a mature work that aligns the chiptune aesthetic with broader trends in darkwave and experimental electronic music, proving the hardware's viability for complex, atmospheric storytelling.