Reminiscent of electronic music of the late 80s and early 90s, but also modern, Mario creates a sonic landscape that could easily fit as theme music be it a game, a TV show, or a movie. His sounds are glorious and could also very well lead us into a battle against the major labels and corruption of certain platforms hell-bent on destroying the indie artist. Well, with Mario's music blaring, we will win the war!

What can I say about Mario Marino that hasn't already been said? His triumphant synthwave instrumentals tell stories of space and adventure that suck you into an epic tale without the need for mere words.

Mario's flavor of Chip Wave music takes me back to my childhood on one hand, and takes me on a whole new adventure on the other. Mario has this strange ability to cram a ton of content and excitement into a 16-bit sound that really helps you remember and appreciate 8-bit graphics. The different flavors he adds to his music are always fun, there's a little bit of an Asian tone, a little bit of a pirate adventure, dramatic passages that build tension. I vividly remember Nintendo and if Mario had written the music for most of my games, I may have played them more. Mario takes the chip wave genre to a whole new stratosphere and I'm always looking forward to his next release. Synthetic Empathy has proven to be one of my favorites and manages to find its way into most of my personal playlists.

It has been difficult to describe in words the feelings that come to me when I hear the music of Mario Marino. That's mostly because the socials don't allow enough characters. I often use the word 'triumphant' as many others do. But read on, if you will, and I will be able, for the first time, to expound upon what I mean by 'triumphant'. I was first introduced to Mario's music through his 2023 album, 16 Bit Retro Fix. Now, I grew up with the Super Nintendo and games of that era and had a deep connection with the music that emanated from my television as I played, so I figured that I needed to give this album a good listen. So I did and found that Mario had indeed captured the style of the era's game music in such a manner that it was both new and fresh and yet immediately familiar. The progressions and melodies were all stories within themselves - no words were necessary to convey the emotional center of each composition. It spoke to me without words. Since then, I've come to enjoy Mario's synth-based compositions. Often couched in sci-fi themes, these songs are no less emotive and narrative than any lyrical music. Just look at the song title, start the music and close your eyes. You will be transported to strange worlds, exciting situations and interesting characters -all without words. Thanks to Mario, I've battled the hive mind along with an errant sentient cyborg. I've flown covertly in attack craft through darkened skies. I've traveled into the depths of the cosmos and felt the universe around me become old, cold and estranged. Heck, I've even gambled against the big rollers with the stakes higher than I could have imagined. This all sounds fanciful, and until you've experienced this music, you'll never understand. But once you do, you'll know exactly what I mean. The bass is deep, the synth leads soar and swirl, and the musical choices in every piece are perfectly complimentary to the whole. What incredible talent! And a great guy to boot: Mario always has a friendly and kind word for those around him. Talent and kindness - those are two things that don't always walk hand-in-hand, but with Mario you get a whole package of triumph. Go be triumphant yourself and give Mario's music a listen.

Every time I hear a song by Mario I'm brought back to the most influential music of my life. The endless hours of killer 8 and 16 bit music that was the soundtrack of my life before I ever picked up a guitar. Mario doesn't sound like any game I've heard, it's that his music captures a feeling I used to get. It's often feels like my life is part of the story when Mario's music comes on. Certified Crispy!