Emo math-rock group Daydream Plus are behind what is probably the most niche record launch of 2026. Their jangly debut album ‘Second Last Day Of Summer’ was released earlier this month, with fans able to pick up CD and vinyl versions as well as stream the hooky, instrumental soundscapes. However, and here’s where things get odd, the band have also created an 8-bit chiptune remix of the full-length that’s currently only available as a fully-functional Nintendo Entertainment System cartridge. That’s right, you’ll need a 40-year-old console to make it work.
Why? Well, according to Daydream Plus’ guitarist and mastermind Payson Power, it’s for reasons of nostalgia and rebellion.
“I love owning physical media,”the bearded Canadian tells NME via Zoom. “It’s a sign of respect to the artist, especially in an age where things are so disposable.” At one point, Power set about trying to collect every NES game ever released but stopped at 200 due to a lack of storage space. His other band, death metal mob Tomb Mould, built an early following with a string of limited-edition cassette drops and he grew up ordering Faith No More, Radiohead and Pixies’ records via catalogue in his local indie store. Sure, they’d take eight weeks to arrive but he’d spend just as long listening to the album on repeat. So it was always worth the wait. “Nowadays, people consume at this voracious speed,” he explains. “I miss the days of building your collection bit-by-bit.”
Perhaps more importantly though, releasing a physical game in 2026 goes against every industry trend. When you pick up Grand Theft Auto 6 in November, you’ll find a download code instead of a disc inside the plastic case. Earlier this month, PlayStation confirmed that it’s abandoning physical releases altogether. “It sucks and it’s scary,” says Power. “Digital means you only ever own a license to play [that can be revoked at any time] and with Day One updates [that fix overlooked bugs] becoming more frequent, we all get an inferior product. It just rewards greed and corporate bullshit.”
Daydream Plus first formed in 2020 following the release of Tomb Mold’s third album ‘Planetary Clairvoyance’ – with Powers wanting to write calmer songs that weren’t furious metal. “It’s nice to play vicious music. It’s a way to empty yourself,” he says, “but a lot of the music I listen to is super catchy, melodic and relaxing.” Tomb Mold members Max Klebanoff (drums) and Kevin Sia (bass) agreed to come on board. The trio unveiled their first EP ‘Clues Recalled From Memory’ two years later – and then another EP ‘Escape At Your Own Pace’ came in 2024. ‘Second Last Day Of Summer’ is their first go at a full-length collection.
Using “weird” chord progressions, each track sounds a “little bit unpleasant”, says Power. “That’s my anxiety creeping into what’s otherwise just a pop song.” He originally wanted greater complexity in the recordings but unexpectedly found he enjoyed the simplified takes more. It resulted in an accessibly warm listening experience.
“The album title is how I’ve always felt about Sundays,” continues Power. As a schoolboy, Friday evenings and Saturdays were spent watching horror b-movies such as Critters and Tremors, eating junk food and playing wrestling game WWF No Mercy on the Nintendo 64. Sundays, though, were ruined by a sense of impending doom over unfinished homework and dull classes the next day. “The ultimate version of that is the last day of the summer [holidays].”
Power grew up playing Nintendo games but became infatuated with the electronic MIDI music of PlayStation games. So when he needed a side quest to take on in between the recording of ‘Second Last Day Of Summer’ and the album’s release, a retro reworking made perfect sense. “I had a lot of big ideas, but I needed something that didn’t cost much money,” which ruled out things such as a Daydream Plus movie. As much as ‘Second Last Day Of Summer’ was influenced by emo titans (Jimmy Eat World, American Football) and instrumental math-rock pioneers (Lightning Bolt, Don Caballero), the band also took heavy inspiration from chiptune groups Anamanaguchi and Diasterpeace, who create high-energy electronic music using retro games consoles. Soundtracks for iconic games Final Fantasy 7, EarthBound and Sonic Adventure also played a huge role in shaping the album. “That music is just incredible. It repeats, but you never get bored of it.”
According to Power, “everything was about authenticity with this project.” Each song title is based on something that happened to him and instead of just whacking the album through a filter to make it sound like a retro game, he reached out to an expert in vintage electronics, Andy Reitano, for advice. He spent the next year watching YouTube tutorials on 8-bit emulator FamiTracker while re-programming the album’s drums, cymbals, rhythm, lead and bass guitar into the NES’ five available audio channels.
“There’s something very freeing about being limited. Plus there are no rules when you’re the songwriter, so no one can [say you] did something wrong.” His initial plan was just to do one track and release it as a bonus on distribution platform Bandcamp but after speaking to Reitano about making a cartridge, he figured he may as well do the full album. “I know it’s not for everyone, but hopefully it finds its audience.”
Titled ‘Extended Forecast’, the finished physical edition of the remix doesn’t just play the album either. When you boot it up on the NES, each track displays the weather on the actual second last day of summer (August 30, 2025) in Power’s hometown of Toronto – and the pixelated graphics change colour to mirror the album’s sonic journey from day to night. “I wanted to exceed people’s expectations. If you’re going to do something, do it right,” he says. Power did want to have the train that’s teased in the album artwork appear on screen at the end but the NES’ outdated memory capabilities wouldn’t suffice. “The game would just explode,” says Power. “The NES is basically held together with chewing gum and paperclips.” Every time the team fixed one issue, a dozen more would appear. “It was a brutal experience,” says Power, even if he’s overjoyed with the finished result. “I’ve told my wife, when they put me in the crematorium oven, to make sure I’m clutching a copy of ‘Extended Forecast’. It’s my life’s work.”
‘Second Last Day Of Summer’ is out now via Run For Cover. A digital release of ‘Extended Forecast’ is planned for later this year
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