Paying homage to the golden age of cartoons, Cuphead’s bold and brazen style shook the video game industry to such a degree that Cuphead-based Netflix series is already in production, while the soundtrack itself won BAFTA’s prestigious Games Award for Best Music.
In the game, which adopts a dynamic ‘rubber hose’ animation style and aesthetic, two cup-like brothers strive to repay their debt to the devil; such a classic and stylistic setup deserves a proper soundtrack, something that Kristofer Maddigan bountifully delivers.
Full of early big-band jazz mixed with ragtime music, Cuphead’s original soundtrack swiftly transports the listener to a world inspired by Duke Ellington and Count Basie, but always with a lively twist.
Bartosz Pernal Orchestra is a highlight among contemporary European big bands. Its members have been given the honour of interpreting these vibes on stage; they are certainly up to the challenge, having previously performed the Jazz of Grim Fandango in an earlier GMF tribute to a cult classic OST.