Irem's M92 board was pushing some seriously punchy FM sounds in '92 and Takushi Hiyamuta squeezed every bit of it for Undercover Cops. "Northern Barramundi" kicks off Stage 1 with this gritty funk bassline that has no business going that hard in a beat-em-up.
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"Chaca Chaca Move Ya" is pure arcade groove, the kind of track that makes you bob your head while throwing dudes into walls. Then "Nasty Loud Quack" hits with the boss theme tension, all distorted synth stabs and rapid percussion.
The track names alone are wild. The whole score has this dirty, sweaty post-apocalyptic energy that matches the junkyard brawling perfectly. Essential listening for anyone who thinks early 90s arcade sound design peaked with Capcom.