“8-Bit Operators - An 8-Bit Tribute to Kraftwerk” is a new collection of Kraftwerk covers created primarily on old computer equipment and gaming consoles. It was conceived/compiled by Jeremy Kolosine, who under the name Receptors contributed a rendition of “Trans-Europe Express” to the disc. In an email interview, Kolosine explained a bit about the release:

1) Kraftwerk are definitely a fitting subject for a release like this, but what specifically led to their music being chosen as the theme?

well the 1st thing that comes to my mind when i saw a gameboy show was Kraftwerk’s Computer World tour from 1981, where 4 of them played various handheld devices during pocket Calculator. plus it came up in print from a Glomag quote, and an 8-Bit Weapon April Fool’s joke that backfired..

2) What would you say the balance is between tracks specifically created for this release, versus Kraftwerk covers that artists had already done?

only one track was previously recorded before i asked, Role Model’s version of “Showroom Dummies”

3) Did any of the tracks particularly surprise you in terms of what was done with the Kraftwerk material, or the types of sounds that an artist got out of their low-bit instruments?

yes, i can think of an example this happening in every song.

4) Has there been any feedback on the project from Kraftwerk on the project?

because it was to be on Kraftwerk’s U.S. home label, we ran the finished tracks by them.

5) Besides covering Kraftwerk and the use of old gaming systems and/or 8-bit computers, was there any criteria that went into the selection of artists for the collection?

i wanted as many of the new wave of 21st century chipmusic/bitpop scene originators/inventors to take part.

6) Why do you think that this type of equipment wasn’t originally taken as seriously in terms of musical creation?

i believe it’s because at the time, the marketing approaches used for synths were still assuming that users wanted realistic emulation of traditional instruments, which may be true, but in that respect, lo-bit technology doesn’t excell so it may have failed because of that (talking synthesis and not sampling technology of course).

“8-Bit Operators - An 8-Bit Tribute to Kraftwerk” also features Bacalao, Glomag, Covox, Role Model, Nullsleep, David E. Sugar, Oliver Wittchow, 8-Bit Weapon, FirestARTer, Neotericz, Herbert Weixelbaum, Bubblyfish, Bit Shifter, GwEm And Counter Reset. It will be released by Astralwerks on February 6, 2007. There’s also a 12″ single/download release (out now) featuring a multi-artist mega-mix of “Pocket Calculator” and an exclusive version of “The Robots.”

• Click here to order the CD from AMAZON
• Click here to visit the 8-Bit Operators myspace page

Boston’s Freezepop have a new song, “Less Talk More Rokk,” in the recently released video game “Guitar Hero II.” They’ve put out a limited edition CD single that pairs the track with “Get Ready 2 Rokk,” their contribution to the original “Guitar Hero” game. For info on ordering the disc, check out the official Freezepop website at freezepop.com.

Coldcut are running a remix contest for their latest release “Walk a Mile in My Shoes.” The group will be picking 3 winners to receive a copy of their album “Sound Mirrors.” While this may seem like a lot of work to get a CD, contest entrants are not being asked to do traditional remixes. Rather, it’s based around a fun Flash-based mixing module at yourspins.com that lets users change instrument sounds and levels for the various sections off a track. No special music or audio software is required. These kinds of things have been around for a while, but this is one of the most advanced ones we’ve seen, as you can remix the entire song rather than just a small loop.

• Click here to launch the Coldcut mixer

Bringing together tips and interviews from Keyboard magazine, Francis Preve’s “The Remixer’s Bible” is a highly informative guide to electronic music production that should be of interest to pros and novices alike. Case studies are used extensively to provide real-world examples of various production techniques, and the explanations are always clear and easy to understand. The book covers a wide range of topics, including sound design, software, theory, and sampling legal issues. At 248 pages, the book is by no means comprehensive, but it presents a nice overview and many nuggets of useful information. While the art of remixing is what ties the book together, much of the material would also be of interest to those looking to learn more about digital recording/production in general. “The Remixers Bible” also includes a CD-Rom of demo software and sample session files from such artists as Coldcut and Meat Beat Manifesto.


Help support Chaos Control by purchasing this book through Amazon!

By making it possible to bypass traditional media and distribution channels, the internet has proven to be a powerful medium for bands and music fans to connect. New artists willing to put in the effort can now reach mass audiences without a record deal, and established acts who might not get the media attention they once did can easily reach their long-time fans. But what if you happen to have a name that actually makes it more DIFFICULT for people to find you?

One such band would be The The. I haven’t been hearing much about them in recent years, so I make it a point to periodically look to the internet for news and release info. However, searching for “The The” tends to bring up many more non-relevant listings than a query for a less-known band with more unique words in their name. Curious as to what The The’s principle member Matt Johnson thinks about that, I contacted him through his management. Here’s what he had to say:

“Yes, this is certainly an interesting question you raise. It has been raised before and of course I have thought about it and received numerous complaints about it too. Obviously, I cannot change the name of my band at this late stage but what we have tried to do is to get Sony (who own the bulk of the back catalogue) to contact the various online retailers to tweak their search engines to accommodate the name. Some have responded to this, iTunes, Amazon for instance. Some have yet to do this. It also depends on how you type the name - The The, “The The”, TheThe.

Looking at the brighter side, it does make it harder to find unauthorized recordings, bootlegs, free downloads of The The, which I’m quite happy about. Also, in the Internet Age when people are becoming increasingly spoilt and expect to find anything/everything they want instantly maybe it’s a good thing that TheThe has gone back to being the underground, word of mouth band it always was? Maybe it’s good for people to have to dig around a little to find the things they want rather than having everything served up to their ears instantaneously and with barely a finger lifted?”

• Visit the official The The website

(photograph by Johanna Saint Michaels)

Yesterday I got to attend Sonic The Hedgehog’s 15th birthday celebration in NY (part of the annual Digital Life consumer electronics show.) Sonic had a huge cake, which he generously shared with industry and media attendees. In recent years, a few people have asked if I got the name “Chaos Control’ from the games, as the term is used in them to describe powers related to the “Chaos Emeralds.” However, this is not the case, The hedgehog was a decade old when ‘Chaos Control’ was introduced (in the game “Sonic Advance 2.”)

Beginning on November 30 THE TANK in New York City will be presenting the Blip Festival, “a four-day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game and home computers used as creative tools.”

Familiar devices are pushed in new directions with startling results — Nintendo Entertainment Systems and Game Boys roaring with futuristic floor-stomping rhythm and fist-waving melody, art-damaged Sega hardware generating fluctuating and abstracted video patterns — and that’s only the beginning. An exploration of the chiptune idiom and its close relatives, the Blip Festival is the biggest and most comprehensive event in the history of the form, and will include daily workshops, art installations, and nightly music performances boasting an international roster larger and more far-reaching than any previous event of its kind. Small sounds at large scales pushed to the limit at high volumes — the Blip Festival is an unprecedented event that is not to be missed.

For more information on the event and the performers, check out the Blip Festival website at : http://www.blipfestival.org/.

Mike Goldstein of RockPoP Gallery (rockpopgallery.com) just tipped us off about an interesting Devo video now on YouTube. Created by Mr. Bonzai, the video was shot during a 2002 rehearsal and features “all the hits in less than 7 minutes.” It also includes an interview with Mark Mothersbaugh. The YouTube settings for the clip prevent us from displaying it here, but you can click here to view it directly in a new browser window.