Currently, as music fans we being subjected to a growing number of musical trends that have nostalgia as a common theme. Some good, some bad. The Springsteen Effect (Arcade Fire, The Killers), New Rave (The Klaxons and … well just The Klaxons) and a general 80s revival seguing into music videos (The Gossip’s – “Standing in the Way of Control” for example) and many other facets surrounding music.
Tied in with all of this, is the increasing acceptance and employment of obsolete computers such as Gameboys, Commodore 64s and other vintage gaming consoles pushing the boundaries of the intended use of these instruments (As that is what they become). Where as most electronic production relies on samples, the genre known as Chiptune, Gameboy music or whatever you want to call it yourself relies on real-time low processor-based sound chips for their heavily synthesized and unique sound. So with that in mind after the jump are two artists and one compilation using this technique to great effect.
Crystal Castles
Named after She-Ra’s house and a 1983 Atari game of the same name, this Toronto duo (who Justin already mentioned this week) mix the chipcore ethos with a shouty dance punk sound. So far, they’ve released the 7″ Alice Practice EP which was limited to 500 copies and is sold, sold out. You can hear the first two tracks below though of course. As well as various other CD-Rs and planned 12 inches, they have remixed The Klaxons amongst others and are currently on tour. They’ll be dropping into Dublin on May 11th to play as part of the Maximum Joy club in Kennedys alongside Cap Pas Cap.
Crystal Castles – Alice Practice
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/Crystal_castles_-_Alice_Practice.mp3][audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/Crystal castles_-_Dolls.mp3]
[ MySpace | Myspace page #2 ]
The Vinny Club
Vinny is a chap from Dublin who appropriates Commodore 64 sounds along with other real instruments. His tunes sound like proper soundtracks to vintage cartridge games except for a lot more frantic and catchy. Listen to the cutup “Infinite Smoke Bombs” and the ping-tastic “Armand Assante”. But the end of level boss tune and the highlight of what I’ve heard so far is the driving malevolent “It’s not you It’s OF”. Starting with a radio jingle of “Nineteen Eighty Threeeeeeeee”, it kicks into ultra-violent synth mode and struts around beating the shit out of anything that moves for 2 and a half minutes. Vinny will be doing gigs in a two months or so in support of a new release entitled Rocky IV Concept Rekerd and you can also check out some videos for a couple of other songs on his blog. Cool stuff.
The Vinny Club – It’s not you, It’s OF
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/The_Vinny_Club_-_its_not_you_-_its_OF.mp3]The Vinny Club – Infinite Smoke Bombs
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/The_Vinny_Club_-_Infinite_smoke_Bombs.mp3]The Vinny Club – Armand Assante
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/The_Vinny_Club_-_Armand_Assante.mp3][ MySpace ]
8-Bit Operators
“People grew up immersed in this stuff – that 8-bit, blippy sound speaks to them on a deep level. It’s taking back a pure and total part of our childhood and turning it into something crazy and new”
– Mike Rosenthal, artistic director, Blip Festival, NYC in XLR8R magazine, November 2006
Astralwerks got a load of the scene’s avid 8-bit operators to contribute to a Kraftwerk tribute album using only vintage gaming devices to interpret Kraftwerk songs. Covers of “Pocket Calculator”, “The Man Machine”, “Trans Europe Express”, “The Robots”, “Showroom Dummies” are included. It’s an interesting idea and shows that there is a huge global network of vintage synth loving enthusiasts to keep this scene alive. My hope is that we hear more chiptune fused with other genres and instruments that are ultimately more exciting. Think of Beck’s 2005 Hell Yes EP for an example of the kind of high-profile merger of underground and established act that could push the boundaries of chiptune as a genre.
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/glomag_-_pocket_calculator.mp3][ MySpace | Official Site ]
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
nice! good tune selection there… looking forward to that Crystal Castles gig 😉
nice! good tune selection there… looking forward to that Crystal Castles gig 😉
hmmm…not sure about crystal castles
plenty of buzz about them but every track i’ve heard from them so far has left me distinctly underwhelmed…
but there’s no smoke without a fire so will give ’em another look
hmmm…not sure about crystal castles
plenty of buzz about them but every track i’ve heard from them so far has left me distinctly underwhelmed…
but there’s no smoke without a fire so will give ’em another look
Crystal Castles and The Vinny Club are two of my favourite acts at the moment.
Vinny RULES
Crystal Castles and The Vinny Club are two of my favourite acts at the moment.
Vinny RULES
well deserved.vinny club forever.
well deserved.vinny club forever.
Dont forget bout Herv, Dj Scotch Egg etc etc
And in that nu rave speak… Hadouken!
Its goodo!
Dont forget bout Herv, Dj Scotch Egg etc etc
And in that nu rave speak… Hadouken!
Its goodo!
deadly! Had heard that Crystal Castle ‘Air War’ before and couldn’t remember where in the infinite (my)space it was… me like 🙂 On 8-Bit boys n girls have to say Nullsleep is awesome – if you can see/hear him live dooo iiit!
deadly! Had heard that Crystal Castle ‘Air War’ before and couldn’t remember where in the infinite (my)space it was… me like 🙂 On 8-Bit boys n girls have to say Nullsleep is awesome – if you can see/hear him live dooo iiit!
Chip tune has been around for such a long time, but i guess it is increasingly more becoming apart of society even if it is underground. It’s nice to know it has been picked up but this 80’s rival/newish rave what ever scene.
A little like Test Icicles if you remember who they were. In saying that, Crystal Castles are are ok, im into the whole Depreciation Guild which i think meld chip tune with indie (bloc party style) music very well.
Chip tune has been around for such a long time, but i guess it is increasingly more becoming apart of society even if it is underground. It’s nice to know it has been picked up but this 80’s rival/newish rave what ever scene.
A little like Test Icicles if you remember who they were. In saying that, Crystal Castles are are ok, im into the whole Depreciation Guild which i think meld chip tune with indie (bloc party style) music very well.
[quote post=”300″]A little like Test Icicles if you remember who they were.[/quote]
what do you mean?in reference to the 80’s revival or chiptune?test icicles to me were more post-hardcore than anything else,every member had backgrounds in dare i say it,emo scenes so it just seemed to me like a case of post hardcore kids going disco.
[quote post=”300″]A little like Test Icicles if you remember who they were.[/quote]
what do you mean?in reference to the 80’s revival or chiptune?test icicles to me were more post-hardcore than anything else,every member had backgrounds in dare i say it,emo scenes so it just seemed to me like a case of post hardcore kids going disco.
check out The Octopus Project too.
http://unarocks.blogspot.com/2007/03/octopus-project-black-moth-super.html
check out The Octopus Project too.
http://unarocks.blogspot.com/2007/03/octopus-project-black-moth-super.html
HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV!
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HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV!
HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV!
HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV!
HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV!
HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV!
HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV HERV!
I quite like that remix of that Klaxon’s track “Atlantis to Interzone.” The latest Mixmag had a mini-feature on Wii-j-ing or something, basically people controlling things like Ableton through their Wii console, I guess there’ll be an eventual hacking of the Wii to facilitate musical production at some stage as well. I’m sure the release of something like a more game-y Abelton or Fruityloops could lead to a slew of new music being produced given the amount of people liable to own one of these consoles or a PS3 or something
I quite like that remix of that Klaxon’s track “Atlantis to Interzone.” The latest Mixmag had a mini-feature on Wii-j-ing or something, basically people controlling things like Ableton through their Wii console, I guess there’ll be an eventual hacking of the Wii to facilitate musical production at some stage as well. I’m sure the release of something like a more game-y Abelton or Fruityloops could lead to a slew of new music being produced given the amount of people liable to own one of these consoles or a PS3 or something