Various - 8-Bit Operators - The Music Of Kraftwerk
Label:
Catalog#:
ASW 71189, RCP02
Format:
CD, Compilation
Country:
US
Released:
06 Feb 2007
Genre:
Electronic,
Pop,
Rock
Style:
Chiptune,
Happy Hardcore,
House,
Space Rock,
Techno,
Minimal,
Krautrock,
IDM,
Europop,
Electro,
Downtempo,
Synth-pop,
Experimental
Tracklist
| 1 | Bacalao - | The Robots (Die Roboter) | 3:30 | X |
| Written-By - Florian Schneider , Karl Bartos , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 2 | Glomag - | Pocket Calculator | 3:54 | X |
| Written-By - Emil Schult , Karl Bartos , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 3 | Covox - | Computer Love | 3:41 | X |
| Written-By - Emil Schult , Karl Bartos , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 4 | Role Model - | Showroom Dummies | 4:00 | X |
| Written-By - Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 5 | Nullsleep - | The Model | 3:57 | X |
| Written-By - Florian Schneider , Karl Bartos , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 6 | David E. Sugar* - | Radioactivity | 4:13 | X |
| Written-By - Emil Schult , Florian Schneider , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 7 | Oliver Wittchow - | Kristallo | 4:23 | X |
| Written-By - Florian Schneider , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 8 | 8 Bit Weapon - | Spacelab | 4:54 | X |
| Written-By - Karl Bartos , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 9 | firestARTer - | Computer World (Computerwelt) | 4:26 | X |
| Written-By - Emil Schult , Florian Schneider , Karl Bartos , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 10 | Neotericz - | Electric Cafe | 4:04 | X |
| Written-By - Florian Schneider , Karl Bartos , Maxime Schmitt , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 11 | Receptors - | Trans-Europe Express | 4:02 | X |
| Written-By - Emil Schult , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 12 | Herbert Weixelbaum - | Tanzmusik | 3:58 | X |
| Written-By - Florian Schneider , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 13 | Bubblyfish - | It's More Fun To Compute | 3:52 | X |
| Written-By - Florian Schneider , Karl Bartos , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 14 | Bit Shifter - | Antenna | 3:48 | X |
| Written-By - Emil Schult , Florian Schneider , Ralf Hütter | ||||
| 15 | gwEm And Counter Reset - | The Man-Machine (Die Mensch-Maschine) | 4:06 | X |
| Written-By - Florian Schneider , Karl Bartos , Ralf Hütter | ||||
Credits
Executive Producer -
Jeremy Kolosine
Mastered By - Allan Tucker , Tom Ohmsen
Other [Project Manager] - Nick Clift
Other [Thanks To] - Errol Kolosine
Performer [Game Boy] - Bit Shifter , Bubblyfish , Glomag , Herbert Weixelbaum , Nullsleep , Receptors
Producer - Bacalao , Glomag , Johan Kotlinski , Oliver Wittchow , Receptors
Mastered By - Allan Tucker , Tom Ohmsen
Other [Project Manager] - Nick Clift
Other [Thanks To] - Errol Kolosine
Performer [Game Boy] - Bit Shifter , Bubblyfish , Glomag , Herbert Weixelbaum , Nullsleep , Receptors
Producer - Bacalao , Glomag , Johan Kotlinski , Oliver Wittchow , Receptors
Notes
A various artist covers compilation, featuring interpretations of classic Kraftwerk songs, arranged primarily on lo-bit handheld gaming devices, vintage video game consoles and obsolete 8 bit home computers ( such as Game Boys, Ataris, Nintendo systems and Commodore 64's ) now revered for the rich and distinctive sound of their lo-bit microchips. This video game-influenced branch of electronic music, sometimes referred to as ‘chiptune’, ‘bitpop’ or just ‘8-bit’, has developed a flourishing international live scene, and is one of the first new genres of music to use the internet to its fullest advantage, with the advent of home-brewed synth cartridges and hacker influenced musical tools.
The 8-BIT OPERATORS collection features some of the top 8-bit artists from North America, South America and Europe, a selection of the best musical innovators, and several of the inventors themselves.
The 8-BIT OPERATORS collection features some of the top 8-bit artists from North America, South America and Europe, a selection of the best musical innovators, and several of the inventors themselves.
Recommendations
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Boards Of Canada - Geogaddi (CD, Album)
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Boards Of Canada - In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country (CD, EP)
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Boards Of Canada - The Campfire Headphase (CD, Album, Dig)
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Autechre - Amber (CD, Album)
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Boards Of Canada - Twoism (CD, Album, RM, RE, Bla)
▸ show all 3 reviews
Reviews & Discussion
I really enjoy this compilation and rate it higher than most Kraftwerk cover collections and the reason for this is that my understanding of Kraftwerks music is that they intended the music to be naturalistic and perfect and perhaps reflect the reality of the future. This compilation has recreated Kraftwerk tunes with "old" 8-bit tools to recreate the music in an from our perspective today old-school bleepy way - but this old school machinery is more modern than Kraftwerks original instruments...
The review above appears to have some axe to grind, seeing as it's one of the only bad reviews written by anyone regarding this release. Keep in mind that Kraftwerk themselves approved this entire release and it's tracks.Most people get this album, some who are into more benign electronic music like Yanni do not.
There are over 200 positive reviews of this album from reputable people from the likes of Wire mag Pitchfork and NPR, and barely 1 bad one amongst them!
There are over 200 positive reviews of this album from reputable people from the likes of Wire mag Pitchfork and NPR, and barely 1 bad one amongst them!
While some of the tracks put it straight without Kraftwerk there would have never been any remotely similar electronic or say, advanced popular culture (be it computers or music); '8-bit Operators' sampler also proves how much damage is done out there now that Kraftwerk have been on constant recycling - their songs when covered have rarely been a case of further innovation; mostly just an ideal situation for countless electronic bands whose only true statement to Kraftwerk was their godfathers' massive influence.
'8-bit operators' in its tiny bits offers some interesting moments but basically sounds like a preprogrammed set of Kraftwerk demos, without much substance - like an old commodore 64 in most cases (so imagine a primitive video game of 1986-era provided a silly soundtrack). The grooves are fine but they are not even sterile, sounding too empty to take us anywhere. While trying to understand the '8-bit' pixelation of sounds from one side and then, some pompous techno arrangements from the other, this compilation only fares better as 'this side' of far worse 'Trans Slovenia Express Vol. 2'.
'8-bit operators' in its tiny bits offers some interesting moments but basically sounds like a preprogrammed set of Kraftwerk demos, without much substance - like an old commodore 64 in most cases (so imagine a primitive video game of 1986-era provided a silly soundtrack). The grooves are fine but they are not even sterile, sounding too empty to take us anywhere. While trying to understand the '8-bit' pixelation of sounds from one side and then, some pompous techno arrangements from the other, this compilation only fares better as 'this side' of far worse 'Trans Slovenia Express Vol. 2'.