8-Bit Operators: The Music of Kraftwerk was released [1] in 2007 by the group 8-Bit Operators [2][3][4] on Kraftwerk's US label Astralwerks and EMI Records worldwide. It features cover versions of Kraftwerk songs by several prominent chiptune artists.[5]
8-Bit Operators: The Music of Kraftwerk | |
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Studio album by 8-Bit Operators | |
Released | 2007 |
Recorded | 2006–2007 |
Genre | Electronic |
Label | Astralwerks/Caroline/Virgin/EMI |
In March, 2007, the CD release reached as high as number 1 on the CMJ RPM (North American college Electronic) charts.[6][7]
Inspiration for the project as quoted by Jeremy Kolosine[8][9] (credited as Executive Producer of the release, and noted founder of the early 80's electronic group Futurisk and chipmusic band Receptors.)[10]
Well the first thing that comes to my mind when I saw a gameboy show was Kraftwerk's Computer World Tour from 1981, where four of them played various handheld devices during the song 'Pocket Calculator'. Plus it came up in a print from a Glomag quote, and an 8 Bit Weapon April Fool's joke that backfired.
This Kraftwerk covers compilation was somewhat unusual in the fact that Kraftwerk's Ralf Hütter selected the final track line-up.[8][11]
In a subsequent interview, when asked about the 8-Bit Operators release, Ralf Hütter responded:[12]
It is mind stimulating, the minimum/maximum coming from sound levels and thoughts and ideas. Like Autobahn and Trans-Europe Express are very basic and elementary ideas, but they offer a pattern or concept for improvisation.
No. | Title | Performing artist(s) | Length |
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1. | "The Robots (Die Roboter)" | Bacalao | 3:29 |
2. | "Pocket Calculator" | Glomag | 3:54 |
3. | "Computer Love" | Covox | 3:40 |
4. | "Showroom Dummies" | Role Model | 3:59 |
5. | "The Model" | Nullsleep | 3:57 |
6. | "Radioactivity" | David E.Sugar | 4:12 |
7. | "Kristallo" | Oliver Wittchow | 4:22 |
8. | "Spacelab" | 8-Bit Weapon | 4:54 |
9. | "Computer World (Computerwelt)" | firestARTer | 4:26 |
10. | "Electric Café" | Neotericz | 4:03 |
11. | "Trans-Europe Express" | Receptors | 4:02 |
12. | "Tanzmusik" | Herbert Weixelbaum | 3:58 |
13. | "It's More Fun to Compute" | Bubblyfish | 3:52 |
14. | "Antenna" | Bit Shifter | 3:48 |
15. | "The Man-Machine (Die Mensch-Maschine)" | gwEm and Counter Reset | 4:06 |
A vinyl 12-inch single version was released on 24 February 2007 as a precursor to the full-length CD, and reached as high as number 17[13] on the Billboard magazine Hot Dance Singles Sales Chart.
Side A of the vinyl consisted of 8-Bit Operators' "Pocket Calculator (Megamix)" version by Glomag (featuring 0x7f, Bit Shifter, Bubblyfish, firestARTer, Hey Kid Nice Robot, Ladybug, M-.-n, Nullsleep, Psilodump, Random, Sidabitball, and David E Sugar).
Side B was an alternate cover of Kraftwerk's "The Robots" by the Los Angeles chipmusic rap group 8-Bit.
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