Out Today everywhere - enjoy another sample from the compilation: Ben Daglish - Trap
SID Chip Sounds officially out tomorrow / Robot Elephant Bandcamp Sale!
Enter IHEARTRER as displayed above when going to our Bandcamp shop to get 20% off on all digital downloads from the Robot Elephant Bandcamp Site (offer valid until next Sunday - February 26th - midnight) - including the newly released digital version of SID Chip Sounds: The Music of the Commodore 64. Maybe a good idea to also browse our back catalogue - check out our previous releases, for instance Ritualz vs. Fostercare, Husband, ISVOLT Compilation, Speak & The Spells and more ….
P.S. If you bought one of the 2xLP Vinyl from us or from any other shop lately, feel free to drop me a line at sw@robotelephant.co.uk and I will pass you a free digital download code!
SID Chip Sounds: The Music of the Commodore 64 - pre-orders are being shipped this week!
We only got very limited stock (about 15 or so) of the 2xLP left here - so grap one while you can, otherwise you can buy them in about any shop imaginable from Monday, February 20 on.
We also got some nice ( and, ahem, not so nice..) feedback from the press here, including a great review from Joe Muggs in Wire Magazine.
Q - “a fascinating selection” - 4*
Wire Magazine - “…. the combination of compositional skills and the sounds innocent vigour renders it addictive”
The C64 is officially 30 years old these days!
The home computer was launched in January 1982. Equipped with the SID Sound Chip, it played a vital and decisive role in the definition and creation of digital synthesizer and computer music. The signature sound created back in those days can still be heard today, the influence is maybe higher then ever, seeing some of the best albums of the year resemble the sound - check out the last albums by the likes of Zomby, Damu, Rustie et al..
Oh wait.. did I mention, we are releasing 19 original classic C64 tunes from the 80ies - remastered + cut on double vinyl, on February 20st - preorder available here!
Robot Elephant Records favourite Sounds of 2011 - Zomby- Blue Orchid - from “Dedication”
Enigmatic producer Zomby is crossing chip tune with dub step in this beautiful track that is one of my favourites from this year, and for sure a combination of sounds that will surface more often in the future, I reckon…
The whole album “Dedication”, which is out on 4AD, is a masterpiece, and actually rather accessible and pop-oriented.
New Release!
‘SID CHIP SOUNDS – THE MUSIC OF THE COMMODORE 64’
Download Martin Galway - Arkanoid for free
Release date: 20th February 2012
Format: 2 X LP / CD / Digital
Pre-order 2xLP Gatefold version
‘SID Chip Sounds – The Music Of The Commodore 64’ is a compilation of music from classic Commodore 64 computer games. The 18 original pieces of music have been remastered for this release on gatefold double vinyl, CD and download.
When people talk about “Commodore 64 music”, it’s easy to forget they’re not talking about a musical style: they’re talking about a delivery mechanism. What that convenient phrase hides is the sheer amount of originality and creativity that went into creating the music for games on the Commodore 64.
The majority of games produced for the Commodore 64 made use of the machine’s revolutionary SID chip, devised by engineer Bob Yannes who later co-founded the Ensoniq digital synthesizer company, and named by PC World Magazine as one of computing’s most important inventions. Although it was advanced for the time composers had to overcome many challenges. For example, the hardware only allowed three voices at once so composers assigned one voice to play quick arpeggios so listeners believed they were hearing sustained chords. It’s well documented that humans are at their best when overcoming limitations or under deadline, and the classic C64 composers pared music to its essence. They had their own sounds and their own way of playing them.
Revolutionary composers such as Martin Galway, Rob Hubbard, David Whittaker and Ben Daglish rose to prominence during the 80s for their technology defying masterpieces whose sounds ranged from simple clicks and beeps to complex musical extravaganzas. Included on this compilation is some of their most celebrated work including music from games ‘Arkanoid’, ‘Comic Bakery’, Last Ninja’ and ‘Sanxion’.
Influence in modern music is widespread. The sub genres of 8-bit, chiptune, gabba; the lo-fi sounds of DJ Scotch Egg, the rapid arpeggios of Rustie, Crystal Castles’ warped glitches and even the beats of international pop hits such ‘TiK ToK’ by Kesha are all informed by developments made during the early years of home gaming.
As relevant as ever, ‘SID Chip Sounds – The Music Of The Commodore 64’ is a vital collection for fans of remarkable electronic music whether retrospective or modernist.
Tracklisting:
A1 Ben Daglish – Last Ninja (Wastelands)
A2 Ben Daglish – Last Ninja (Wilderness)
A3 Ben Daglish – Trap
A4 Chris Huelsbeck – Giana Sisters (Intro)
B1 Chris Huelsbeck – Katakis (Song 3)
B2 David Whittaker – Glider Rider
B3 David Whittaker – Panther
B4 Tim & Geoff Follin – Gauntlet 3 (1)
B5 Tim & Geoff Follin – Gauntlet 3 (2)
B6 Tim Follin – LEDStorm (Title)
B7 Jeroen Tel – Cybernoid 2
C1 Martin Galway – Wizball [*vinyl only]
C2 Martin Galway – Comic Bakery
C3 Martin Galway – Parallax
C4 Martin Galway – Arkanoid
D1 Matt Gray – Dominator (Song 2)
D2 Matt Gray – Last Ninja 2 (Song 2)
D3 Rob Hubbard – Commando
D4 Rob Hubbard – Sanxion
Guest blog for BBC Online about C64 Computer Game Music
Yep yep the rumors are true - Robot Elephant Records will release in the near future a meticulously curated compilation of some amazing C64 Chip Tune Music. Check out the link below for Anthony of goddontlikeit and Robot Elephant Records Co-Founders thoughts about our motivation and thoughts behind doing such a thing….
I’v done a guest blog for BBC Online at Commodore 64 music.
Hope helps get people interested in the ocean of good music there!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nowplaying/2011/07/guest-blogger—-the-music-of-c.shtml
