photos by Leia Jospe

Anamanaguchi

Ary Warnaar, guitarist for the New York chiptunes band Anamanaguchi, famously described 8-bit music as "the punk of electronic music."

It was hard to dispute that claim as Datapop 3.0 kicked off the first of its two nights Tuesday at the Highball. The third annual event celebrates 8-bit music -- a distinct brand of electronic music that's composed and performed through the use of old computer consoles from the 8-bit era of video games. Imagine techno performed entirely through samples culled from your dusty, trusty old Nintendo Entertainment System and you'll be in the right ballpark.

8-bit music may not have the rage -- or even the lyrics -- of punk music, but it does share the same sense of youthful innovation and wild, giddy abandon. Also like punk, it's the sort of thing that's likely to be appreciated only by those of or below a certain age -- if you're not young enough to recall just how fiendishly addictive the melodies in, say, "Mega Man 2" were, there's a solid chance 8-bit music might just sound like so many computerized bleeps and bloops to you. [Austin Statesman]

The 'celebration of 8-bit music" took place on March 16th & 17th at the Highball in Austin. Leia was there on the 2nd day which was also the first night of SXSW Music. More of her pictures from the show (and the full lineup) is below...

Continue reading "pics from Datapop 3 (a SXSW celebration of 8-bit music)"

REFORMAT THE PLANET is a feature length documentary which delves into the movement known as chip tunes, a vibrant underground scene based around creating new, original music using old video game hardware. Familiar devices such as the Nintendo Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System are pushed in new directions with startling results.

Using New York as a microcosm for a larger global movement, "Reformat the Planet" maps out the genesis of the first annual Blip Festival, a four day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game consoles. With floor-stomping rhythms and fist-waving melodies, trailblazers of the chip tune idiom descend upon Manhattan to pen a new chapter in the history of electronic music.

That's the description of a documentary about the Blip Festival which is taking place again this year at The Bell House in Brooklyn. There are nightly concerts Thursday, December 17 - Saturday December 19th, as well as workshops, art installations, and film screenings. Advanced tickets are on sale. One of the film screenings is in fact "Reformat the Planet". That movie's trailer and the full Blip Fest schedule, below...

Continue reading "2009 Blip Fest lineup & schedule -- music, films & workshops "

01. Parenthetical Girls - If it's a time for Christmas (2:46)
02. Ween - Silent Night (1:40)
03. Andrew Dost (Anathallo) - Yeah, I Know, It's Christmastime (2:04)
04. The National Splits - Let's Wrap Each Other (2:15)
05. Louis Armstrong - Santa Claus Blues (2:51)
06. Scott Allen (Thunderbirds are Now) - Winters Wonderland (3:50)
07. The Knife - Christmas Reindeer (7:11)
08. Melt Banana - White Christmas (1:42)
09. Thick Pigeon - Jingle Bell Rock (1:30)
10. Steven Garvey - Dreidle, Dreidle, Dreidle (1:11)
11. nullsleep - silent night (2:25)
12. Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians of the British Empire - Santa Claus (3:26)
13. Holly Golightly - Christmas Tree's On Fire (2:54)
14. Deerhoof - xmas tree (2:30)
15. Palace Songs (Will Oldham) - Christmastime in the Mountains (1:30)
16. Woody Guthrie - Hanukkah Dance [Alternate Take] (1:24)

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I know it's too early for this, but inspiration hit, so I went with it. Download, support the artists, enjoy, and happy holidays (Thanksgiving or whatever).