8-Bit Operators: The Music of Kraftwerk
Studio album by
8-Bit Operators
Released2007
Recorded2006–2007
GenreElectronic
LabelAstralwerks/Caroline/Virgin/EMI

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]

In March 2007, the CD release reached as high as number 1 on the CMJ RPM (North American college Electronic) charts.[6][7]

Background

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.

CD Track listing

No.TitlePerforming artist(s)Length
1."The Robots (Die Roboter)"Bacalao3:29
2."Pocket Calculator"Glomag3:54
3."Computer Love"Covox3:40
4."Showroom Dummies"Role Model3:59
5."The Model"Nullsleep3:57
6."Radioactivity"David E.Sugar4:12
7."Kristallo"Oliver Wittchow4:22
8."Spacelab"8-Bit Weapon4:54
9."Computer World (Computerwelt)"firestARTer4:26
10."Electric Café"Neotericz4:03
11."Trans-Europe Express"Receptors4:02
12."Tanzmusik"Herbert Weixelbaum3:58
13."It's More Fun to Compute"Bubblyfish3:52
14."Antenna"Bit Shifter3:48
15."The Man-Machine (Die Mensch-Maschine)"gwEm and Counter Reset4:06

Vinyl

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.

References

  1. ↑ 8-Bit Operators Archived 2008-04-15 at the Wayback Machine. Astralwerks.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  2. ↑ 8 bit Operators. www.8bitops.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  3. ↑ OUT NOW! 8-BIT OPERATORS ~ WANNA HLD YR HANDHELD BEATLES TRIBUTE | 8-BIT OPERATORS KRAFTWERK TRIBUTE on ASTRALWERKS / EMI | 8bitoperators.com | receptorsmusic.com | 8bitops.com | futurisk.net | kraftwerk.8bitoperators.com | beatles.8bitoperators.com | 8-bit micro-chipmusic / nintendo gameboy chiptunes / handheld micromusic / atari space-punk / c64 electro-funk / nintendo DSi synthesis / korg ds-10 / lsdj / nanoloop | ksine | shakespace | futurisk | free music. 8bitoperators.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  4. ↑ Kraftwerk Goes 8-Bit – Music News at IGN Archived 2006-12-16 at the Wayback Machine. Music.ign.com (2006-11-29). Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  5. ↑ 8-Bit Operators. Stranded In Stereo (1971-06-25). Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  6. ↑ www.hypnote.com Archived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine pdf of RPM issue #1008 chart(8-Bit Operators at #21 - high position #1)Retrieved September 20, 2011
  7. ↑ google.com Archived April 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine search:north "american college electronic rpm charts 2007 8 bit 8bit operators" Retrieved September 20, 2011
  8. 1 2 Kraftwerk Gets a New Sound on '8-Bit Operators'. NPR. Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  9. ↑ jeremy.kolosine.com. jeremy.kolosine.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  10. ↑ Chaos Control Digizine – music interviews, news, and more!. Chaoscontrol.com (2007-02-06). Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  11. ↑ An Ode to Kraftwerk The Original Computer Geeks Ft Worth Star-Telegram, February 18, 2007
  12. ↑ Reid, Graham (27 September 2008). "Interview: Ralf Hutter of Kraftwerk". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  13. ↑ Hot Dance Singles Sales Pocket Calculator Almusic.com (charts-awards/billboard-singles) retrieved September 20, 2011
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