8-Bit Operators: The Music of Kraftwerk

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] Inspiration for the project as quoted by Jeremy Kolosine [6][7] (credited as Executive Producer of the release, and noted founder of the early 80's electronic group Futurisk and chipmusic band Receptors.) "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.."[8] This Kraftwerk covers compilation was somewhat unusual in the fact that Kraftwerk's Ralf Hütter selected the final track line-up,[6] "So Jeremy was a little nervous when meeting Kraftwerk's Ralf Hütter after a concert by the group in New York last year. He passed along to him a sample of the compilation. Later Hutter said he enjoyed it and even offered some editing suggestions" [9] In a subsequent interview, when asked about the 8-Bit Operators release, Ralf Hütter responded, "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." [10]

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

In March, 2007, the CD release reached as high as number 1 on the CMJ RPM (North American college Electronic) charts.[11][12]

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. Kraftwerk Gets a New Sound on '8-Bit Operators'. NPR. Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  7. jeremy.kolosine.com. jeremy.kolosine.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  8. Chaos Control Digizine – music interviews, news, and more!. Chaoscontrol.com (2007-02-06). Retrieved on 2011-03-02.
  9. An Ode to Kraftwerk The Original Computer Geeks Ft Worth Star-Telegram, February 18, 2007
  10. Reid, Graham (27 September 2008). "Interview: Ralf Hutter of Kraftwerk". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. Hot Dance Singles Sales Pocket Calculator Almusic.com (charts-awards/billboard-singles) retrieved September 20, 2011
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