| 8-Bit Operators: The Music of Kraftwerk | |
|---|---|
| Studio album by 8-Bit Operators | |
| Released | 2007 |
| Recorded | 2006–2007 |
| Genre | Electronic |
| Label | Astralwerks |
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 homelabel 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 unique 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]
In March, 2007, the CD release reached as high as number 1 on the CMJ RPM (North American college Electronic) charts.[11][12]
| No. | Title | Performing artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.