“Release” is sort of an abused term in the chip community. TCTD regards the term “release” as:
- Contains a number of quality tracks from an artist or groups of artists
- Album artwork and hosting so you can easily direct friends who might want to learn more about the artist or label
- Quality tracks
The nominees this year include a variety of formats, from ROM carts to vinyl to digital to CD. Their common thread is that they are all collections of great tracks by some of the best artists in the game.
Here are your 2009 Best Release nominees:
Bud Melvin – Popular Music / Self Released
Bud is one of the most interesting voices in the chip music scene, his songs eschew chip music cliches and use a wide spanning soundscape to paint expressive backgrounds for his madcap narratives.
Bondage Fairies – Cheap Italian Wine / LoboTom
Sweden’s favorite 8bit, punk rock, robot duo’s sophomore release did not disappoint, with more Pixes flavored Devo-inspired scatologia that rocks from the first synth warble to the last downbeat.
Alex Mauer – Vegavox2 / Pause
The master of the NES ROM album world (and thanks to NO CARRIER, it is actually becoming a world), this ROM showcases Alex’s acknowledged mastery of the 2a03 and gives you a glimpse of his lesser known pixel chops.
V/A – Blip Festival 2008: 32 Live Recordings / 8bitpeoples and 2playerproductions
Perhaps the definitive live chip music document, this release showed that the energy of Blip Festival and its performers can indeed be captured and will remain a keepsake of all involved for years to come.
c-jeff’s concept EP shows off his considerable musical chops (with some help from his friends) and is one of the more touching and cerebral releases of 2009.
Comments
19 responses to “TCTD Awards 2009: Best Release”
Def missing Pamplemousse!
J Arthur Keenes fan rage!!!! HUGE omission!
i agree about pamplemousse, but this year has been an EXCEPTIONAL one for chip releases as well. I can’t really disagree with the inclusion of any of the other releases on the list (except i’ve never heard bondage fairies).
PampleRAGE!! But we have no one to blame but ourselves. Blip08 will win this anyway.
inb4 J Arthur Keenes/little-scale fans rage. The choices are all solid (well, I haven’t listened to Cheap Italian Wine) but those four are indeed excellent albums. I do think Error Repeat should have been on there, but maybe that’s just my bias ;)
Really glad that Electric found its way onto this list! :-)
peeR?
I really liked peer and Pamplemousse. These next three are def the hardest categories to pick.
I should have voted… I’m bad, the spirit of Oldfield is looming.
I resent the implication that tubular bells had any impact on my decisions.
Vegavox 2 for president!!!
There was one 2009 album that HAD to be on the list and it is so I’m happy.
Wait, jellica, voting?
Mike is one of the reptilian shape-shifting global elite, so to deny that he has any authority over any decisions that anyone makes is just plain wrong.
Unless, of course, you are also one of them…. mmm its begining to makes sence.
2pp ! 2pp! That packaging is pretty swank.
heh, seems I should have sent in some more release nominees :P
I don’t see brainswap for instance. Oh well. personal fave
would be c-jeff’s.
yeah admitted, the peer release is great also.
But probably overlooked
It is stupid!
I can make 100 releases from released tracks. Even 1000 will not get tired to listen?
How it is possible for compilation from released tracks to put in one number with exclusive albums?
A shame truechiptilldeath.com!!
Electric best!
The winning compilation is live versions of tracks unavailable anywhere else. At least I think that’s what you mean.