Tag: II

  • TCTD Awards 2009: Best Release

    “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 – electric / Pause

    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.

  • TCTD Awards 2009: Best Label

    In a year that was tough for all labels, whether they be brick and mortar, netlabel or imaginary, a common worry amongst all involved was how to gain recognition for their artists. Many of the active labels in our community are under-supported with zero budget and mostly volunteer staff (if the admin isn’t doing everything themselves). So with most of the scene operating largely on word of mouth and blog virility, it is up to the strength of curation to keep these labels in the limelight and the following have done an excellent job at picking great artists to host on their sites.

    Pause – The winner of this category last year did not rest on its laurels, putting out 13 great releases and solidifying the “Pause sound”. Proggy, and proud of it, it seems poised to remain a perennial contender in this category year after year.

    8bitpeoples – The most public facing of all current netlabels put out some grand releases, especially ones from glomag, minusbaby and Mr. Spastic. What is their next step? How big can they grow?

    Ubiktune – Perhaps the quiet sensitive brother of Pause, this label put out the great “Season”tune comps and excellent releases from artists like Stu that really pushed the chip music concept forward in terms of style, songs and production quality. Focusing on artists from the demoscene, they shed light on portions of the scene overshadowed by fist pumping ravery.

    Da! Heard It – With it’s eclectic roster of chip and non chip acts alike, this netlabel strives to bridge the gulf between chip music and other genres and stick its crew where it belongs, in hot clubs, in dj mixes, wherever.

    mp3death – The temporary label has been around for a good time now and has a great mix of acts in this years releases. Quiet and underground, but always interesting, so when it makes a sound, you’ll be inclined to listen.

  • EvilWezil – Chronophobe

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    Attention residents of 3052. I, the future’s EvilWezil, have travelled back in time to free my past self from your unbreakable ultraprison. Together, we bring the destruction of your valuable time line. Those of you who continue to exist, you will not remember the world as it now is known. We shall erase your ancestors, Summer Sage, and your Chrononauts is not match for our armada which has all the splendid villains of history. We do not desire the money already. We pursue only vengeance, and times are on our side. EvilWezils cannot be stopped!!!

    • 01 Operation Timeout (03:03)
    • 02 Second Hand March (03:43)
    • 03 Metal in the Microwave (03:25)
    • 04 Jolmos (02:13)
    • 05 The Tower (04:58)
    • 06 Some Times Roll Hard (04:08)
    • 07 Coda Purple (03:46)
    • 08 June Bugs (02:05)
    • 09 Cloud Nine (04:02)
    • 10 Bojo (03:50)
    • 11 Jinx (03:21)
    • 12 Nothing Ever Changes (02:06)
    • 13 Chronophobe (04:03)
    • 14 Epochalypse (03:53)
    • 15 Singularity Falls (03:25)

    via Pause

  • Zan-zan-zawa-veia – Fell Plot

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    An occult shadow government dissolves messily, its members left trying frantically to remove themselves from every list that matters before the sun comes up. Eight oppressive and complex pieces of expanded NES music hint obliquely at the story behind the collapse of a generation’s fell plots.

    • 01 Koff Koff (02:24)
    • 02 Rose Wood (04:25)
    • 03 Moon Down (03:47)
    • 04 Fort Gnox (04:14)
    • 05 Rest Easy (04:42)
    • 06 Fish Food (03:37)
    • 07 Pray Tell (Parts Two and a Half) (05:38)
    • 08 Fell Plot (10:34)

    Zan-zan-zawa-veia – Fell Plot.

  • The J. Arthur Keenes Band – Pamplemousse

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    If you haven’t check out this artist, this new release on Pause Netlabel should sufficiently introduce you to his awesomeness, and make his upcoming Blip appearance all that more anticipated.  From Pause:

    From the icy depths of Canada comes “Pamplemousse”, a loving tribute to the noble grapefruit. The J. Arthur Keenes Band skillfully mixes the tribal rhythms of their native Ontario with modern sounds in this fun-filled, action-packed romp for the whole family.

    via Pause