GeekDad HipTrax #57

The GeekDads

Last week I overstepped my bounds a bit while blogging about the recent decision to ban the R4 and related devices in the UK. I meant to imply that this was an unfortunate and potentially detrimental turn of events for the European chiptune artists that employ such technology to legitimate ends, but instead it simply sounded like I was writing the whole of the chip music community off because of this single movement by Nintendo and that nation's court system.

I apologize to any in the global micromusic community that I may have unwittingly offended by employing such hyperbole, and, to help make amends, allow me to dazzle you with a trio of fresh selections from the still very-much-alive chiptune scene.

This apologetic edition of GeekDad HipTrax features:

"Heart Beeps" by ComputeHer

Michelle Mitchell is one-half of the dynamic American chiptune duo 8 Bit Weapon, but she is also the one-woman sound machine ComputeHer. This selection, from her fantastic new release Modemoiselle, ably showcases ComputeHer's unique brand of lo-fi electronica. The album (as well as a fine selection of t-shirts and other merchandise) is available at her newly redesigned web site.

"Fami-Dance" by Inverse Phase

I have long known know Brendan Becker as the man behind Virginia's annual Music and Gaming Festival, and now I also know him as chip artist Inverse Phase. His new album Retrocovered boasts 12 tracks of brilliantly realized classic electronic covers of everything from pop hits to cartoon theme songs. It's available at Bandcamp for a mere $5, and a number of tracks are up for free download for the chronically cheap.

"Float On" as covered by Tetrastar

Tetrastar is Oliver Hindle and Jaylyn Coffin – one the well known artist behind trailblazing UK chiptune act Superpowerless, the other a former member of Florida nerdcore outfit Emergency Pizza Party. Their newly released debut is also a charming collection of covers, this one entitled Songs We Didn't Write, and it collects fantastic chip-punk renditions of tracks originally performed by The Postal Service, Jonathan Coulton and Dio. The entire disc is freely available via the band's official site.

And fair warning: the mix is hot this week, because so is the music!