HiPSTER WAVE

We recently (well, a month and a half ago on November 7th) saw Flying Lotus (Steven Ellison) at a show at the EchoPlex in the Echo Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. Appearances were also made by The Gaslamp Killer, Kode9 and Daedalus (who performed entirely with a Monome: the simple but beautiful midi controller [but basically a box with a bunch of buttons that you can bind to sounds and hook-up to your computer via usb]). We’re really feeling the whole 8-bit vintage vibe coming from Fly Lo. You can’t stop the Nintendo generation.

Before we get started, here’s the track that put Lotus on the map for us. Heard it on Adult Swim. Had to have it immediately. Done deal.

“Message Situation:”

Flying Lotus Remix of Lil’ Wayne’s “A Milli:”

“Tea Leaf Dancers (Feat. Andreya Triana):”

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

“Bonus Beat + Dance Floor Stalker:”

Chiptunes are songs made with 8-bit sounds, inspired by the 8-bit Nintendo video game era. Of course, a lot of chip music was and is still featured in demos from the Demoscene but one new trend that has been emerging is chip music in popular culture. For instance, there are songs that sample these electronic songs with liberal arpeggiation to the point of intellectual property boundaries becoming questionable–as with Timbaland and Nelly Furtado’s song “Do It:”

Here Timbaland essentially ripped not only the sound but the entire musical structure of lesser-known Finnish artist Janne Suni:

At any rate, intellectual property chiptune drama aside, here are some cool covers and remixes of commercial music that you mind find interesting.

Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell – “Drop It Like It’s Hot (DatA Remix):”

Terry Poison – “Ballroom (DatA Remix):”

DatA – “Rapture Part II:”

8-Bit Rick Roll:

Rihanna – “Umbrella (8 bit remix):”

Katy Perry – “Hot N’ Cold (8-bit remix):”

Just because I like the original of the Katy Perry track too, here’s that:
[flashvideo file=http://www.hipsterwave.com/wp-content/video/katy.flv /]

Even Machinedrum came down on a track with some 8-bit influence on his remix of “Me & U,” by Cassie… Observe:

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Cassie: