Bitpop
| Bitpop | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Electronica Synthpop Video game music Chiptune |
| Cultural origins | 2000s, United States, Japan, Europe |
| Typical instruments | Vocals - Guitar - Bass guitar - drums - Synthesizer |
Bitpop is a type of electronic music and also subgenre of Chiptune, where at least part of the music is made using old 8-bit computers and video game consoles. Among systems used are Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit Home Computer, Game Boy, Atari 2600 and Nintendo Entertainment System. The sounds produced from these systems can be combined to any degree with traditional instruments such as guitar and drums, modern synthesizers and drum machines or vocals and sounds effects. Some artists use software based emulators or virtual synthesizers to recreate the sounds of 8-bit systems. While some use hardware synths which use the actual sound chips from those systems, such as the Sidstation and Midibox.
In 2003 Malcolm McLaren heard bitpop and chip music and wrote an article.[1] It also noted a planned release in that style by McLaren. "8-bit trip" by Rymdreglage is example muisc genre of Bitpop. [2]
Origins
The term bitpop was coined by those artists who separated themselves from pure Chiptune as they used more modern production styles and equipment. The name has also been considered as a pun on britpop and the word bit.
Bitpop uses a mixture of old and new equipment often resulting a sound which is unlike Chiptune although containing 8-bit sourced sounds. For example, a bitpop production may be composed almost entirely of 8-bit sounds but with a live vocal, or overlaid live guitars. Conversely, a bitpop production may be composed almost entirely of live vocals and instruments, but feature a bassline or lead melody provided by an 8-bit device.[3][4][5]
Misconceptions
Due to the use of "pop" in the name, Bitpop is sometimes mistaken for a popular music genre rather than a production style.
There is a common misconception that Bitpop is the same as Chiptune or 8-bit music. The key difference between the production styles is that Chiptune uses genuine vintage 8-bit equipment exclusively, with little or no post processing with modern equipment.
Related genres are chiptune, Gamewave, Synthpop, and electropop.
Artists
Major publishers of bitpop are 8bitpeoples and Relax Beat & Bleepstreet Records. Examples of bands in the genre are Solemn Camel Crew, Tobiah, Welle: Erdball, Printed Circuit, Anamanaguchi, Covox, YMCK, Teamtendo, Receptors, Neotericz, 1986, FirestARTer, The Hardliner, capitalSTEPS (now called Square Wail), David Sugar, 8 Bit Weapon, 8 Bit Betty, Firebrand Boy, she, Death By Television, Mesu Kasumai, Turboknapp, Coleco Music, c64 Messiah, Thermostatic, DJ Lo Rez, ComputeHer, MelBot, Machinae Supremacy, Twilight Electric, Electric Dragon, Monster & Maskiner, Mr. Pacman, Pluxus, Shael Riley, Pontonius, Mikron 64, Puss, Nintendude, Yuppster, Crystal Castles, Bondage Fairies, You Love Her Coz She's Dead, 8 Bit Mayhem, Nullsleep, Sabretooth, Henry Homesweet, Slagsmålsklubben and Detektivbyrån