Bit Shifter

Shepherd @neolithicsheep.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 22:39 UTC

Gotta read the whole thread

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 12:38 UTC

【★ GIG ALERT】 BROOKLYN 09/13 • Watch out world, ’cause @nmlstyl.bsky.social releases a new album in September, & @janus.bsky.social & I are joining in for the release party at Wonderville. Mark your calendars & come check it out!

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 15:41 UTC

As I recall, your vision & voice were pretty fully-formed and well-defined back then, my friend.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 23:00 UTC

The release is available everywhere; however be advised that the Bandcamp edition includes exclusive bonus materials, like a fully-designed 16-page liner notes booklet and 5 bonus tracks.
bit-shifter.bandcamp.com/album/malada...

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:59 UTC

Anyway this has been your host, Bit Shifter; thanks for joining me on this walkthrough of Maladaptive Strategies Vol. 2. I hope you've found something in there to enjoy.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:43 UTC

⑧ Science City Zero / Transmode Virus (Live On WFMU) (2005) · Host OCDJ had me on his WFMU program Plug And Play where I had the privilege of dissociating live on air while, in theory, discussing chipmusic. Played a short set too; and this excerpt seemed like a fitting closer for the release.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:32 UTC

Anyway with a little tinkering, I got that same old crack of Cubase installed (all the old VSTs I originally used too! Being a pathological packrat can have its advantages). Loaded up the 20-year old project files, exported stems, sent them to Trey, & voilà — sparkling new mixes.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:32 UTC

For once, this approach miraculously bore fruit, and I have to thank @joshuadavis.bsky.social for coming to the rescue with a loaner G4 tower running OS9. I may not be named after him myself, but if I ever have a son, well he might just be.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:31 UTC

I tried everything — OS emulation, even buying an old Mac laptop that was misidentified by its seller as a transitional model capable of natively running either OSX or OS 9 (it wasn't). Eventually I resorted to what many of us resort to: complaining on the internet.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:30 UTC

The problem was that the original recordings were done in an old cracked copy of Cubase, running on Mac OS 9. And in the present day, I had nothing capable of running either. So retrieving anything from these original sessions presented significant obstacles.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:30 UTC

I knew I definitely wanted to re-release these two tracks as part of this release series. But I also knew that if I were to do so, I'd want to have them mixed properly. So what was the problem?

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:29 UTC

Both of the above two tracks exemplify the obstacles held this release up for so long. The above are new 2024 mixes by Trey Frye. The original mixes, however, were of my own doing, and were really not very good. So —

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:09 UTC

⑦ CHUMMING THE OCEAN (2004, new mix 2024) · In some ways a companion track to the above. The Archers Of Loaf original is a delicate, poignant piano piece. Naturally I couldn’t resist subverting that, although hopefully preserving some of its melancholy.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 22:01 UTC

⑥ QUICK, BEFORE IT MELTS (2003, new mix 2024) · Cover of a track by Cinerama. Let's be clear: songwriter David Gedge leads a far more romantically daring lifestyle than I do. But it's fun to pretend, & it was nice to pick up a mic for this in live sets.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 21:51 UTC

⑤ BAD SURGE (2006) · This was released on a Mirex 12" comp called Gully Gotham Grit Vol. 1 alongside some legit heavy-hitters — an experience I'm pretty sure I owe to Mad EP for talking me up. (I still owe you my 1st-born or whatever else you want, man).

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 21:35 UTC

So yeah, the title. It refers to a moment in an old Marvel comic where Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four describes negotiating for the survival of a planet with Galactus, a 30-foot-tall giant who eats planets and drinks… tea? Who knew.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 21:26 UTC

④ TEA WITH GALACTUS (2005) · Really like this track. I like its title less. More on that in a moment. I got to collaborate with noteNdo to create a unique video for this one via his one-of-a-kind circuit bent NES console. Can't embed it here, but you can see it at bit.ly/45Ouzix .

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 21:14 UTC

③ FLIGHT RISK (2005) · This track was made for an A/V collaboration with @roberthodgin.bsky.social a.k.a. flight404. I think he'd been expecting something melodic; what I made was… not that, oops. But I love the end result.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 21:00 UTC

Still have the cartridge that “Science City Zero” and “Transmode Virus” were made on.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 20:57 UTC

The movie never ended up happening, in the end. I can't remember for sure, but I think after a fair amount of deliberation, I did finally agree to license him the tracks. I almost wish the movie actually got made. Would have made a fun item on the Chipmusic Résumé.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 20:56 UTC

The person writing was a director wanting to use one of these (maybe both, can't remember) in a movie he was making — a porn movie, to be exact. He was very nice & I got the sense he genuinely did like the tracks. I politely expressed hesitation, which he graciously understood.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 20:56 UTC

There was a very funny & unexpected thing that happened re: the above two tracks. I must have had both tracks up on my website at the time or something (2003, 2004 ish). I got e-mailed at one point with a very unexpected proposition —

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 20:55 UTC

② TRANSMODE VIRUS (2003, rerecorded 2024) Companion track to “Science City Zero” in a way, made around the same time & on the same cart. I don't think I was consciously going for a drum-&-bass feel, but I think the end result isn't that far off.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 20:53 UTC

This wasn't my 1st nanoloop track (I think that one was “The Connector Conspiracy”), but it was pretty early days, and it's the first one I really see as a creative success. I listen back nowadays & spot a couple of details I'd change, but overall this one never gets old for me.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 20:52 UTC

① SCIENCE CITY ZERO (2003, rerecorded 2024) This one captures the essence of what I found so special about the nanoloop software. My approach to music had always been rigidly melody-based; nanoloop showed me a path out of that that I never knew existed.

youtu.be/DX_3BJSkGVY

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 20:51 UTC

【★ ICYMI】 A few months ago, I released Maladaptive Strategies Vol. 2, showcasing nanoloop Game Boy tracks made ~’03-’07. Genuinely some of my favorite material I've ever done. (link: bit.ly/3W4HASc)

Going to do a mini-thread here w/ track-by-track notes & thoughts.

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 22, 2024 at 16:05 UTC

【★ ICYMI】 New collaboration! Got to join forces w/ comics legend & rock star James Kochalka Superstar (@kochalka.bsky.social) for the new #chiptune anthem “Sweet Motherfucker.” A delightful blend of profane and wholesome. Check it out below (or elsewhere: tr.ee/ByUqnOvsG9) & spread the word!

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 21, 2024 at 21:02 UTC

【★ COLLAB】 Repost for the evening crowd • New team-up just dropped! Got to join forces with comics legend & rock star James Kochalka Superstar (kochalka.bsky.social) for the brand-new chiptune anthem “Sweet Motherfucker.” Check it out & spread the word!

youtu.be/a96a5IDgUcg

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 21, 2024 at 19:03 UTC

www.youtube.com/watch?v=a96a...

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Bit Shifter @bit.shifter.net [ View ] Jun 21, 2024 at 17:39 UTC

【★ COLLAB】 OUT NOW • New team-up just dropped! Got to join forces with comics legend & rock star James Kochalka Superstar (kochalka.bsky.social) for the chiptune singalong anthem “Sweet Motherfucker” — out now as track 2 on his brand new single Sweet Beats. Check it out!

tr.ee/ByUqnOvsG9

1 replies 4 reposts 5 likes