I’m sure that on here, I’m not the only one interested in retro computers. Given the Shoutout Steve did on SN to Adrian Black, there’s probably a few hosts that are into this sort of thing, too.
One thing I love about old computers is their sound. Whether it’s the bleep bloops of the PC speaker, or the sample-chucking prowess of the Amiga, retro computers all had their own distinct sound.
I didn’t grow up with the C64. I had a bit of experience with at at friends’ houses when I was younger, but I never had one. I was always struck by how raunchy the C64’s SID chip sounded. I don’t mean that in a bad way, either, there’s just something raw, almost primal about some SID music I’ve heard.
So, imagine my delight when I stumbled onto a youtube channel called Noplan, who makes covers of modern songs in the C64 style. Much of these are done on the C64’s hardware, although he does mix the elements in a way an original C64 couldn’t have done out of the box. I wonder if a Twin-SID C64 could pull them off, though.
Anyway, I wanted to share a couple of tracks with you all. I know @JasonHowell did cut his teeth with the C64, so he may dig these, too.
Well, here we go!
Rammstein - Jeder lacht
System Of A Down - Chop Suey
The robotic vocals on Chop Suey somehow still manage to be haunting.
I know about the demoscene. I’ve seen many of them in my lifetime. There’s such creativity and artistry in them, it’s really remarkable!
I remember when I was a teenager my BBS had tons of MOD files, too. I was a distribution point for NoiseMusic, back in the day.
Noplan doesn’t qualify as a Demo, though. They’re not running on real hardware, just video effects. It’s still fun to watch and listen to what he did, even if I know they couldn’t run on normal hardware.
Feel free to share good demo videos, though. I’d love to see them!
Wow this is so cool! I love the idea of taking the SID chip and multitracking it to come up with these rich and complex tapestries. Nice share, thank you!!
Thanks Jason. Glad you enjoyed them. Noplan seems to be a big Rammstein fan. There are a number of covers on his channel. Worth checking out, if you have some downtime.
Maybe some SID elements in upcoming YellowGold stuff. Never know how inspiration may strike.
MBR is a modern composer with a love for the retro sound.
He uses sequencing software and a midi guitar to play that old shredded sampled guitar sound but live.
The albums come with optional crypto quests that if you complete will gain access to bonus content such as bonus tracks and a hidden collection of covers.
