[demo] Defender of the 8-bits by D.T.A. Software Studio

Today we've got something you don't see every day: A demo for the SAM Coupé. Seems showing SAM demos at Forever is slowly becoming a tradition. In any case, this year D.T.A. finally scored 1st place in the (alternative) 8-bit compo.

download/discuss

[demo] Tailwind by Gemba Boys

Yippee, a new ZX Spectrum demo from Gemba Boys! Fast pacing, superb graphics, slick 3D code, and excellent music make for a well-deserved first place at Forever 2016.

download/discuss

Battle of the Bits Kickstarter

Battle of the Bits, the number one place for chipmusic competitions and more, is running a kickstarter to fund the future development of the site. Chip in if you can because BotB is awesome!

[demo] SaboTagE by Paradox

Almost 10 years in the making, here's a new Atari STE demo by Paradox. SaboTagE tells a story set in a not-too-distant post-apocalyptic future, where global communication is controlled by a few mega-corporations (huh? I thought that was already the case...). The story itself could have been more developed in my opinion (especially the ending falls somewhat flat compared to the grand opening), but top-notch music, quality graphics, and never-before seen effects make for an overall very solid release.

download/discuss

[tools] Slocum Tracker

Yay, a new tool for making music on the Atari VCS/2600! Slocum Tracker is essentially a web-based graphical front-end for Paul Slocum's "Music Kit 2.0". Slocum Tracker doesn't feature any sound (yet?), so you still need to compile'n'run the binary to check the result. But it's obviously still an improvement over having to hard-code the music in asm.

The project is open source, source code is available on the author's github.

[album] Glimt by Frequent

Frequent^Ephidrena has put together an EP with some old, previously unreleased Buzz/Gravis Ultrasound material, remastered in 24-bit quality. Three layed-back, slightly chippy down-tempo IDM tracks, and one absolutely stunning ambient/electronica piece.

[tools] New 1tracker Version 0.23 Released

My favourite 1-bit music editor, 1tracker, has gotten some updates recently that are worth noting. The changes might appear subtle at first glance, but they significantly improve the workflow and user experience in my opinion.

You can now create blocks (by hitting Space, which formerly just set a marker), and name them with Ctrl+F. Blocks will be displayed in a list at the right side of the main window, and can be navigated with Home/End. Blocks can be marked for copy/paste with Ctrl+A (or Ctrl+L to select a single channel within the block).

As a bonus, there's also a new experimental engine included.

Download 1tracker for Windows
download source

[album] Quanta by Pulselooper and tMt

Two of my favourite artists teaming up here! Needless to say that I'm absolutely psyched about this release. Quanta comprises two half-hour sets of dark, mystic ambient, combined with quirky, hypnotic beats. A truly transcendal listening experience.



Audiophiles might want to grab the full HQ download. There's also a beautiful promo video:

[album] aTTraction by Yerzmyey

Two great new releases in one day - we're getting spoiled! First up, we've got some new Atari music from Yerzmyey. It's mostly digital stuff made on Falcon and TT, but there's a couple of 16-bit tracks and an XL bonus in there as well. Classic 90s cheese, with a few more unusual pieces thrown in.

download

[album] Biteration I: Genesis of Consequence by Inverse Phase

Some new Sega FM radness by Inverse Phase. Biteration I isn't so much about recreating "dat classic Sega feel", as it is about moving forward in terms of style. Also, disclaimer: Since some of the tracks were originally made for a poop-themed game, the album contains a lot of lovely fart noises.

There are plans to release this album on an actual cartridge, so head over to the bandcamp page and pre-order one if you'd like to support that project.

[album] Eins by Tronimal

A fresh and unique take on 1-bit music, here's Tronimal's ZX Spectrum debut. Dark, apocalyptic soundscapes with driving beats and witty (German language) vocals - a perfect soundtrack for the impending doomsday.