If you’re not familiar with 8-Bit music, imagine the soundtrack to your favourite SNES game remixed to buggery and smeared over a high tempo drumbeat.
It’s another step down the well trod path of retro, but thankfully it leaves behind any air of egotistic self-irony that most brands of retro suffer from this was evident as soon as I entered the tiny iBar. The atmosphere was magnificent, amplified by the fact the audience numbered less than fifty and none aged higher than twenty.
I arrived midway through a set by Henry Homesweet, a more aggressive artist who wasn’t meant to be playing this leg of the tour. His 8-bit-meets-hardcore approach had ninety percent of the tiny audience leaping up and down, hands raised.
Syphus and Firebrand Boy played well, Random, from Sweden, took the tempo down some, which was appreciated after energetic dancing in a small, sweaty room. Most artists danced around with souped up Gameboys in hand, reconfigured to harness the sounds the Gameboy makes. There was a definite sense of innocence, not because of the audience age, but although this music was fast and dirty and perfect for raving, the SEGA-esque blips and bleeps conjured childhood memories of days spent playing Sonic.
Then on came Sabrepulse, the name to drop in a chat about 8-Bit. Having had a lot of input on the tour, and considering his internet fame, I expected him to have a longer set than the other artists. So I was surprised when his set lasted as long as everyone else’s.
But that’s the way 8-Bit works. It’s by the kids, for the kids. This tour is not about boosting ego, it’s about showcasing new talent in an up and coming genre. And new talent was well showcased.
ADAM STONE
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