GreatestBits

Karl Bartos: "bartos_CAM.wav" (53KB)
Review: This bit was the first one I wanted to isolate for Karl as I thought thematically the word "CAM" over "Camera" would point more to the surveillence aspect of our technological path. What I like in general about Kraftwerk and Karlwerk is the sheer techno-optimism of most of the lyrics. In the original recent-classic, "The Camera", the vocoded narrator seems to take an almost metaphysical tone with its friendly insistence on its own agency - after all, this is a Camera who would gladly take a picture of the world for you. When yor friendly neighborhood and public "Camera" suddenly becomes the private, reserved and paranoid "Cam", the dynamics of user-friendly interaction suddenly shift from Alvin Toffler's 3rd wave to Neil Postman's dystopia (very much like the movie "The Postman" with Kevin Costner but without the cam). (Jeremy)
I agree with Jeremy about the paranoid underpinnings of this bit; I happened to just have listened Van Dyke Parks' Song Cycle before I heard "Cam" and was struck by the opposition. Whereas Song Cycle takes you on a cinematic journey (much like Kraftwerk's own "Autobahn") where you are the observer, "Cam" seems to posit the listener as the object. (Janne)

Karl Bartos: "bartos_OBJEKT.wav" (109KB)
Review: This bit speaks for itself. It knows what it is and this is its "message" (foreshadowing to a possibility of a future bit). This one is probably my personal fave of the bits as I am a fan of the idea of a piece of music having objekt-like properties. Of course, my reviews of the BartosBits in general are going to be very "subjektive" rather than "objektive" as I am a childhood worshipper of Bartos-era Kraftwerk (since 1979) and anything with a rightly placed vocoder utterance sends artificial chills up my cyborg spine. (Jeremy)

Karl Bartos: "bartos_SECOND.wav" (109KB)
Review: This bit is also self-referential and turns out to be Karl's personal favourite. I actually thought he would have voted for the cousin bit called "OBJEKT" although now I can see why he chose this one. The audience can know with some objektivity (heh heh) that this seems to be a second long. It is much more of a subjective interpretation when determining if a sound piece is indeed an "objekt". So out of 7 possible bits that I emailed to Karl for inspection, this was the one he chose. It certainly is the most self-evident little piece of bitwerk. (Jeremy)

Neil Bliss: "in_a_nutshell.mp3" (9KB)
Review: This nut-shell has only been slightly cracked open to allow some of the processed academic verbiage to seep out of its crack. In a nutshell, this bit is great as it sounds like both the container and its contents...The Medium and The Message snapped into one. It is theory AND practice – the stuff of true nutbars. Maybe Neil will send more of these and we can post his “Nutcracker Suite” or maybe I am just going crackers/. This often happens to reviewers who depend too much on pleasant puns. (Jeremy)

Neil Bliss: "Marcus Miller.wav" (38KB)
Review: This bit attributed to the bass player Marcus Miller is actually derived from samples of Miller's playing and this is why this bit sounds a little bit performative even though there are much fewer interlocking parts than Bliss' other bit called "Steve Gadd". The timbre reminds me a bit of amp feedback and has a strong reverberating presence. This bit has a very distorted and industrial timbre which further abstracts this bit from the conventions of sampled basslines. This is what makes this bit much more successful as a bit and is much closer to the NuBit category than the previously expected ClassicBit category. (Jeremy)

Neil Bliss:
"On_the_subject_of_Computer_Music" (9KB)
Review: Just before I begin this review, I just want to say how pleased I am that Neil Bliss' 2 most recent bits ["in_a_nutshell" and this one. -ed.] are exactly the same bitlength (and perhaps the same bitrate). I like the conciseness and preciseness of bits like these? They are very much role models for others to follow. Speaking of “Models”, or shall I say “The Model”, this particular bit sounds much more than a compressed oral essay on the subject of Computer Music, the synthesized voices themselves sound like 1980's Kraftwerk (ok, “The Model” was from 1978). Maybe they are counting the “Numbers” from their “Computer Love” album or sitting over lattes at the Electric Cafe discussing the state of computer music? All of this is possible and it may even be possible that this is not Kraftwerk. Regardless of whether or not it is Kraftwerk, I think Neil Bliss has summarized all there is to say about Computer Music ;-) (Jeremy)

Neil Bliss: "ritenour.mp3" (10KB)
Review: Transmitted on July 21, 2005, this is Neil Bliss' most recent addition to date for his growing collection of Jazz Masters Bits. Bliss has quite the collection indeed. This one dedicated to famed jazz guitarist, Lee Ritenour is probably the most detailed bit-composition yet. This bit squeezes just within the second threshold. It sounds like Lee's ensemble has been time-compressed but this would account for the timbral detail. In the spirit of professional jazz guitar playing, this bit expresses the same sweetness and light found in the unadorned timbre of the instrument itself. In a way, this ClassicBit now has the quirky and disjointed behaviour characteristics belonging to the NY experimentalist, Fred Frith. (Jeremy)

Neil Bliss: "Steve Gadd.mp3" (24KB)
Review: Contrary to what people might think, this multi-faceted bit is only inspired by the percussive qualities of the great session drummer. "Steve Gadd" is not a direct bit-excerpt from Gadd's kit. It is a brand new composition paying tribute to his name. So, it is not a drum "solo" as such but a very complex abstract NuBit with alot of structural detail (whilst retaining a semblance of inner bitness). Whereas the other composers work in segments of two or three for their bit-assembly, Bliss works with up to 5 audible segments for this bit. All the assembled timbres are abrasive and percussive and polymorphous. However, as abrasive as the timbres might sound at first. Upon repeated contemplation, one sees a very harmonious (but not harmonic) relationship between the interlocking parts. The sum of the parts becomes the whole. (Jeremy)

Ivo Bol: "1 bit.wav" (173KB)
The rich harmonic content of this piece comes as a surprise, defying the expectations of bitness raised by the title. But the initial surprise works to the bit's advantage, enabling the listener to receive the leitmotif-like emerging structure near the end in its full impact. In comparison to the piece's second part (see below) these bits couldn't be more different. I'd like to see this as a single release with a- and b-side. (Janne)
Wow! I swear this elongated bit sounds familiar to me. Deja Vu can even happen when contemplating bits. It almost sounds like some intro to a pop-song. I cannot put my finger on exactly where I have heard it before (if I have). I like the emerging bitlets that trail off on the tail-end of this droney bit. Those could be re-cropped into bits-in-themselves and I would encourage Ivo Bol to explore that route as well. (Jeremy)

Ivo Bol: "1 bit II.wav" (1KB)
While not exactly 1 bit composition, as the email subject line promised, Ivo's piece is surely the most bit-like of the bunch. Barely registering, this sound object assaults the senses with a sense of almost nonhuman inexpressiveness and disinterest. Pure sound? To me, a fine achievement. (Janne)
Again...wow! Only 1KB? That is about a bitted as one can get. Ivo Bol sure understands well the theoretical underpinnings behind the project. Janne mentions "an nonhuman inexpressiveness" and "disinterest" when he contemplates this bit. I agree with him and am really into Ivo Bol's ultra-minimalist approach and ability to transcend the song-form stereotype. If this was punctuation, Bol's bit is a period. In fact a great alternate title for it would be "." This piece gets 2 Bits Up from both reviewers.


Welcome to GreatestBits. A project to exhibit and review submitted audio bits.	Submissions: A B C D F G H I J M N P R T W <<
The featured bits on the BitBoard are presented in two categories: NuBits and ClassicBits.	Karl Bartos: "bartos_CAM.wav" (53KB) Review: This bit was the first one I wanted to isolate for Karl as I thought thematically the word "CAM" over "Camera" would point more to the surveillence aspect of our technological path. What I like in general about Kraftwerk and Karlwerk is the sheer techno-optimism of most of the lyrics. In the original recent-classic, "The Camera", the vocoded narrator seems to take an almost metaphysical tone with its friendly insistence on its own agency - after all, this is a Camera who would gladly take a picture of the world for you. When yor friendly neighborhood and public "Camera" suddenly becomes the private, reserved and paranoid "Cam", the dynamics of user-friendly interaction suddenly shift from Alvin Toffler's 3rd wave to Neil Postman's dystopia (very much like the movie "The Postman" with Kevin Costner but without the cam). (Jeremy) I agree with Jeremy about the paranoid underpinnings of this bit; I happened to just have listened Van Dyke Parks' Song Cycle before I heard "Cam" and was struck by the opposition. Whereas Song Cycle takes you on a cinematic journey (much like Kraftwerk's own "Autobahn") where you are the observer, "Cam" seems to posit the listener as the object. (Janne) Karl Bartos: "bartos_OBJEKT.wav" (109KB) Review: This bit speaks for itself. It knows what it is and this is its "message" (foreshadowing to a possibility of a future bit). This one is probably my personal fave of the bits as I am a fan of the idea of a piece of music having objekt-like properties. Of course, my reviews of the BartosBits in general are going to be very "subjektive" rather than "objektive" as I am a childhood worshipper of Bartos-era Kraftwerk (since 1979) and anything with a rightly placed vocoder utterance sends artificial chills up my cyborg spine. (Jeremy) Karl Bartos: "bartos_SECOND.wav" (109KB) Review: This bit is also self-referential and turns out to be Karl's personal favourite. I actually thought he would have voted for the cousin bit called "OBJEKT" although now I can see why he chose this one. The audience can know with some objektivity (heh heh) that this seems to be a second long. It is much more of a subjective interpretation when determining if a sound piece is indeed an "objekt". So out of 7 possible bits that I emailed to Karl for inspection, this was the one he chose. It certainly is the most self-evident little piece of bitwerk. (Jeremy) Neil Bliss: "in_a_nutshell.mp3" (9KB) Review: This nut-shell has only been slightly cracked open to allow some of the processed academic verbiage to seep out of its crack. In a nutshell, this bit is great as it sounds like both the container and its contents...The Medium and The Message snapped into one. It is theory AND practice – the stuff of true nutbars. Maybe Neil will send more of these and we can post his “Nutcracker Suite” or maybe I am just going crackers/. This often happens to reviewers who depend too much on pleasant puns. (Jeremy) Neil Bliss: "Marcus Miller.wav" (38KB) Review: This bit attributed to the bass player Marcus Miller is actually derived from samples of Miller's playing and this is why this bit sounds a little bit performative even though there are much fewer interlocking parts than Bliss' other bit called "Steve Gadd". The timbre reminds me a bit of amp feedback and has a strong reverberating presence. This bit has a very distorted and industrial timbre which further abstracts this bit from the conventions of sampled basslines. This is what makes this bit much more successful as a bit and is much closer to the NuBit category than the previously expected ClassicBit category. (Jeremy) Neil Bliss: "On_the_subject_of_Computer_Music" (9KB) Review: Just before I begin this review, I just want to say how pleased I am that Neil Bliss' 2 most recent bits ["in_a_nutshell" and this one. -ed.] are exactly the same bitlength (and perhaps the same bitrate). I like the conciseness and preciseness of bits like these? They are very much role models for others to follow. Speaking of “Models”, or shall I say “The Model”, this particular bit sounds much more than a compressed oral essay on the subject of Computer Music, the synthesized voices themselves sound like 1980's Kraftwerk (ok, “The Model” was from 1978). Maybe they are counting the “Numbers” from their “Computer Love” album or sitting over lattes at the Electric Cafe discussing the state of computer music? All of this is possible and it may even be possible that this is not Kraftwerk. Regardless of whether or not it is Kraftwerk, I think Neil Bliss has summarized all there is to say about Computer Music ;-) (Jeremy) Neil Bliss: "ritenour.mp3" (10KB) Review: Transmitted on July 21, 2005, this is Neil Bliss' most recent addition to date for his growing collection of Jazz Masters Bits. Bliss has quite the collection indeed. This one dedicated to famed jazz guitarist, Lee Ritenour is probably the most detailed bit-composition yet. This bit squeezes just within the second threshold. It sounds like Lee's ensemble has been time-compressed but this would account for the timbral detail. In the spirit of professional jazz guitar playing, this bit expresses the same sweetness and light found in the unadorned timbre of the instrument itself. In a way, this ClassicBit now has the quirky and disjointed behaviour characteristics belonging to the NY experimentalist, Fred Frith. (Jeremy) Neil Bliss: "Steve Gadd.mp3" (24KB) Review: Contrary to what people might think, this multi-faceted bit is only inspired by the percussive qualities of the great session drummer. "Steve Gadd" is not a direct bit-excerpt from Gadd's kit. It is a brand new composition paying tribute to his name. So, it is not a drum "solo" as such but a very complex abstract NuBit with alot of structural detail (whilst retaining a semblance of inner bitness). Whereas the other composers work in segments of two or three for their bit-assembly, Bliss works with up to 5 audible segments for this bit. All the assembled timbres are abrasive and percussive and polymorphous. However, as abrasive as the timbres might sound at first. Upon repeated contemplation, one sees a very harmonious (but not harmonic) relationship between the interlocking parts. The sum of the parts becomes the whole. (Jeremy) Ivo Bol: "1 bit.wav" (173KB) The rich harmonic content of this piece comes as a surprise, defying the expectations of bitness raised by the title. But the initial surprise works to the bit's advantage, enabling the listener to receive the leitmotif-like emerging structure near the end in its full impact. In comparison to the piece's second part (see below) these bits couldn't be more different. I'd like to see this as a single release with a- and b-side. (Janne) Wow! I swear this elongated bit sounds familiar to me. Deja Vu can even happen when contemplating bits. It almost sounds like some intro to a pop-song. I cannot put my finger on exactly where I have heard it before (if I have). I like the emerging bitlets that trail off on the tail-end of this droney bit. Those could be re-cropped into bits-in-themselves and I would encourage Ivo Bol to explore that route as well. (Jeremy) Ivo Bol: "1 bit II.wav" (1KB) While not exactly 1 bit composition, as the email subject line promised, Ivo's piece is surely the most bit-like of the bunch. Barely registering, this sound object assaults the senses with a sense of almost nonhuman inexpressiveness and disinterest. Pure sound? To me, a fine achievement. (Janne) Again...wow! Only 1KB? That is about a bitted as one can get. Ivo Bol sure understands well the theoretical underpinnings behind the project. Janne mentions "an nonhuman inexpressiveness" and "disinterest" when he contemplates this bit. I agree with him and am really into Ivo Bol's ultra-minimalist approach and ability to transcend the song-form stereotype. If this was punctuation, Bol's bit is a period. In fact a great alternate title for it would be "." This piece gets 2 Bits Up from both reviewers.

	Jeremy Turner & Janne Vanhanen 2004