A RobotSound favorite since the heady daze of yore has been seminal bleep techno "band" LFO (previously mentioned here or heard in this mix). I won't re-hash LFO's history here - you can Google them to get caught up on that (just make sure you're researching the LFO on WARP Records from the UK, not the gay-ass boy band, Lyte Funky Ones). I do, however, want to offer some "forgotten" LFO tracks from their early days (1990) that they performed for John Peel's legenday radio show. Gleaned from "someone else's hard drive" from a cassette recording, these songs were never commercially released (makes you wonder just how many more tunes Mark Bell has kept to himself).

LFO Peel Session 1990

Largely a phenomenon of the 80's & early 90's, the megamix seems to be making a comeback recently. Between CBS's Megamix Contest to postings of classic megamixes on YouTube, I've noticed a resurgence of the artform. Back in the pre-digital age, the megamixes that were committed to vinyl (as opposed to homemade ones put out on cassettes and sold out of homeboys' trunks at area swap meets), were usually released through limited, unlicensed pressings or for subscription-based, DJ-only labels. Some of the larger alternative dance bands (Depeche Mode, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, etc.) had several commissioned for club use or for diehard collectors. Nowadays, music doesn't have to be manually cut and pasted from tapes to make megamixes - one can simply use some programs to sample and piece things together, and voila, instant megamix (okay, it's still a time-consuming, but not nearly as cumbersome process).

This prompted me to dig out a few mixes from the archives and rip them for your listening pleasure. Also posted are this year's CBS contest winner as well as the entry from RobotSound cohort, Pollo Loco.

Flim Flam Acid Mix

Dave Clarke Old Skool Cut Up Mix

Cocktail 83 [Il Discotto]

Digital Emotion - Super Mega Mix

Dircsen - Small Time Shot Away (CBS MMC Winner 2008)

Pollo Loco - Prepare to Qualify (CBS MMC 2008)

Just a quick note that new content is on the way. Between holiday lethargy and being internet-less at home, posting has become rather infrequent as of late. You deserve better, I know. A new DSL connection is set to go online tomorrow, so stay tuned to this robotic freakwincey.

In the meantime:
Elitetechnique - We Shall Control
Ginger Ale - Happy House (Dfunked Mix by Dexter)
SMD - It's Just The Beat

Let's be honest, most Christmas "Muzak" is usually a depressing affair. And yet, as every greedy kid knows, "X-mas" can sometimes mean video games...Finally, there is some X-mas music that combines true holiday cheer with video game love: the Christmasasaurus Vol. 2 compilation of 8-Bit covers presented by Peppermint Pony and Bubblegum Octopus. Released by netlabel Candy Mind last year, you can download it for free here. The second in a series, this compilation features 24 artists, many of whom are clearly "taking the piss," but some of whom do brilliant versions of X-mas classics.

My personal favorites: Bit Shifter's computerized ode to snowy festivities, Winter Wonderland. Peppermint Pony's breakcore version of Deck the Halls. Bubblyfish's jet-powered Sleigh Ride. Nikaena Vizukae's wonderfully inspirational O Holy Night. 8-Bit w0nder's sweet, switched-on Dance of the SugarPlum Sprites. Lameboy's glitchy and catchy Joy To The World.

But by far the best is Unicorn Dream Attack's vocoder anthem L1ttl3 Drumm3r B0y, which reminds me of Grace Jones's stunning robotic appearance on the Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. Also, like Ms. Rene states in Pee-wee's special, thankfully there is a "Jewish portion of the show" with Animal Style's version of the perennial Hanukkah standard, Al Hanisim. Lastly, to round out the year, A Beautiful Lotus gives us Auld Lang Syne.

*BONUS LEVEL*: Datashat's hilarious Santa Claus Taking Sir Paul McCartney Up the Wrong'n. He explains: "Despite 'Wonderful Christmas Time' being a thoroughly wretched piece of filth, it has some irresistably nice little bits of synth work going on, you know you love it really, you little scamp."

Since I've been on quite the disco trip lately (thanks in part to Georgio and Cosmic Gary), I thought I'd switch musical gears and start what might become a new feature at RobotSound. My intent is to showcase albums that "flew under the radar" so to speak; Releases which deserved more attention than they received at the time. Chrome Tape, from the now defunct(?) band Motormark, is one such album that I believe merits further consideration.

Put out by Alec Empire's Digital Hardcore Recordings back in '04, and co-produced by The Droyds, Motormark's second full-lengther combines the attitude of punk with the buoyancy of melodic, guitar-driven dance rock, all backed by a robotic drum machine. True, for several of the tracks the basic drum programming leaves something to be desired. And the lyrical repetitiveness can become grating at times. But there's something exhilarating about the Fred Schneider-like vocals of singer Marko PolaRoid or the clamoring, overdriven riot-grrl delivery of bandmate Jane Motoro. The catchiness and sheer mobility of the songs help you overlook any of their technical shortcomings. Some tunes sound like they could've been part of a Pixies synth-punk side project. Others would fit nicely into a set of gritty, lo-fi Add N to (X) or Fat Trucker rockers. Anyway, if this release doesn't get your engine revving, you might be running on empty.

Motormark - You're All Talk
Motormark - Anti-Me

Pick up your own Chrome Tape [Cheap!] here: Chrome Tape

Los Angeles TF - Magical Body