pornophonique: 8-bit lagerfeuer

In the age of the internet, it has become fairly regular for a curious music lover to come upon unusual music every once in a while – whether its a Youtuber that plays EDM on a violin, or an artist on BandCamp that make Minecraft-themed albums. Setting aside the quality of the material, these records give a specific kind of kick based on their originality alone. German electronic duo pornophonique‘s debut 8-bit Lagerfeuer is one such record.

The first startling fact about pornophonique is that they use a Game Boy and a Commodore 64 (1982 computer) to create their trademark 8-bit electronica. The old-fashioned video-game blips and bleeps that every 90s kid may be familiar with are cleverly pieced together to create bright, energetic riffs, while a lone acoustic guitar and vocals are the only accompaniments.

Though it may seem funny and even mocking at times, 8-bit Lagerfeuer is meant to be, more than anything else, a tribute to the retro era of gaming. The lyrics of each track tell a tale or are a monologue by a character from pornophonique’s vivid, video-game themed world. Sad Robot, for example, shows the state of mind of a robot who was once great, but is now “dull and rust”. Take Me To The Bonus Level Because I Need An Extralife, on the other hand, tells of a paranoid player in the deep dungeons of an RPG.

Favorite Track: I Want To Be A Machine

8/10

Track List
1. Sad Robot
2. Take Me To The Bonuslevel Because I Need An Extralife
3. Lemmings In Love
4. Space Invaders
5. I Want To Be A Machine
6. 1/2 Player Game
7. Game Over
8. Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame