minusbaby

About me:

Long-time 8bitpeoples member, minusbaby, born Richard Alexander Caraballo in New York City, trades in counterpoint, subtle dissonances and surprises. While it may be impossible to predict what will happen at each performance, one constant can be expected: a forceful equatorial beat. Each familiar song is given new variation while the center holds it down with a bassy bottom end to make anything bump and bounce that hasn’t been tied down, exploding the very meaning of 8-bit orchestration.

Since 1999, he has come to prominence in the chip music scene, with a foundation in New York City and the 8bitpeoples. He has performed extensively, having been featured in London’s DMZ Media Arts Festival, the International Chiptune Resistance, Blip Festival 2007 and 2008, multiple Pulsewave nights, headlining the premiere of The Tank’s “Less Than Three” and Philadelphia’s only monthly chip music event, 8static at Studio34.

Recently, he completed a seven show, month-long European tour playing Bleep London and Chipfest IV in England, Blip Festival Europe in Denmark, Bang! in Portugal, two sets at Era New Horizons in Poland and Budapest Micro 2 in Hungary and FMEL (Festival de Música Electrónica Latina) in Chicago, Illinois.

In addition to music, he is a prolific pixel artist who, since 2001, has been largely responsible for defining the unique aesthetics of the modern 8-bit creative movement. Spearheading the visual identities of 8bitpeoples, Pulsewave and the Blip Festival has contributed to making minusbaby's work ubiquitous to the public's perception of chip music and art.

His work, which he has referred to as, "a practice in primitivism, but mostly a stab at trying to continue several traditions at once," is often guided by a central idea meant to be interpreted by the individual. Combined with his love for patterns, type and limited color palettes, minusbaby has developed his own unique visual language. Rather than easing into the more common pixel trends, he utilizes multiple sources outside of video game culture to expand both his and the movement's repertoire so as to expand the canon and avoid Super Mario cannons.

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SOLO RELEASES

 

[2009] Various Artists “Left Remixes, Pt. 1” • Self-released

[2009] “Left” • 8bitpeoples

[2009] “O Que Não Tem Juízo [2003–2006]” • Self-released

[2008] “Saudade for Beginners” • 8bitpeoples

[2008] “Strong Arctic Winds Take Terns” • Rappers I Know Records

[2003] “Monkey Patch” • 8bitpeoples

 

COMPILATIONS

 

[2009] “WANNA HLD YR HANDHELD, Vol. 1” • 8-Bit Operators

[2009] “Drum Machine Collection” • R-Bot Records

[2008] “alphabets & animals” • Godxiliary

[2008] “Diversity Is Forbidden” • Dancing Is Forbidden

[2007] “8BP050” • 8bitpeoples

[2006] “202020” • Godxiliary

[2005] “Hippocamp Ruins Sgt. Pepper's” • Hippocamp

[2005] “The Ottoman Empire” • Couch Fort Records

[2004] “The Best of 16 Color [DVD]” • 16 Color/CustomFlix

[2004] “Hippocamp Valentines Compilation 2004” • Hippocamp

[2002] “Soulseek Compilation, Volume 1” • Soulseek Records

[2000] “Micro_Superstarz 2000” • micromusic/Domizil

[1999] “Yesmamma War Child CD” • Yesmate/Magex/Ninja Tune

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www.minusbaby.com

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