Modified Toy Orchestra are a collection of abandoned and reconstructed Childrens electronic toys, conducted by a selection of musicians.
Its rare to hear an electronic record that has no midi, no sampling, no synthesizers, no laptops, in fact no conventional instruments of any kind, yet Toygopop by the Modified Toy Orchestra is just that.
Available now from www.warmcircuit.com - a music label dedicated to Outsider Electronics and Mutant Pop.
The Album "Toygopop" is now available to DOWNLOAD from Bleep.com.
Brian Duffy, award winning sound artist and creator of the Modified Toy Orchestra, has been at the forefront of a world wide underground movement called circuit bending which involves rescuing childrens electronic toys from car boot sales, and converting them into new strange and wonderfully sophisticated musical instruments. Taking them apart, he finds new connections hidden within each toys circuits that reveal new sounds, exposing the surplus value of redundant technology. The toys are then reassembled including switches and dials with which to control this surplus value. The results of this process can be shockingly beautiful, funny and extreme and have led to Brian being labelled a genius, a madman, and a national treasure.
Toygopop has been five years in the making - two years building the toy instruments and learning how to play them, and three years discovering and collaging combinations of sounds and musical phrases (Brian calls this process collaborating with the third mind of the machine ) to create a strange yet accessible album that is unlike anything else you are ever likely to hear - sometimes funny, sometimes moving, sometimes dark and disturbing.
Rescuing electronic childrens toys from car boot sales and thrift shops, Duffy chops and channels the wiring inside to produce a marvellous range of strange new sounds. Under his influence, SpeaknSpell and TouchnTell are transformed into Delphic oracles, offering impassive mythic revelations on the catchy Fantastic Little Blue World and the gnomic pop insistence of This is the Monkey. Where is my Sock turns the act of getting dressed into an existential enquiry. The Wire
This music is a wonderfully forward-moving electronic soundscape that gobbles up beats and squeaks without regard for their actual source. Very pleasurable stuff. The Wire
Brian Duffy is a national treasure. Mute
Another angle that makes SONAR a yearly addiction for some is the surprise factor. Even if you manage to map out a schedule you continue to wind up hearing something utterly unexpected that blows your mind. This year the winners of the What the f*ck is this but I love it award goes to the British tech-nerd ensemble known as the Modified Toy Orchestra. I never in my life thought I would hear a Kraftwerk cover performed on rewired dolls and altered plastic toy guitars. An unexpected treat that has made me a massive fan. livesets.com
Brian Duffy and the Modified Toy Orchestra are converting plenty of people to their skewed vision. Texas Instruments' Speak and Spell machines sound like proclamations from the Great Horned One himself. And various people bully kiddys Fisher Price toys into making the kind of noises that would cause most pre-teens to burst into tears. But this is no avant noise irritation. Duffy and co find beauty, terror and melody where, by rights, they should just sound like the prelude to your dad yelling 'Keep it down you noisy bastards!' playlouder.com
Effortlessly enjoyable. Birminghams Modified Toy Orchestra is something of a local legend, producing strangely beautiful electronica from discarded playthings. Brian Duffy walks a fine line between genius and madman. Like a nine volt Frankenstein. Just amazing. Zero Tolerance
Ive seen Devo and Kraftwerk play live, and these guys blow them away! Tony Wilson
The Modified Toy Orchestra is my favourite album so far this year, no bullshit - it is very beautiful, poignant and daring brilliant! Martin Ware, Heaven 17
"black star" performed at zemos98 festival seville , march 2007
"freeno and olaf" performed at zemos98 festival seville , march 2007
mto on "tracks" arte channel france, from performance at octopus festival Paris
report from italian tv , modified toy orchestra at dissonanze rome 2007
ONE ONE(chanteuse de DEERHOOF et chanteuse de TENNISCOATS) + CANCAN (Greg de DEERHOOF et Ueno de TENNISCOATS)+ LE TON MITE (super pop lunaire déjantée)+ ELWOOD & GUTHRIE (drums & banjo)
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Hello everyone. If you're interested in "different" music come check out my page. Its much appreciated. Also, if you like what you hear, tell everyone. Thank you.
