MR-808, Moritz Simon Geist

JournalMusic

MR-808, Moritz Simon Geist

Introducing the imprecise with superlative stupefaction...

It was back in ’98 when Messrs Diamond, Horovitz and Yauch (R.I.P.) informed us that “nothing sounds quite like an 808”, and with good reason; they’d been using Roland’s seminal drum programmer since the early 1980s to backdrop their deranged metaphorical rhymes. Times move on however, and German musician cum robot-hacker cum sonic-terrorist Moritz Simon Geist had tired of his trusty TR-808; deciding to put his experience in robotic music making to the ultimate test. Henceforth, the MR-808 was born.

Essentially a real-life, human-scale interpretation of the iconic ’80s drum machine, Geist’s MR-808 is more than just a beautiful, fascinating installation – by introducing the unpredictable nature of both real instruments and his own robot’s propensity for the imprecise, the MR-808 welcomes with open arms the natural force of error. Where programmable electronics behave consistently exact, Geist’s creation introduces a loose, unshackled freedom that brings about an entirely ‘human’ sound.

Bold, brilliant, convention-defying in every way – its prefix may have changed, but still nothing sounds quite like an 808.

MR-808, Moritz Simon Geist

Photo: Jürgen Lösel

MR-808, Moritz Simon Geist MR-808, Moritz Simon Geist MR-808, Moritz Simon Geist MR-808, Moritz Simon Geist