“Robots of the 80s introduce us to a wondrous yet dystopian vision of science fiction future in the video for “I Want To Be … It’s a fascinating watch and listen”. Queen City Sounds and Art, Denver, CO.

“As much as it will remind you of the German pioneers, this project has a thing of its own. I took the time to listen to “I want to be” a few times until I concluded that Robots is a faster paced, more playful, more energetic “band” than some of its influences. The harmonies though closely resemble indeed Kraftwerk’s most recognizable moments. Still, Robots add to those features a harder beat as a sort of update to that classic material. This is such an interesting track, as not a lot of artists are going nowadays in this direction, where there’s still a good deal to explore.” Daniel Flores (Co-editor-in-chief Rolling Stone, Latin America and Spain).

“Robots of the 80s – creating electronic robot pop on “I Want To Be”. Zero Music Magazine, Sweden.

“A clear homage to Kraftwerk’s pioneering work, but with a more recent melody. Vocoders, arpeggios. What a show!”. Parkett, Italy.

Where is the human in the machine and what is the machine in the human ?

Together with his two robots, geminoid Xaio and humanoid Rael, AI researcher Heiko Wersing seeks musical answers to these questions. Heiko Wersing should not be a stranger to many: Already in 1989 he founded The Escape, a dark-wave and gothic band, in which he played the keyboards until 2007 and significantly shaped the sound of this group.

His new project Robots of the 80s is also inspired by the 80s, although musically it aims in a slightly different direction: As the name suggests, everything here revolves around the minimalist aesthetics of 80s synthpop in the best sense of the word; the analog yearning of that era coincides at the same time with the digital dawn of the new millennium.

As with the legendary Kraftwerk, this project and the now available debut album “Chance Of A Lifetime” is about the relationship between man and machine (represented by the protagonists Xaio and Rael) and arrives at the simple but profound realization that it is not artificial intelligence but man that is the problem.

Accordingly, the Robots of the 80s do not use the machine instrumentation for its own sake, but create the antithesis despite – or precisely with the help of warm vocoder voices and compact songs.

From the first minute you note the Robots of the 80s deep love, attachment and also knowledge of the synth-pop epoch, with influences reaching from the much quoted Kraftwerk over the Yellow Magic Orchestra, Human League up to Italo-Disco. They achieve this, without getting stuck in copying or quoting, but with enough personality, skill and verve to be relevant and contemporary in 2024.

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“I want to be a robot, don’t want to be a man.”

Are you ready to journey through the evolution of AI and its impact on our lives? Step into the world of technological advancement with the Robots of the 80s and their debut single, “I Want To Be”. Infused with a nostalgic touch, their analog synth sound will take you on a ride through time, exploring the rise of artificial intelligence until today.
But what do the robots themselves think about their existence? Rael and Xaio, the protagonists of the Robots of the 80s, have been observing humans for years, and they know why they want to be robots. However, their confidence is met with deep insecurity, as they question their own identity and freedom.

The Robots of the 80s have chosen a minimal production approach, using derelict and vintage equipment to recreate the classic synth and wave sound of the 80s. They have been hiding for many years in the background, waiting for the time to step out of the shadows and share their history with us.

With harmonic vocoder voices carrying the feelings of the robots directly into your heart, „I want to Be“ is a journey of discovery that will leave you wondering about the true nature of identity and the soul in the age of AI.

Join the Robots of the 80s on their journey of self-discovery and be a part of their story.

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Get ready to witness a captivating dance of man and machine with the Robots of the 80s’ debut music video, “I Want To Be”. The video takes you on a journey through the inner conflict of a humanoid robot, grappling with its own nature of existence and the desire to become something different.

Selected for screening at the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival, Palm Springs 2024, an oscar-nominating festival.

The robot’s dance choreography in a music factory adds an engaging visual dimension to this thought-provoking journey of self-discovery. As robot Rael navigates its own identity crisis, the video references various artistic influences such as Charlie Chaplin, Michael Jackson, Salvador Dali, Forbidden Planet (Fred M. Wilcox, 1956), Crazy Frog, Ghost in the Shell (Mamoru Oshii, 1995) & more. But this is no mere imitation – it’s a true fusion of the analog music of the 80s with the latest in technological advancements.

The video was written, designed, directed, animated and produced by Lorenz Foth, a student of animation, VFX, and interactive technologies at Southern California Institute of Architecture. The original design for the main character robot Rael was created by Dr. Chao Wang.

Don’t miss out on this little visual gem that showcases the power of conceptual art in modern-day music. The video “I Want To Be” is a unique and nostalgic experience that explores the question of identity in the age of AI.

Release date: May 5, 2023
Director: Lorenz Foth, Student of Animation, VFX
    and interactive Technologies at Southern
    California Institute of Architecture
Length: (3:33)
Available on Youtube

This is the “Chance of a lifetime” for the Robots of the 80s.
They want to challenge you and show you the world through the mirror of their thoughts and feelings. The two Robots Xaio and Rael have been hiding for all those years in the background. Now is the time to step out of the shadows. Artifical intelligence is impacting our everyday life with tools like chatGPT in an unprecedented way and the discussion about artificial “beings” reaches the top headline news. The Robots of the 80s have something to say about that.

Inspired by the analog synth music of the 80s and infused with a nostalgic touch, the synthpop sound of the Robots of the 80s will take you on a journey through the evolution of AI and its impact on our lives. As a concept art project, “Chance of a lifetime” is not just a musical creation, but a reflection of our fascination with the ever-evolving technology around us. The Music of the Robots of the 80s explores the progression of AI from its early stages in the 80s to the advanced, intelligent systems of the 21st century with a strong Musical hint to the influences of analog “Rrrobotterrr” Music.

Xaio and Rael have spent long years working on this project. In an abandoned factory building, then in an old air-raid shelter in Frankfurt, they gathered their vintage equipment and recorded the tracks for their debut album “Chance of a Lifetime”. It traces Rael and Xaio’s path out of the insoluble doubts and contradictions of their existence into their self-chosen but fragile freedom.

The opener, the first single release “I want to be” explains the comprehensive claim of the Robots of the 80s with powerful synths and transparent melodic sequences full of self-confidence. “Chance of a Lifetime” moves spherically and longingly between wave and electronics, while “This is the future” almost comes across as a rock song with its pounding beat, which then dissolves again into shimmering sequencers and elegiac backing vocals towards the end. “Laws of necessity” is the bulky synthipop of a pensive robot that calls for more human reason with a catchy chorus. In the track “Assistance,” the two robots let an assistance system in a car take over the vocals, dreaming of freedom in the space between the lines. In “Understand,” a dissonant hypnotic bass alternates with a catchy soft chorus, then shifts into a harder gear in “Circuit Breaker.” The track “Gedanken” layers up from the distorted bass line to a fearsome sound building imbued with compassion for human despair. The final song “Grounded” sets the stage for the continuation of the search for the common essence of man and machine in endless hypnotic loops and sequences.

Join us on this exploration of the intersection between music and technology, as we delve into the world of AI and the influence it has had on our society. Experience the nostalgic vibes of the 80s, reimagined with a modern twist, and discover the story of how technology has transformed our world.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the sound of the future with “Chance of a lifetime”.

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Responsible Publisher (§5 TMG)

Heiko Wersing
Wingertstrasse 24
60316 Frankfurt
Germany