Genki Rockets

Hi all,

Just discovered a band called 'Genki Rockets' who claim to be totally virtual. Their lead vocalist is represented through a hologram of what is apparently a completely computer generated image. She is a fictional character who was apparently born in space, has never seen the Earth and is singing to us from the year 2037.

I know this is very similar to Gorillaz, but what's interesting about Genki Rockets is that they are run under a veil of supposed total anonymity concerning the artists behind the fictional character. The Gorillaz on the other hand are well known to be the lovechildren of Damon Albarn (of Blur fame) and Jamie Hewlett (illustrator of 'Tank Girl').


By not only hiding their physical forms but also their identity in performance, the performers remove any doubling effect between their actual selves and the representation. This arguably makes their fictitious, computer generated space girl Lumi 'real' and creates a totally virtual performance that can be seen as live because Lumi is the only facet of the band known to the public. There is simply no other element to her existence that could be noticed outside of her hologramatic appearance, and for that reason a video image of her is as live as a flesh and blood appearance, because these things in this context are the same.

This virtuality is reflected in their music, which is also highly computer augmented and synthesised. It's that sort of twee electro pop sound.

Anyway, linkage:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genki_Rockets
www.genkirockets.com

and one of their videos: