''8Bit Heart'' is the debut album by American singer-songwriter and record producer Simon Curtis. It was released March 23, 2010 for

free download Digital distribution, also referred to as content delivery, online distribution, or electronic software distribution, among others, is the delivery or distribution of digital media content such as audio, video, e-books, video games, and other so ...

via Curtis' official website.Simon Curtis , 8-bit Heart
''simon-curtis.com'' – Retrieved March 26, 2010 Curtis co-produced the album with Jeff "Jadion" Wells. The album was downloaded 80 thousand times in its first week of being released.

Background

Curtis announced in 2009 that he would release his debut album, ''8Bit Heart'', for free on his official website as soon as he reaches eight thousand followers on his Twitter page.Shine On Media , Simon Curtis Announces Album: ‘8Bit Heart’
''shineon-media.com'' – November 5, 2009 – Retrieved on March 30, 2010. Curtis originally intended to release a song after ever eight hundred follows but only released "Delusional" on October 29, 2009, and "Diablo" on December 2, 2009. The album was recorded in a "tiny basement in the hills of

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

" with Jeff Wells. An album with a similar logo titled '8 Bit Heart' with a track 'Animatronic Boy' was released prior under chip-tune artist Leeni with a registered copyright in 2008 with later reviews in June 2009

There are several references in four songs on the album. In "Diablo" the beginning line mirrors

Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debu ...

's "

Since U Been Gone "Since U Been Gone" is a song recorded by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her second studio album, '' Breakaway'' (2004). The song, which was written and produced by Max Martin and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, was released as the lead sing ...

" but followed by "but this is not a Kelly Clarkson song and not how it ends". In the same song, a line from "

If U Seek Amy "If U Seek Amy" ( radio-edited as "If U See Amy") is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her sixth studio album, ''Circus'' (2008). It was released on March 10, 2009, by Jive Records as the third single of the album, chosen by a poll ...

" by

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

is copied before Curtis realizes "oh wait, this song isn't mine". In "Beat Drop" a clip from

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...

's "

Bad Romance "Bad Romance" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third extended play (EP), ''The Fame Monster'' (2009)—the reissue of her debut studio album, ''The Fame'' (2008). Gaga wrote and produced the song with RedOne. Following an illegal ...

" is used as backing vocals on the last line of the second verse. The operatic singing comes from the second aria of the

Der Hölle Rache "" ("Hell's vengeance boils in my heart"), commonly abbreviated "", is an aria sung by the Queen of the Night, a coloratura soprano part, in the second act of Mozart's opera ''The Magic Flute'' ('). It depicts a fit of vengeful rage in which the ...

from the

Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inclu ...

. Extracts from an interview with former

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agent

Yuri Bezmenov Yuri Alexandrovich Bezmenov (russian: Ю́рий Алекса́ндрович Безме́нов; December 11, 1939 – January 5, 1993; alias: Tomas David Schuman) was a Soviet journalist for Novosti Press Agency (APN) and a former PGU K ...

in 1985 are used as an intro and outro for "Brainwash". "

The Dark Crystal ''The Dark Crystal'' is a 1982 dark fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. It stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, and Barry Dennen. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment and The J ...

Overture" is also heavily sampled on the track "The Dark".

Critical response

''8Bit Heart'' has received mostly positive reviews. Bradley Stern from ''MuuMuse'' gave the album four out of five commenting that it "is a hard-hitting collection of cutting-edge pop hooks, catchy electronic noises and storming, dancefloor-ready synthesized beats that come together to celebrate the very essence of modern pop". He also compared Curtis' vocals to that of

Darren Hayes Darren Stanley Hayes (born 8 May 1972) is an Australian singer and songwriter. He was the frontman and singer of the pop duo Savage Garden until their disbandment. Their 1997 album ''Savage Garden (Savage Garden album), Savage Garden'' peaked a ...

and

Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...

. A journalist from ''Music Fascination'' says the album "uses unique production combined with sounds and beats that develop the music into strong cohesive pop" and that it is "filled with pure danceable energy, but enough heart to keep you listening". They also praised Curtis' "distinct sound and production skill". ''ALi's Blog'' praised Curtis' independent work, wondering "what he can accomplish with a big label behind him". Paul Reynolds from ''FizzyPop!!'' says the album "not only delivers musically, but creates a themed album that is a real delight from start to finish".FizzyPop!!: Album Assessment: Simon Curtis ~ 8 Bit Heart
''myfizzypop.com'' – March 23, 2010 – Retrieved on March 30, 2010.

Track list

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control 2010 debut albums Self-released albums