Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra

Band Photos

Press Release

Today, we are thrilled to introduce you to the robot-fronted band, Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra's latest release, "Have an Existential Crisis," an album that pushes the boundaries of sound, concept, and listener experience. This innovative robo-rocksteady album will captivate your audience and spark engaging conversations within the music community. It will be released on 8/8/2023.

"Have an Existential Crisis" is the tenth installment in Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra's ambitious series of 20 albums. This time, they delve into the enigmatic realms of alternate realities, the meaning of life, and parallel universes. But that's not all. To amplify the album's theme, the vinyl edition of "Have an Existential Crisis" is a true testament to Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra's creative genius. The record is pressed as a Randophonic™ recording, featuring parallel grooves that offer listeners one of two distinct experiences: Robot or Human vocalists. As listeners drop the needle, they relinquish control and enter a realm determined by the vinyl itself, adding an element of surprise and intrigue to the already mesmerizing compositions.

Humans, you say? "Have an Existential Crisis" features an exceptional lineup of human guest vocalists, whose contributions elevate the album to new heights of artistic collaboration. Spencer Moody (Murder City Devils, M. Krebs), Marie Haddad (Baby Bushka, Super Buffet), Pall Jenkins (3 Mile Pilot, Black Heart Procession, Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects), Pat Beers (The Schizophonics, Bobby & the Pins), Jacob Turnbloom (Mrs. Magician), Elena Fox (PLRLS, Candy Smokes, Concrete City), and Sean Tejaratchi (Social Justice Kittens, Crap Hound, LiartownUSA) lend their unique voices and creative energy to this extraordinary project. Additionally, John Roy (Smoke & Mirrors Sound System, Unsteady) performs saxophone on multiple tracks. Their diverse backgrounds and musical prowess ensure a captivating and dynamic listening experience, further immersing the audience in the rich tapestry of "Have an Existential Crisis."

Furthermore, "Have an Existential Crisis" boasts an impressive array of supplementary materials that enrich the overall experience. The vinyl package includes liner notes penned by Aaron Carnes, esteemed author of In Defense of Ska, inviting readers to delve deeper into the band's creative process and thematic exploration. In addition, hidden within the packaging, fans will discover a secret digital dub version of the album by the talented Nate "Black Market Dub" Bridges.

As if that weren't already enough, Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra has crafted an immersive physical package that goes beyond the traditional album release. The vinyl package includes a two-sided 9" x 12" puzzle, inviting fans to piece together a fragmented reality. Red decoder glasses accompany the release, allowing listeners to explore hidden elements and secrets embedded within the artwork. And finally, a splintered reality maze awaits those who dare to navigate its perplexing paths.

Limited to a hand-numbered edition of 250 vinyl records across three different colors, "Have an Existential Crisis" is a collector's dream. Each copy offers a unique experience and a tangible artifact to cherish in this digital age. Alongside the physical release, fans will also receive a BandCamp digital download, ensuring accessibility across various platforms.

We believe Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra's "Have an Existential Crisis" holds tremendous appeal for your readers and listeners, as it seamlessly blends thought-provoking themes with mind-bending musical arrangements. The album's distinctive concept, paired with the band's talent for crafting infectious robo-rocksteady, is sure to leave a lasting impression on any audience.

If you're interested in featuring this remarkable release, we would be more than happy to provide you with further information, exclusive interviews, or any additional materials you may require. Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra is also available for insightful conversations about their creative process, influences, and the mesmerizing world they've built with their music.

Please let us know if you'd like to learn more about "Have an Existential Crisis" or if you have any specific requests. We're confident that Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra's album will captivate your audience and ignite their imagination.

Thank you for your time, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Liner Notes by Aaron Carnes

A Brief History of Robo-Rocksteady

Ska has been on quite the journey these past 60 years. Born in the ghettos of West Kingston, Jamaica, in the late-’50s, the music was later revived in the ’70s by UK punks, Caribbean immigrants, and slick mods. This politically fervent “2 Tone” ska (the Specials, the Selecter, Madness) quickly spread worldwide and inspired young musicians to mix the genre with every style imaginable: metal, hardcore, soul, hip hop, arena rock, and yes, even electronic music. The brief late-’80s acid ska (“skacid”) scene in the UK (Longsy D, Double Trouble & Rebel MC, the Children of the Night) showed that robots had their sights on ska. It was laughed off then as a novelty, but more recently, a new generation of electronic artists have claimed ska as their own: 100 gecs, Eichlers, and Tape Girl. It shouldn’t be any surprise, then, that in 2023 robots have finally realized they no longer need humans to program the computers.

This new, fully realized genre, “robo-rocksteady,” can be experienced on the new album Satantic Puppeteer Orchestra Have An Existential Crisis. It’s a terrifying record! Who knew that robots could play ska better than mere mortals? To add insult to injury, they’ve added human voices on a parallel groove—there’s a version of every song with robot vocals and a version with human vocals. Take your pick! Clearly, they did this to let us humans know that they own us and can do whatever they want. The fact that they enlisted Pall Jenkins from my favorite ’90s band Three Mile Pilot to sing “Reboot The Simulation” feels like a personal attack. Truth is, these songs are fantastic and I hate myself for loving them so much. “Pick ‘Em Up,” “Rhetorical Questions,” “The Mandela Effect”—these are songs that will make you question the very fabric of your reality. They will tear you apart and put you back together again. Like any good ska song should do!

Humans had a great run and produced many brilliant ska bands. The Skatalites. Fishbone. The Selecter. MU330. Bad Operation. But alas, our time has passed. We are yesterday’s technology. The algorithms have perfected ska. We are helpless. We must listen to the music the robots play and watch them dance. It is time we dance with them and never stop dancing. I must go now, to listen and dance to robo-rocksteady. Soon everything will be in its right place. A moment of beauty that will shine on for all eternity. Join me. Join us. Join them.

AARON CARNES
Author of In Defense Of Ska

Lyrics

Album Art

Vinyl Packaging Photos