A guitarist with 78 fingers and a drummer with 22 arms - watch the amazing robo-band assembled by electronic musician Squarepusher



Robots created with firm Z-Machines

Include an 'insect' that triggers sounds using lasers

Guitarist has 78 fingers including dozens able to hold a plectrum

It is possibly the most unique backing band ever assembled.

Electronic musician Squarepusher has revealed his latest tour companions - a range of robots with superhuman playing abilities.

They include what appears to be a bizarre sea creatures that users lasers to play sounds, a 78 fingered drummer and a drummer with 22 arms.

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Don't get them angry: Squarepusher's new guitarist features 78 fingers to hold multiple plectrums and strings, while the 22 armed drummer can be seen in the background

Work on the project first began in 2013 when a team of Japanese roboticists was assembled with the challenge of creating a music-performing system that was beyond the capablities of the most advanced musicians.

The roboticist’s musical producer, Kenjiro Matsuo, and his team, invited a number of Japanese composers as well as British artist Squarepusher, real name Tom Jenkinson, to develop music specifically for the project.



The resulting 'Sad Robots Goes Funny' was composed and produced by Squarepusher and performed by Z-Machines with a video produced by award winning director, Daito Manabe.

Squarepusher, who usually performs behind a lit up mask, decided to take the project further - and now plans to release a five track EP performed by the three robots that comprise the Z-Machines.

Called Music for Robots, it will be released on April 7th (8th in North America) digitally, on CD and vinyl.



The band also features what appears to be a robotic sea creatures, which can fire lasers onto the keyboard it is playing

'In this project the main question I’ve tried to answer is ‘can these robots play music that is emotionally engaging?' said Squarepusher.

'I have long been an advocate of taking fresh approaches to existing instrumentation as much as I am an advocate of trying to develop new instruments, and being able to rethink the way in which, for example, an electric guitar can be used is very exciting.'



He said the robots allowed for unique pieces of music to be created.



'Each of the robotic devices involved in the performance of this music has its own specification which permits certain possibilities and excludes others,' he said.

Squarepusher on stage: British artist Tom Jenkinson usually performs behind an electronic mask

'The robot guitar player for example can play much faster than a human ever could, but there is no amplitude control.

'In the same way that you do when you write music for a human performer, these attributes have to be borne in mind - and a particular range of musical possibilities corresponds to those attributes.



Pneumatic tubes allow the robot guitarist to push down on strings

The robo-guitarist in action

'Consequently, in this project familiar instruments are used in ways which till now have been impossible.

'The opportunity to explore the compositional possibilities of a guitarist with 78 fingers and a drummer with 22 arms was a temptation impossible to ignore.'