Codes And Conventions (an unconventional album by Cream’s founding editor Antonino Tati)

Codes And Conventions is the debut album by Perth radio presenter come audio artist Antonino Tati (who also happens to be the Editor of Cream). The album flirts with beats, synths, samples and retro advertising while traversing various genres: electronica, nu wave pop, spoken word, even delving into a little blues territory.

Music is very much borrowed, from artists as diverse and prolific as The Beatles, U2, Depeche Mode, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Eurythmics and other inspirational acts.

As much as the album is mixed-up in genre, its lyrics and aural nuances add up to a kaleidoscopic commentary on commercial culture, while also throwing all manner of sex and sexuality into the mix. ‘Codes And Conventions’ challenges traditional doctrine while acting as a humorous contrast to the more serious studies of these themes. The album’s free-thinking attitude toward sex and sexuality is a refreshing change from the the woke seriousness on these topics as presented in your more traditional media. The record as a whole is like one giant aural meme machine.

Created from mostly found footage – from samples lifted off classic Beatles songs to full phone-sex conversations, kitsch advertising jingles of the 1950s to an-all-genres-are-go grunge attitude of the 1990s, the album is eclectic, to say the least. Yet, for all its pillaging, parody and pastiche, Codes And Conventions is a standalone work of conceptual art that proves hooky music and clever song lyrics aren’t the only things that make a great pop record – audio manipulation can add to the glorious mix.

Prepare your ears for an electronic, sometimes erotic, often sparodic and certainly sardonic journey into sound.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Antonino is an occasional presenter on alternative radio station RTRFM in Perth, as well as popular culture commentator on mix station Triple M. He is also the founding editor of culture magazine, Cream, as well as author of the music interview anthologies There’s Your Quote, Mate and Conversations with Culture Icons.

CODES AND CONVENTIONS TRACK BY TRACK

The album can be purchased on vinyl or CD format (scroll below). You can hear each track in full here. And feel free to download and spread the music files (click the three dots and select Download). This is audio art for the sharing! Just a heads-up, tracks with an [E] beside the title are explicit.

01. When I’m With You (ft. Sparks & Shelliarts)

02. Song For D Minor (For the Devil Dean Benfell)

03. Interlude – Drunken Sailor

04. Relax My Bussy (Red Hot Pie Remix) (ft. Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Nadja Cachiacokov & Hung Ozzie) [E]

05. Camel Toe (ft. Maroon 5 & Nicole Joy of Monino 3)

06. Doin’ the Do / Bitches by Mauricio Alpizar / Smells Like Qween Spirit

07. I Love Ben, We Love Ben (ft. Benjamin Roccamante, Ziggy & Ringo)

08. But A Quicksand / It Was A Sunday Night (ft. U2 & Elmira Daleri)

09. Taste 0f Hon3y & Cream (ft. The Ch3mical Br0thers, Nadja Cachiacokov & Hung Ozzie) [E]

10. Ed Sheeran

11. Policy Of Truth (Resist The Cock Remix) (ft. Depeche Mode, Monica Lewinsky & Shelliarts) [E]

12. When I’m With You – Alternative Mix (ft. Sparks)

13. Interlude – Matt Antonymo & The Matrix News (ft. Mango Adonis)

14. Camel Toe – Demo (ft. Maroon 5 & Nicole Joy of Monino 3)

15. Alexa’s Gay Dads Have That Awkward Talk With Their Daughter

16. Cricket Mate / Driftin’ (ft. Alessi)

‘Codes And Conventions’ is available to purchase on 12″ vinyl and CD (the vinyl features 16 tracks, plus 12-page lyric booklet; the CD features all original 16 tracks plus the following three bonus tracks, plus 12-page lyric booklet). Vinyl or CD can be ordered below using PayPal, Credit or Debit Card.

Bonus Track: In The City

Bonus Track: Driftin’ (Barry White Is In The Limo Mix) (ft. Alessi)

Bonus Track: A Day In The Life (Spotify For A Day Remix Sponsored By Dorothy Gray Salon Cold Cream and Camel Cigarettes) (ft. The Beatles & Sei A)

For the fab inspiration and incorporation of the main beats to this one, a shout-out to brilliant DJ Sei A for the backbeat and some masterful sampling. I’ve borrowed Sei A’s excellent treatment of The Beatles’ A Day In The Life and hoped it would work as a slight, if not sly, commentary on the absurdity of retro advertising which once had doctors promoting cigarettes, and makeup being tested on Geiger counters. If you’ve wondered what The Beatles’ classic would sound like with touches of trip-hop, calypso, ragga and dada, you’ll enjoy this artistic comment on the old world of commerce.