FM3 - Buddha Machine II (Brown)
[BUDDHA02-BROWN]
Format: object
Label: FM3 Notify Me ( ? )
The Beijing-based duo FM3 is back with an all-new version of their wildly successful 2005 release, the Buddha Machine. Introducing Buddha Machine 2.0: 9 new loops. 3 new colors. Pitch bend. Blurring the line between music box and musical instrument, the Buddha Machine 2.0 is an interactive album that lets users customize the listening experience. Drop the pitch and the music ebbs in a low ambient drone. Boost the speed and suddenly its alive with melody. Add a few more machines, set them at different speeds and you have an evolving audio perfume. Plug it into a mixer, add some beats or vocals or guitar... FM3 won't mind. In fact, they encourage people to use the Buddha Machine as inspiration. Since its release in 2005, the original Buddha Machine has sold more than 50,000 units worldwide and has won praise from artists as diverse as Daft Punk, Gorillaz, Low, Monolake, Sunn O))), Blixa Bargeld and Mike Patton. Legendary producer Brian Eno was the first customer for the original Buddha Machine and nearly 3 years later told FM3 he still "cherishes" his purchase! Similar in shape and design to the original Buddha Machine, but boasting more robust construction and improved sound quality, the 2.0 comes in three colors: burgundy, grey and brown. For those who haven't experienced the pleasure of the original, the Buddha Machine is essentially a small plastic box that plays ambient loops. The loops repeat endlessly until the "track" is switched or the two AA batteries (not included) run out. The machine has its own built-in speaker and there is also a headphone jack for a more personal experience. But the charm of the device isn't nearly as specific: the Buddha Machine has a calming presence in today's fast-paced world. Its charm mixes with FM3's innovative music to provide the owner with an experience that is hard to define. Essentially, it's a box with a life, a tool for living, and to many, it's a friend. Founded in 1999 by Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian, FM3 are considered pioneers of electronic music in China. Inspired by Buddhist prayer boxes found at temples around Asia, the duo released the original Buddha Machine in April 2005, winning acclaim in publications including BoingBoing.net, The New York Times and Arthur magazine.

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Customer Reviews

On 2008-12-16 00:00:00, 'Uncle Jeff' gave the following review:
I'm like my friend Dave with his phone camera--it takes photos but ain't worth the cost and hassle to download the photos. That's what a digital camera is for. I have become a luddite about new tech gadgets I don't really need and really hate text messaging. I must be an old fart. As for useless tech gadgets, now that's another story... I'm running my new FM3 II through my Mesa Boogie Amp right now :-) Somehow I managed to break the new toy yesterday (it was in my coat pocket, showing it off at the radio-show and lunch over Margaritas). After all, this little unit is "made in China" where quality control is not in the vocabulary, as Walmart customers know so well. Had to disassemble the FM3 this AM to figure it out and I finally traced the problem to cracks in the solder on the EPROM chip, which probably broke in shipping. Heated up the ol' soldering iron and after a few attempts everything was fine again... As for the sound, gotta say I'm a little disappointed in the speaker sound, since the FM3 guys have made enough money on the first one to do a little more research. It does sound a lot better through the amp or computer. And only 9 loops is a step backwards. I think the attempt to try new loop ideas is noble, but a few of them, especially the morse-code percussion and the two-quick-note loops, are annoying, no matter what pitch they are in. But you'll like the 'Satie-like' piano loop and the bowed prayer-bell ones for sure! The FM3 guys were a little disingenuous in their net-interview when asked about the pitch wheel effecting the loop tempo-speed. That one has an obvious correlation. The amazing thing about the little FM3 boxes is that they have gotten more people into ambient soundscapes than any other recording device. There are web-pages devoted to mod'ing and 'bending' the electronics, and the amount of re-mixes using the device is ridiculous. 'Music for Airports' has turned into 'Music For Cubicles' For the advanced-user, save your pennies and buy a Raagini electric tanpura box from India. About the size of a motorcycle battery, it comes with more buttons and patterns than a barrel of monkeys, and the drones are proven to cure any malfeasance caused by Western Civilization.

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