In 2016 we released DUBCRT – a C64-cartridge with interactive audio and PETSCII-visuals, as well as a Bandcamp-release with remixes. The cartridge had some hidden features, among them a remix-mode where all the songs could be severely decomposed.

Yesterday, it was cracked by the notorious C64-group Triad so now it’s free for download. Not only is it free, but there is documentation and a +3 trainer that gives you instant access to the remix mode, as well as cheats in the sort-of-hidden game. And of course, a crack intro.

Das ist alles gut! That’s exactly what we were thinking when we gave the DUBCRT to them. It means that DUBCRT has been transformed into something else.

From object to software. The original DUBCRT software-on-hardware is a pretty unique object that we spent quite some time to research and design.

From commercial to free. DUBCRT is still for sale (a new batch was just made) but Triad has now set it free.

From art to crack. This is no longer an art work that we made, but a crack that Triad made. They were the ones to set it free and “improve” it so on CSDb the praxis is to give all the credits to the crackers.

This means that DUBCRT has been lifted out of some kind of music/art world, into the scene! I’ve always been intrigued by the border between scene and non-scene, and played around with it before. In fact, I’ve spent quite some time on researching CSDb for an academic article that should be published in a journal later this year. How does CSDb work as a collective memory machine? But I’ll get back to you on that.

Now enjoy free data and kick out the jamz.