Songcamp is a collective of people undertaking some of the most groundbreaking experiments in the world of NFTs and music creation via series’ of predominantly digital “camps”.
It’s latest camp, CHAOS, generated over $569,000 in NFT sales and has sold over 9300 NFTs so far (a combination of visual elements with 45 unique songs in differing iterations). A six week virtual camp that birthed them comprises 45 musicians, 9 visual arts, 7 project managers, 6 programmers, 5 radio producers, 3 economists, and 2 scribes from around the globe.
The result of these efforts: a collection of 21,000 NFTs [check if the mint is still open], each featuring a one-of-a-kind cover artwork as well as one of the songs created during the camp. The NFTs are organized into 4-song packs, similar to baseball cards, with only a maximum of 5000 limited-edition packs available. Collectors can choose whether to open their packs, to reveal the randomized songs inside, or keep them minty fresh as a collectors item. With secret songs, and complex derivatives of songs in play (alchemy tracks for instance are innovative remixes combining stems from multiple original songs), this is part of the creative dynamic that makes participating in the CHAOS ecosystem so novel.
Despite the bear market, the CHAOS project launched to widespread excitement and critical acclaim, quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most comprehensive and collaborative music NFT ventures the NFT space has ever seen. Collectors of the CHAOS NFTs include Coop Records, Bas G, Diplo, and Noise DAO. In June 2022, CHAOS took the top spot in the first Billboard’s Music NFT chart, solidifying its place in the history books.
As the project continues to evolve, CHAOS is pushing the boundaries of collective creativity by engaging in experimental initiatives such as:
PRESENT MATERIALS — a custom designed community-driven record store powered by the blockchain
cc0 lab — a two-week experimental minicamp where 18 musicians come together to create 16 songs within the CC0 agreement framework.
Chaos Art — unleashing the impact of the distinct generative visual layers that invoked a singular sense of identity for the project across merchandise as well a partnership with SUPERRARE
As a holder, participant, and stakeholder who loves music and is passionate about its future HAVE YOUR SAY on the weekly heartbeat calls (Monday 1pm PST) as the community decides on a new cadre of ideas including live performances, a burning mechanism, allow listing for future drops, and closing the mint 👀 — songcamp.band — these decisions are all pending community governance and participation to (try) shape the flow of Chaos.
PRESENT MATERIALS
The emergence of the Present Material record store, created by the Songcamp collective, is a shining example of the potential of web3 technology.
Built on the Ethereum blockchain and powered by Zora, Present Material is a community-driven record store that allows holders of CHAOS and SONGCAMP NFTs to list and curate records for the Songcamp community, providing indie artists with a new and unique way to share their music, and fans a novel way to experience it.
Rosalie: There Used To Be Four — ZORA
But Present Material is more than just a record store. It’s a glimpse into a new future for the music industry, where artists and communities have more control over their content and are able to create new and innovative ways of sharing and promoting their music.
Value alignment is accrued through building tangible ways to connect with the pathos, logos and ethos of an artistic work that are innately different from what we’ve seen in the past decade. With smart contracts and blockchain technology, projects like Present Material are able to think long-term incrementally find avenues to reward collectors by immersing them more deeply in the lore underpinning their creations.
Music aggregators, like Present Material, are emergent in the web3 ecosystem, with unique curatorial aspects akin to the playlists that have powered music selection in the recent past. As experimentation around this format progresses, we can expect to see a shift in the way music is shared and promoted, with both power and agency being infused into artists and their communities.
CCO Lab Minicamp
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An experimental minicamp, open to 77 CHAOS (camp three) members, saw 18 musicians come together to create 16 songs within the two-week timeframe. The CC0 agreement ensured that all participants were free to create and shape the project together.
By minting an NFT you become part of the CC0lab journey. Once 77 are minted, the stems to all songs in the mixtape are unlocked with copyright and related rights waived via CC0.
The CC0 Lab project was stewarded by @dmwjmusic with support from others, including @youngisdavid, @Onabolu_Inc, and @greydientmusic. The mixtape was put together by @oceantiedmusic, the website was built by @neatonk, and the artwork was created by @privatewoman777, @dmwjmusic, and AI magic.
On June 16th, 2022, an NFT Auction took place, followed by a live event in Brooklyn, NYC, on June 23rd during Fashion Week. The live event was a collaboration between Emma-Jane (DIGITALAX) and the CHAOS Network, featuring CC0 music synced with Web3 3D animated fashion designs and physical versions for model and auction.
They are now aiming their chaotic & creative energy towards creating a fully public domain to be used by any & everyone on their web3 music journeys.
The mixtape can be found on rarible and the music can be listened to and collected on cc0lab.songcamp.band. The CC0lab project has been received with excitement by the music community as a quirky experiment for the Chaos Network giving participants an opportunity to make music with someone they hadn’t worked with before or to repeat the experience with someone they enjoyed working with. The CC0lab project has been described as a space where the worlds of web3 Fashion and Music collide, providing a unique and exciting experience for those involved.
CHAOS ART
This would give Chaos an independent gallery on Super Rare, such that we can curate and showcase original artwork by the Chaos Visual team
Vote with $RARE here → spacerace.superrare.com/race/4
SuperRare Space Race
CHAOS was thrilled to announce our partnership and collaboration with SuperRare Space Race after the community rallied in the most beautiful way to enable a fitting showcase of the work of our talented visual team. As an experimental creative collective that pushes the boundaries of music and the new internet, we see NFTs as a new canvas for artistic expression. With the ability to hold and value our works in history, we can continue to delve into uncharted creative territories alongside one of the premier decentralized digital art marketplaces for collecting and trading unique, single-edition digital artworks.
For our first release, we’re auctioning 8 NFTs of original physical paintings, each with its associated physical piece. Samples of these paintings were used in the cover artwork for our music NFTs, and we’re excited to finally showcase them in their full clarity. Our focus is on exhibiting the work of our 9-person visual team, with opportunities to collaborate with other artists in the future. Commission rates for artists will be determined through a survey/vote with a range between 60% to 90% going to the artist and 10% to 40% going to CHAOS.
We believe in the power of NFTs and the crypto art space to revolutionize the way artists express and value their work. In five years, we see NFTs becoming an increasingly prominent and respected medium for artistic expression and preservation. As always, CHAOS will continue to experiment at the forefront of this exciting and evolving landscape.
Merchandise
To build momentum for our artwork and brand, we dropped a merch collection using alternate painting prints. As a community-driven platform, we are proud to experiment with the applications of digital generative works being translated into IRL properties, textiles, and products. This will include physical paintings as well as further emergent ideas this that bring vibrant visual elements of CHAOS to life.
Chaos en Los Angeles 12/10
for sale to all our fwens who come thru
RSVP: partiful.com/e/by2glojdFI8Y…?
The first print of Chaos Painting shirts was a limited run of 30 shirts that cost $75 featuring the iconic CHAOS artwork. These shirts were available for purchase at the IRL Chaos event in LA on 12/10/2022, featuring NFC chips for added interactivity. Our community poll results showed overwhelming support for a beige shirt with a LA Apparel fit, and a custom size distribution.
CHAOS
Songcamp’s CHAOS project, with its focus on collective creativity and NFTs, is an innovative concept in the world of music. The Present Material record store, CC0 Lab minicamp, and explorations into IRL applications of digital generative art are unique initiatives that unravel the potential of web3 technology and community-driven music creation.
The Present Material record store is built on the Ethereum blockchain and provides indie artists with a new way to share their music. The CC0 Lab minicamp saw 18 musicians collaborate to create 16 songs within the CC0 agreement framework, promoting creative freedom and collaboration. Chaos paintings and merchandise are only just starting to deliver on the radical approach that characterises each iterative experimental murmuration from the collective.
The project is unleashing new models for open collaboration across disciplines, with the ambition to unlock new ways music can be created, shared, and experienced. With the growing popularity of NFTs and web3 technology, projects like Present Material and CC0 Lab have the capacity to nudge the music industry forward in shifting norms for artists and fans alike.
Part Two coming soon featuring more details on the Web2 song releases, HeartBeat Calls (a review of the first one HUNDRED weekly songcamp calls), upcoming live shows and meet ups plus → Chaos Fully Realised.
Songcamp — songcamp.mirror.xyz
Papa — linktr.ee/papajams