Comprised of former members of legendary chiptune prog-rock ensemble Chromelodeon, Philadelphia supergroup Cheap Dinosaurs needs no introduction to those familiar with the videogame remix scene of the early aughts. For everyone else: Leave your expectations of Super Mario coin sounds at the door, and prepare for a mathy mixture of roaring guitars, sweeping synths and chirpy electronics.Brainchild of Game Boy-programming, synth-playing frontman Dino Lionetti, Cheap Dinosaurs’ upcoming self-titled LP isn’t just good for your ears — it’s good for the environment. Along with Philly label Data Garden, the group is issuing a limited edition ‘seed paper release’ of the album, a download code inside a special screen-printed sleeve that can be planted into the ground to sprout blue lobelias.What would normally be a lifeless husk of post-MP3 extraction plastic is given new life in this new ‘trans-digital’ approach to music distribution, turning an album’s physical component into something new (and natural) rather than allowing it to languish on a shelf after fulfilling its one-time role as a file delivery system. Cheap Dinosaurs’ debut, which sprouts on October 18th, will join a handful of other eco-friendly releases already available on Data Garden, which hopes to ultimately replace CD-era plastics with plants. Time to ditch your album racks and invest in a greenhouse.It’s an appropriate choice for the group, whose songs seem to grow into dense polyrhythms layered with shining melodies. Check out the video above from their performance at Virginia’s annual Music and Gaming Festival (MAGFest) and pre-order the new album at the Data Garden store on Bandcamp.
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