James Ferraro facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Ferraro
Ferraro performing in 2012
Background information
Also known as	Bebetune$, Bodyguard, Edward Flex, K2, Lamborghini Crystal
Born	(1986-11-07) November 7, 1986 (age 38) Rochester, New York, U.S.
Genres	Experimental electronic hypnagogic pop vaporwave
Instruments	Synthesizer, computer, sampler, piano, vocals
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Hippos in Tanks, Olde English Spelling Bee, New Age Tapes, Holy Mountain
Associated acts	The Skaters

James Ferraro (born November 7, 1986) is an American musician, producer, and artist. He is known for making experimental music. He helped start music styles like hypnagogic pop and vaporwave in the 2000s. His music often explores ideas about modern life and how we buy things.

Ferraro's music uses many different sounds. These include 1980s electronic music, new age sounds, and lo-fi music. He also uses sound collages and R&B styles. He began his career in the early 2000s. He was part of a duo called The Skaters. Later, he started making solo music under his own name and other names.

He released music on labels like Hippos in Tanks. Ferraro became more widely known in 2011. His album Far Side Virtual was named Album of the Year by The Wire magazine. Since then, he has released his music on his own.

Biography

Early life and The Skaters

James Ferraro was born in Rochester, New York. His parents were Italian and African-American. Music was a big part of his family. His father was a musician and DJ. His mother was a singer.

Ferraro started making music in high school. He used a program called MTV Music Generator. When he was 18, he moved to San Diego, California. There, he met Spencer Clark. They started working together on art and paintings.

When Ferraro was 20, he and Clark formed a music project. It was called The Skaters. They made drone noise music. They recorded music for a year. After that, they toured around the country. Physicalities Of The Sensibilities Of Ingrediential Stairways (2008) was their last record.

Solo career

Ferraro started his own music label called New Age Tapes. He used it to release his solo music. His early solo songs often came out under different names. Some of these names were Lamborghini Crystal and Teotihuacan. These early releases were often on cassettes or CD-Rs.

Some of his longer albums, like Clear (2008), were released by other labels. These early recordings explored many styles. They included sounds from gamelan music and lo-fi Casio pop. Media outlets linked these recordings to the "hypnagogic pop" trend of the 2000s. Around 2010, Ferraro's music became more like pop. This was heard on albums like Night Dolls with Hairspray (2010).

In 2011, Ferraro released Far Side Virtual. This album used MIDI music technology. It also used sounds like corporate Muzak. The album got mixed reviews from critics. But The Wire magazine chose it as their Album of the Year. The album was seen as a comment on how we buy things. It also looked at old-fashioned ideas about the future.

Far Side Virtual helped inspire the music style called vaporwave. This style became popular in the 2010s. After Far Side Virtual, Ferraro's music started to sound more like hip hop and R&B. You can hear this on albums like Sushi (2012) and NYC, Hell 3:00 AM (2013). He also released digital songs under names like Bebetune$ and Bodyguard. His 2016 album Human Story 3 went back to themes from Far Side Virtual.

In August 2017, Ferraro had an art show. It was called Extinction Renaissance. It opened at the Loyal Gallery in Stockholm, Sweden. He also released music for the show. It was called 'Anthrospray: Music for Extinction Renaissance'. On November 26, 2017, Ferraro released Troll, a five-song EP.

In February 2018, Ferraro showed his opera Plague. It was part of the transmediale festival. The opera featured an actor playing an "undead" Steve Jobs. This character was like a messed-up computer brain. It was made of all our online activity. Ferraro was also on the cover of The Wire magazine in October 2018.

In 2025, Ferraro and Bladee showed their virtual world project. It is called Sanctuary. It was part of a Microsoft and TBA Agency event.

Artistry

Ferraro has been making music since the mid-2000s. He started with Spencer Clark in The Skaters. His music style has changed a lot. It has gone from drone music and noise music to sound collages. His works are often based on big ideas. They talk about modern topics in unique ways.

His albums have explored themes like buying things and technology. They also look at social experiences and how we see reality. His 2011 album Far Side Virtual is often said to have helped start vaporwave. This is a music style that began on the internet.

In 2009, a magazine called The Wire talked about Ferraro. They said he was a leader in a new music style. They called it "hypnagogic pop". This style uses memories and old sounds. It often uses sounds from 1980s recording technology.

Red Bull Music Academy said Ferraro's albums look at the "dark side" of male culture in the digital age. Many of his records are set in difficult places. They focus on what happens when people buy too many things. Ferraro said this idea came from his interest in "signs" and "symbols." He noticed they lose their meaning when used too much.

Ferraro uses sounds that people hear every day but might not notice. These include TV jingles, phone ringtones, and ATM noises. These sounds are like ways for humans and electronics to talk. They can inform, warn, or please people.

These electronic sounds don't last long. So, Ferraro's music becomes like a sound archive of the recent past. He believes that we are greatly affected by the sounds around us. Ferraro sees the old sounds as a sign of America's past greatness. He says it's like a "ghost" of a powerful country that is fading.

When Ferraro makes an album, he starts with a "vision." This is like an imaginary picture of what the music will be. He tries not to make his work too complicated. In a 2013 interview, Ferraro talked about using samples. He said he samples his own sounds. He uses computer-generated voices. This means all his content is original.

Discography

As James Ferraro

Studio albums

Mixtapes

Compilations

Extended plays

As Lamborghini Crystal

Studio albums

Compilations

Releases under other aliases

Studio albums

Mixtapes

Extended plays

Videography

See also

In Spanish: James Ferraro para niños