Watch a LEGO band cover Daft Punk’s ‘Da Funk’

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Billed as “the world’s first robotic LEGO band,” each member of Toa Mata is made of Bionicle pieces and powered by Arduino.

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Last year at this time, Italian sound artist Giuseppe Acito caught our attention with his innovative take on Depeche Mode’s anthemic 1983 single “Everything Counts.” What made it so different, you ask? The rearranged tune wasn’t performed by him, but instead by his entirely LEGO-based, ATmega328 powered band that he calls Toa Mata.

Billed as the world’s first LEGO robotic group, the Toa Mata Band is controlled by Arduino Uno hooked up to a MIDI sequencer. For his latest project, Acito wired the Bionicle bunch to several servos, each driven by the Arduino.

With a little programming via MIDI, the band was able to play Daft Punk’s hit song “Da Funk” using a range of instruments and synthesizers including Fender Jazz Bass, Ableton Push/Live, Coron Drum, Korg DS10 synth, Finger BassLine, Boss HC-2, Moog Animoog, and a Nintendo DS.

Pretty cool, right? Watch Acito’s Toa Mata Band recreate Daft Punk’s legendary track below! Meanwhile, you can browse some of his other work here.

World’s first LEGO band covers Depeche Mode

After The LEGO Movie demolished the box office, it was clear that our favorite childhood building blocks were ready for pop culture resurgence. With his invention, Maker Giuseppe Acito has faithfully rebuilt Depeche Mode with the tiny figures.

Covering “Everything Counts,” the Italian sound artist has revived the anthemic 1983 single and rearranged the original tune for his fully LEGO-based, ATmega328 powered band entitled “Toa Mata” (an off-shoot of the LEGO Bionicle brand). Using an automated build and a series of repurposed food packaging instruments, Acito’s band has the full capability to rock out to some ’80s classics.

“The robots are playing some unconventional drum percussions made by some food packaging are captured by a contact microphone (piezo) and processed in real time in the DAW Ableton Live,” the Maker explains. With the accompaniment of an Atmel based Arduino Uno, Acito has created a brand-new device which for the first time is “a moving platform on x-axis, made of LEGO bricks, gears and servo motors.”

What is the next step for the band? Perhaps “Tainted Love?”

As the Maker Movement continues to generate momentum, it’s always exciting to see what creative ideas DIYers will devise next — whether that’s a band comprised of LEGO or even old electronic components.

To learn more about Acito’s latest innovation, be sure to check out his website. For those who can’t get enough ’80s classics performed by LEGOs, tune-in to Opificio Sonico on Youtube.