These robots can sure play their instruments fast. Soul? No. But fast? Yes.

This new robo-band is the brainchild of electronic musician Tom Jenkinson, also known as Squarepusher, working with University of Tokyo engineers. The engineers created these heartless yet wondrous mechanical men, and Jenkinson composed the music. The robots can play a mind-bogglingly high number of notes per second. This may be the way robots become self-aware, realizing that their inhuman talents are being used to play terrible jazz-fusion at incredible speeds. We are probably doomed now.

The band made its debut at a concert in Tokyo recently. Every time audience members would raise their drinks, the band would play faster. This gimmick came about as a way to shill for the liquor company that sponsored the event.

As big a deal as was made about these robots, this concept is nothing new. Captured! By Robots has been touring small clubs and bars for years with a big band made up of a guitar player, a bass player, a drummer and a three-piece horn section, all of which are robots.

The group's creator, Jay Vance (known as JBOT, also a former member of ska group Skankin' Pickle), has been lugging the giant machines he built in his garage around the country since 1997.

Check the originator of robot rock covering 'Mr. Roboto' in the video below:

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