Tech Talk: Seeing Sounds and the 'Art Game'

 This feature can also be found at the South West Londoner, here.

Singing Ribbons is a new art installation by Matthew Maxwell for the iPhone generation. A series of paintings consisting of bold stripes of colour can be scanned by a special mobile app that converts each stripe into notes sung by a soprano.

Really, it's an awesome concept. On a basic level, it's a great form of interactive art. The works come alive with what you bring to the gallery, and the results leave with you. We are clearly far to prone to forgetfulness to simply remember the exhibit.

From a technological perspective, it takes the idea behind QR codes (Those 'square barcodes' that most smartphones these days can read), and explores it in a refreshing way. It's no surprise that Mr Maxwell works in software, but has an education in fine art.

Beyond that, I think it's an interesting demonstration of Synaesthesia, though that may not be intentional.

What's that? Synaesthesia is a mental condition that switches up the wiring in your brain when recalling emotions and senses. Normally when we see, for example, the colour green, our brains go through a subconscious process of acknowledging what colour it is, using the 'correct' part of the brain to do so.

For a 'synaesthete', they may instead start smelling fried bacon or hear the sound of a tuba, as their brain tries to use an area that's meant to process a different sense.

In practice, the most common form of synaesthesia are people feeling that letters and numbers have inherent colours. What's more, only 1 in 2000 are likely to be synaesthetes. But that's not as romantic or exciting to think about.

Drug use (I won't say which ones, though you could probably guess) is often known to induce synaesthesia, often a kind where sounds trigger colours, or touch triggers sounds. Unsurprisingly, this is a lot closer to artistic representations.

The bars that make up each piece in Singing Ribbons reflect the decorations on army generals. What would be a meaningless pattern of colours to a layperson has a set of understandable rules and meanings to someone in the know. Just like how a synaesthete could feel another meaning to a set of apparently arbitrary letters.

Singing Ribbons isn't the only example of interactive art, or in using technology as a medium. Across the history of video games, there's a host of titles that take the art appreciation experience to your living room.

Once described as 'art games', they cause many debates over if games are inherently art, or if only this genre of subversive and abstract titles qualify. Many have taken to describing them as 'un-games', though that's not always appropriate either.

Rez is the classic example. Released way back in 2002 for the Sega Dreamcast and Playstation 2 (and since re-released on Xbox Live), it is directed by Tetsuya Mizuguchi.

Across much of Mizuguchi's work, he has a personal fascination with sound design in games. He designed Rez as a representation of Synaesthesia, and in reference to the Bauhaus art of Wassily Kandinsky.


Even though it's a video game in a very traditional sense, enjoying it need not be about getting high scores. There's a mode that lets you just enjoy the game without fear of failure.

More recently, the present Indie scene has had a revival of games that are much closer to the idea of the 'un-game'. Dear Esther went from a free modification of an existing game in 2008 to a complete, priced title in February 2012. It lets you explore an abandoned, overcast island as a narrator explains the back story of the events that happened there in a vaguely obtuse and non-chronological fashion.

At the time, its total refusal to conform to standard perceptions of a 'game' caused a large stir among games journalists and even now I feel it's a far cry from a successful experiment, but it was a well-publicised step into a bigger interest in interactive artworks.

As such, Proteus works out to be a more palatable take on that kind of Art Game. Using intentionally low resolution graphics, hazy neon gradients, and a dynamic interactive soundtrack (filled with wavy extended synths and hushed clarinets), players can wander through the landscape as day turns to night and clouds roll overhead.

As developing video games becomes easier, and the underground movement for producing counter-culture and intellectual games builds steam, the discussion of what constitutes 'art' or a 'game' will rage on.

Meanwhile, Pippin Barr's Art Game, a game about producing art by playing a game within the game is the best take on the genre I've seen yet. Maybe the Tate Modern should have an Art Game exhibition this year.

Singing Ribbons will be available for viewings from 14-17 April at the Coningsby Gallery on Tottenham Street. For more information, check the gallery website.

Labrinth - Electronic Earth

This review can also be found at The Yorker, here.
 
In terms of image, at least, I like Labrinth. he's adorkable. His most salient single, 'Earthquake' is something that everyone's going to remember, and Electronic Earth rides that out in a few ways; in songs with similar beats, in its choice in guest rappers, and just by having 'Earthquake' show up repeatedly.

Staring track 'Climb on Board' surprised me by being above and beyond my expectations garnered from 'Earthquake'. It demonstrates that Labrinth has some decent vocal ideas; a sweet balance between traditional voice harmonies and piano riffs with light touches of electronic pitch warbling and a club synth that's not too obnoxious. It's a strong starter, but it's followed with 'Last Time' which unfortunately doesn't balance itself at all. The synth and voice distort come on way too strong, and although it doesn't necessarily place the track firmly in the 'bad' category, it feels generic.

'Express Yourself' is wonderfully charming - I have a soft spot for songs that utilise unexpected samples. At first blush it seems like too much of a straightforward lift of the original track, but let it get to the chorus, and it blossoms into a punchy and cheery variation, retaining the brass. Venture even further and it switches into a new rhythm - pleasantly summery in nature. I only wish it were longer.
Skip over 'Beneath Your Beautiful' - it's that painfully generic ballad song where the artist gets to demonstrate their vocal range a little better, and the chorus ends with "...tonight.". It drops a drumline after the first verse, but it couldn't save me from dry-heaving.

'Sundown' sticks in my mind for its low, slightly sludgy bass, but then the lyrics are eye-rolling. She's a nymphomaniac! I get to have sex with her every day constantly! Feel jealous! Then again, if I can enjoy Tyler the Creator's 'She' for its beat despite its unsettling subject matter, then I can definitely give this one a pass, and you definitely can too.

Following the general club vibe of the rest of the album, I wasn't expecting 'T.O.P.'s lead in to sound like a track from a Dragon Quest game. It doesn't maintain it through the song, but it's a nice touch.
'Earthquake' runs three versions on this album. The first version is the Radio Edit, and you've most likely heard it already. Tinie Tempah impresses me in how he manages to have none of his lines rhyme. The second version, set towards the end has additional guest verses from Kano, Wretch 32 and Busta Rhymes. It's nice to see Kano show up again and Busta's bars are wonderfully aggressive and way more deserving of the whole "just smash something" hook.

The last version of 'Earthquake', a remix by Noisia and the final track on the album and and arguably the most accurate to the track title. The remix is more garage than dubstep, which some might find a little disappointing, but it definitely stands on its own. If only it had the Busta Rhymes verses to go with it.

I'm not the authority on what makes a good début album, but I think Labrinth has made some smart decisions here. While yes, Electronic Earth is extending the mileage out of a song that could easily be argued as overplayed, it manages to offer songs you'll return to after you're done throwing bombs on it.

Tryezz - Solar Winds

It's pretty evident to say that music sales are less and less involved with physical retail. iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp... hell, a few years ago, pop stars were being discovered via MySpace accounts. However, the presence of artists who distribute their work entirely online is still rather scattered. Internet trends and memes can give the occasional (maybe undeserving?) artist a spotlight, as Rebecca Black could verify; but others aren't so lucky. At best they can share their music with a smaller like-minded community, but not being able to reach a wider audience can be a damn shame.

I heard about Tryezz from an online friend, who like me is a fan of instrumental hip-hop; and unlike me has the skills to produce beats in his own time. I was told that Tryezz was all about producing synth-heavy grooves branded as 'Electro-Funk', and a visit to his YouTube account would convince me. I had no idea where my friend had heard about this guy, but the music on offer was very encouraging.

The YouTube account also had a preview for Tryezz's latest album, Solar Winds. While I was only treated to 30-second samples of each track, I knew I had to track down a download link. Electronica - especially synthesiser-based music - has runs the risk of sounding samey, so the way that the preview sounded well-blended, and yet comprised of very distinct tracks was impressive; the hooks just small enough where you want to hear more of the song.

The album opens with a Track 0 - 'The Take Off'. The album sticks to a theme of space travel, and the sound of this intro track really sets the mood. Slow pacing, coupled with a careful distort on the main melody. The track is short, but leads perfectly into the title track, 'Solar Winds'. The feeling of the album trying to mimic a 'soundscape album' starts to shine through - but instead of whale song, or jungle noises, I'm getting images of drifting alongside space stations - and they seem to be throwing a disco inside.

I decided to take the album for a test drive, pushing it onto my iPod and going for a stroll. As I opened the front door, the intro for 'Fadertron 787' began with the sound effect of a heavy airlock door opening, and I smiled inside. Then it followed up with a surprisingly aggressive bass solo, notable grittier than the last two tracks, and I smiled even harder. 'Static' does its part in adding some technical variation by having the drumline consist entirely of white noise. It's fortunately non-intrusive, and is a clever concept, but otherwise, the track seems to lack the catchy melodies its peers have, until near its end, by which point it doesn't feel quite enough.

'Saturn Rings' is where all thrusters start firing. With a steady and sticky bassline leading, an equally relaxed melody eases way in, heralded by twinkling bells. I was starstruck, halting in my stroll about town. Someone walking behind me had to walk around, and gave me a funny look.

But where 'Saturn Rings' made me hesitate, 'Supernova' made me full-out crash. It starts innocently enough with some quiet chord stabs and the sound wind, but then there's a pause -- followed by a gigantic punch of a main melody with all the works, loud and bright with carefully placed distorts on the longer notes, and a wicked solo performed by what could only be a Jazz musician/astronaut. So caught up in this glorious combination, I failed to pay attention  to where I was going and walked straight into the man who passed me earlier. I met his glare with the biggest smile, and widest, star-struck eyes as 'Supernova' went into its second solo. I think I've scarred him for life.

*Ahem*, moving on; 'Galatiscape' has the misfortune to follow the album's highlight, but it still does a great job at giving a more fast-paced upbeat track, with a backing synth that tactically cuts in and out in time to the drums. 'Visions' starts off very discordant, and a little unpleasant, but after a brief pause, it sorts out its jumbled instruments to form a more conventional funky groove. It feels a bit like a punchy remix of 'Saturn Rings'; and although that puts it in good stead, it does come across as too familiar.

Solar Winds finishes on 'First Orbit', dropping the pace a bit, and going back to the more sedate, soundscape concept of the album's leading tracks. It's a smooth way to finish up, and stands as another one of my favourites after 'Supernova'.

Solar Winds came out of nowhere, but Electro-Funk has turned out to be a catchy and accessible genre, and it drove me to check out more of Tryezz's stuff; I entirely recommend you do the same. If nothing else, so the world of internet-based music producers gets some more recognition.

Solar Winds can be purchased on iTunes, Amazon MP3, and through Tryezz's own website. However, the purchase system on his site is somewhat unintuitive - every track is an individual purchase, with no option to buy an album as a whole.

If you like this, you'll also like Vikter Duplaix, Joshua Morse, Nicolay.