New "Album" by Chiptune Maestro Tristan Perich Plays Itself: Video
Posted by Joshua_Kopstein on Thursday, Jun 17, 2010
Among other things, New York City’s Tristan Perich is a musician. He composes music. He performs music. He sells physical copies of his work. But that’s where the similarities between him and every other musician end.
A member of the elite circuitbending troupe Loud Objects, Perich is a musician for the digital age. But not in the sense that he’ s pushing for digital distribution or fighting in the trenches alongside Thom Yorke. Instead, his work utilizes physical computing to completely redefine the process of producing and sharing musical compositions. With his latest project, 1-Bit Symphony, a music album is no longer just a recording — It’s a functioning object; a self-contained performance that manifests itself before your very ears.
Taking cues from his first experiment on the subject, 1-Bit Music, a self-contained album of songs nestled inside a CD jewel case, 1-Bit Symphony takes this idea to a whole new level. Using the most minimal materials possible, Perich has constructed an entire orchestra of synthesized 1-bit electronic instruments and squeezed it all within a small plastic case.
The 5-movement symphony won’t require any kind of media player. Just plug some headphones or speakers into the on-board audio jack and hit the switch. It practically plays itself. Well, actually, it does play itself — the chips attached to the case are synthesizing their 1-bit harmonies in real time. It’s more than an album: It’s a portable performance, and it’s going to make you glance at your CD collection in dismay, before turning back toward the future.
You can check out more DIY audio and experimental electronic music by watching our coverage from this year’s Bent Festival.
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Electronic musician and computer culture journalist. Contact: josh ◢at◣ motherboard ◐dot◑ tv
