creativity/machine

Interesting article by Kim Cascone called The Aesthetics of Failure: “Post-Digital” Tendencies in Contemporary Computer Music (pdf). From the introduction:

[…]the revolutionary period of the digital information age has surely passed. The tendrils of digital technology have in some way touched everyone. With electronic commerce now a natural part of the business fabric of the Western world and Hollywood cranking out digital fluff by the gigabyte, the medium of digital technology holds less fascination for composers in and of itself. In this article, I will emphasize that the medium is no longer the message; rather, specific tools themselves have become the message.

The article is also about the processes of digital music production inside and outside the academy, and ends with an interesting discussion of glitch in particular.

I would just ask for whom the digital revolution is “over” ? Sure, for the aestheticisticans and the musical avant-garde, but what about the thousands of kids (and adults) who are just learning how to make their own music on their store-bought PCs, and having a great time doing it.

Thanks to Anne Galloway for this one (is there no limit to the woman’s sphere of interests?).