The album is a concept piece exploring our evolving relationship with AI and was written and produced during my Glasshouse artist residency. Thematically, the album reflects on both utopian and dystopian visions of AI, its role in warfare, effects on economies, notions of progress, and the existential questions raised by new and disruptive technologies. The album title is a homage to Richard Brautigan’s poetic work on technological utopias (‘All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace’, which is quoted in one of the tracks and was an early inspiration for this album), although there is much potential for the dystopian when considering AI.

The album unfolds as a discussion — considering AI as a new creative medium and reflecting on the moral complexities it brings, invoking, as an epilogue, the story of Prometheus’ gift of fire to humanity and the moral dilemmas that accompany any new and potentially destructive knowledge.

Links to download, spotify, music videos and all other formats here: https://linktr.ee/simeonsoden

Progress

Experimental dance music

ako (Simeon Soden) infuses influences from obscure elements of electronic & dance music, including vaporwave & witchhouse, with experimental IDM. When performing, ako creates AV experiences using VHS, CGI & modified games consoles. He has released music on Sunset grid (Aus.), SPRIX (USA), N-aut, Nothing but, HOT-Q & Kaneda Records and has been played on BBC6 Music.

booking/collaboration: simeonsoden@aol.com
@KanedaRecords