Jastrau

Computed by 2500 generations of 32 one-dimensional, two-state rule 169 cellular automata mapped successively onto a plane for pattern recognition.

Opus Automata 169 For 32 Wrapped 2500th Generation Cells And Piano

Fho Rae Tnon

Another old techno-ambient-dub-doodle, circa 1997, Amiga-days.

Well

Breaks On Sketch

Electric Mud proudly presents a very late premiere of our obscure debut, "Clayspine." The track was originally written and recorded in 2001, but appears here slightly retouched for your modern listening pleasure.

Electric Mud is Anders Berg and Christen Brunsgård, the latter featured on guitar here. Voice courtesy of Chester "Howlin' Wolf" Arthur Burnett

Clayspine

My computer's personal favorite track, the Ramblin' Rule 10010011 Rag aptly captures the drama of perfect determinism and capricious human interaction.* After countless iterations, the question still remains: Whose randomness is more predictable?

* The piano parts of this composition were cut from a 3m49s run/recording of Automatone, my Master's Thesis project, rearranged and set against a somewhat syncopated rhythm doing its best to keep up. Eight different parts were used, varying in length from 2 to 42 seconds.
     In Automatone, individual notes are triggered by a 2-dimensional pattern recognition algorithm running over a steadily evolving, time-discrete elementary cellular automaton. In such a system, discrete cells have one of two states and exist in a 1-dimensional space - like a single line of black and white pixels. Individual cell states evolve discretely in time according to one of 256 possible rule configurations. The image associated with this track shows 96 consecutive iterations, or generations, of the rule used in this composition - as well as in its title. An endless set of varied and complex patterns and structures can arise from the many possible rules and initial cell configurations.
     In Automatone, new generations are calculated according to a user specified tempo and appear in real time at the right hand side of the display, pushing older generations further left. Clicking the display allows the user to pick out potentially interesting pattern subsets, which the pattern recognition algorithm will the look for as the system progresses. Each active pattern is associated with a note or a chord, which will play if the specified pattern appears. Additionally, each pattern may be set up to go through a set of specified notes in either an ascending or descending manner. Note lengths and dynamics can also be determined algorithmically within certain user specified ranges. MIDI note events are continually generated and sent to a VSTi plug-in of choice for monitoring or recording. This manner of algorithmic composition relies heavily on interaction.

Ramblin' Rule 10010011 Rag

Another one from the archives: This was made circa 1996 using a few hundred kilobytes of 8 bit samples on a few 14 bit channels, stereo delay on everything. I miss my Amiga and my 14.000 samples at hand. Enjoy a bit of nineties ambient!

Rindum

One of my great, lost sketches, featuring Allen Ginsberg reciting his poem, America. The track breaks up around 1:30, when Sidney Bechet starts blowing.

Half-written, half-produced circa 2001 in Aarhus, Denmark.

Anders Berg

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