Someone suggested that Suss Müsik repost our contributions to the weekly Disquiet Junto projects, because they enjoy reading the explanations of the tracks. While you’re reading the original post, make sure you check out the other contributors’ works as well.
The concept of Transhumanism was first introduced in 1990 by Max More, who optimistically suggested that human capability would soon be augmented by our embrace of augmentative technologies. He wasn’t wrong; examples are all around us in the form of genetic engineering, artificial intelligence and biometric nanotechnology. A more common example might be the way hearing aids and cochlear implants enhance humans’ ability to interpret sounds.
“We favor morphological freedom,” said More. “[We support] the right to modify and enhance one’s body, cognition and emotions.” Suss Müsik agrees. There are, however, ethical and social considerations. If a computer is not yet able to interpret context, then how can it be trusted to accurately convey an emotion? At what point should a machine be permitted to redefine the trust we place in our own senses? While a hearing aid provides wonderful benefits, it also somewhat distorts our concept of auditory range. If a tree falls in the forest and we can’t hear it without a device, can we honestly say that it made a sound? Riddle that awhile.
These are weighty topics, and Suss Müsik hasn’t even mentioned yet how our studio’s Bluetooth UE ROLL speaker (ironically nicknamed “Ultimate Ears”) tends to stutter when a connected device is moved out of range. This was the basis for this week’s Junto. For this piece, two ambient fields were performed and recorded through the UE ROLL straight to disk. The recordings were then sped up to create a base rhythm. Woodwinds, strings, percussion and piano were added afterward.
The vocal is Apple’s “Samantha” VoiceOver reciting an email created by Google’s Natural Language API. The vocal was recorded twice, each through a separate Moog synth module, then patched through a glitch filter at the same rate as the Bluetooth-derived tempo.
The piece is titled Exhumanism. The Creative Commons image is of a British gutta-percha hearing aid made sometime between 1840 and 1910. Thank you to artist and collaborator H. Bean for providing the text, which appears below:
I will be there in a few minutes and I’ll be there.
I will be there in a few minutes and I’ll be there up to today.
And I will be there in a few minutes and I’ll be there up to today and tomorrow.
And I will be there at the same time as the one I have.
The one I have is a good time to come by and see you soon.
I will be there to have a great day and I will be there at the same time as the one I have is a good time to come by and see you guys.
You guys how are you doing today and how are you doing today and how are you doing.
You have a good day and time and have you been up to today and tomorrow.
And tomorrow is the last day of the month and I have a few questions.
I have a few questions about what I am not sure.
I have a few questions about how I am not sure if I can make it to the meeting tonight but I can tomorrow.
If you want to do it in the morning and I will be there is a lot of work to do and I will be there at the same time and place and I’ll be back up to the outside.
And it is the best part about being able to see it and not the same as the one I have.
The one I have is a good time to come by and see you soon.
And have a great day and I will be there at the same time as they.
You know if you are interested in the morning so I can yes I can.
Yes I can.