Being Blonde

Breakin’ Convention is an (they would say THE) International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre. We’re also working with them to create a global community of hip hop artists.

At the time of writing, however,  this post is less about knowledge sharing and more about bragging rights.

At some point in the not too distant future one of my colleagues in our London office (at the moment variously poorly, on paternity leave or incredibly busy because of the illness and paternity leave of others) will edit the post to describe in more detail the primary research into the social technographics of the hip hop set that underpinned the strategy, and the social aspects of the project.

For now though content yourself with the fact that “we did this”.

Well, there goes my YouTube virginity. For better or for worse we’re indulging in a bit of radical transparency on a project we’re working on at the moment. Dilettante Music is, primarily, a social network for lovers of classical music and those new to it. Blonde have been working with Dilettante to take their project to the next level. No, that’s not a Warcraft reference.

Radical transparency is, simply, about people in companies not being afraid to tell the truth about the way things get done. Warts and all. Or should that be “baldy head, jowels and all”? In this case radical transparency means a video blog of the production process. The arse-scratching and swearing has been sympathetically edited out but it’s still pretty transparent.

Cross-posted to my personal blog.

Code should be elegant and pure – in fact some believe it’s an art form. The following is an extract taken from the TOPLAP draft manifesto. TOPLAP are a conglomerate of interactive programmers better known as live coders…

<snippet>

We demand:

- Give us access to the performer’s mind, to the whole human instrument.

- Obscurantism is dangerous. Show us your screens.

- Programs are instruments that can change themselves

- The program is to be transcended - Artificial language is the way.

- Code should be seen as well as heard, underlying algorithms viewed as well as their visual outcome.

- Live coding is not about tools. Algorithms are thoughts. Chainsaws are tools. That’s why algorithms are sometimes harder to notice than chainsaws.

</snippet>

Inspired.

Related:
Fluxus Live Coding Workshop

I’ve always been interested in the interaction between humans and machines. Recently Superstar DJ ENO passed this over to me and I thought it was well worth a mention…

Felix’s Machines Composition 2 is a lovely example of what would be known traditionally as Mechanical Music – taking reference from music boxes, barrel organs, player pianos etc. The real appeal for me is the inherent beauty created by a hybrid of computers (sequencing), mechanical engineering and structural sound design - a lovely contemporary take on a 9th century idea.

Subjectively, it’s melodically and rhythmically beautiful and well worth a listen. Objectively, it’s a great idea.

Online Videos by Veoh.com

It’s old but still good. Watch Dick deliver a compelling and dynamic introduction on Identity 2.0 and how the concept of digital identity is evolving.