The Coolest New CD Release of the Year: Tristan Perich 1-Bit Symphony

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I honestly can’t recall the last time I specifically ordered a new release CD, and was excited about the arrival of the physical product. Sure I’ve been sent a few and won some others and have grabbed a couple of special releases over the past several years. In those cases either someone else made the choice or there were pack-ins that made getting the music in physical form necessary. But in general all I care about is the music and I am happy to get it in digital form through either iTunes or Amazon.

But this week we have what has to be the coolest release of the year. A CD case that is itself the music! Composer Tristan Perich has a fascination with so-called Lo-Fi compositions, and has created a small scale 1-bit system that actually plays his composition in five movements. You simply plug your headphones into the CD case and flip the switch and the music plays!

Here is a cool shot of the artist with his creation:

Here is a description:

A return to the format of Perich’s lauded 1-Bit Music (described by the Village Voice as “technology and aesthetic rolled into one”), 1-Bit Symphony further reduces the hardware involved while simultaneously expanding its musical ideas. 1-Bit Symphony utilizes on and off electrical pulses, synthesized by assembly code and routed from microchip to speaker, to manifest data as sound. The device treats electricity as a sonic medium, making an intimate connection between the materiality of hardware and the abstract logic of software.

And here is a video with some music as the backdrop:

You can also get the music itself from iTunes or Amazon, but honestly the coolest way is to get the full product from Cantaloupe Music! At $29 it isn’t cheap, but it is the most innovative musical experience of the year!

Source: 1-bit Symphony

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About the Author

Michael Anderson
I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!

2 Comments on "The Coolest New CD Release of the Year: Tristan Perich 1-Bit Symphony"

  1. RT @geardiary: The Coolest New CD Release of the Year: Tristan Perich 1-Bit Symphony #Digital Music http://bit.ly/bzkqAX

  2. Hey @tristanperich The Coolest New CD Release of the Year: Tristan Perich 1-Bit Symphony #Digital Music http://bit.ly/bzkqAX

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