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Here, the computer is a musical instrument. It is not being used to mimic the sounds of other musical instruments or analogue machines, but the computer is actually being played as an instrument itself. This is the very essence of these two albums by classically trained musician and computer composer Laurie Spiegel, reissued separately by the New York based Unseen Worlds imprint. From listening to Patchwork, the opener of The Expanding Universe, it sounds like Spiegel IS playing the computer, in the same way that someone would play a piano. The rest of the album continues in the same vein, with tracks that flow wonderfully due to their cascading melodies. The Expanding Universe was created on the GROOVE system at Bell Laboratories in the 1970s, which had its own musical keyboard that let the composer literally ‘play’ the computer (as well as turning knobs etc). Considering that this album was made in the 1970s and there have been many developments in both technologies and in the world of music, The Expanding Universe still sounds impressive today. The Unseen Worlds album was composed using algorithms (a word that now fills many with dread due to its association with social media) using Spiegel’s own Music Mouse software programme. Originally released in 1991, Unseen Worlds is another fantastic expression of what can be done musically with a computer. Armed with her algorithms, here Spiegel created an album full of wonderful musical moods and thoughts. Three Sonic Spaces II explores layered synthesis, whilst Finding Voice is full of mystery and intrigue. These timely reissues show just what can be achieved when a composer pushes their equipment to its musical limits.    

Buy The Expanding Universe/Unseen Worlds

The Expanding Universe by Laurie Spiegel

Take My Hand, by Matt Berry. Ballad/Soft Rock/Synth Rock

Oh, one of the most bittersweet and beautiful songs ever written has a music video.

Oh, it’s an at once utterly adorable and yet completely heartbreaking music video.

Oh.

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