MICE World Tour

The MICE World Tour Album has a large variety of sounds in its many performance pieces, ranging from a soothing melodic piece to a bubbly fast tempo piece to a variety of radio compilations. It can therefore appeal to many people, even those who are not well acquainted with this genre of music. Perhaps what is most interesting about this album is knowing that each of these songs were performed and recorded all over the world, and not only all over the world but in a technologically interactive way. It is fascinating to look back at the history of music and to think about how far music has come in the past couple hundred years, particularly electronic music. It was not until the 20th century that electronic music has been made possible for live performance, so to think that this album has pieces of electronic music that were made in remote areas all over the world is fascinating. Technology has progressed so far that it has allowed performers to capture sounds and manipulate them in a way that has never been done before. Also, it is interesting to notice how concepts of music have changed in the past hundred years or so. Music no longer has to be in tune and follow a certain rhythmic pattern but can be classified as noise. This too is what makes this album interesting; it is demonstrating this new idea of music. The first seven songs in this album consist of a variety of different interactive performance pieces that alter different aspects of the surroundings to make music. One of my favorite pieces in this album is the piece “Kanja”. I love the soothing sounds produced in this piece. It is difficult to determine what is being used to create the sounds, but I like how the song is creating an outdoors, calming environmental sound effect. Another piece I really enjoy is the song “World Strings”. It uses a great combination of string sounds mixed with computer generated sounds. It is combining older instruments with new computer music which presents a more futuristic sound. I enjoy each of the pieces because they are taking sounds that are familiar to me and changing them in a way I have never heard done before. The last eight songs are clips of sounds from radio stations from different places all over the world. What I find most fascinating about these pieces is how the clips are arranged to form a musical piece; a musical piece that represents the country in which the clips were recorded from. These radio pieces too give me a new way of understanding the different ways music can be defined. It sounds as though the creators of these pieces are using the technology they have to capture the sound of the country itself. For the most part this album is filled with unique musical pieces that will make the ordinary person rethink about how they define music. Not all the pieces will be for everyone, but when considering how all these musical pieces were generated all over the world in such an interactive way they become very intriguing.

The MICE World Tours CD came about as MICE, (Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble), a group of self-proclaimed “digital nomads”, traveled around the world and used their journey as a platform to create digital music. Their album is split into two sections. The first 7 tracks make up the first section of the album and consist of natural sounds taken from the ensemble’s journey and were taken and mixed together with electronic elements and editing to create unique pieces of music. The last 8 tracks of the album make up the second section and are created from the recordings of radio stations located in some of the many cities they traveled to, including Shanghai, China and Cape Town, South Africa. In this review I am going to finish my review of the CD by reviewing to the 2nd “section” of the album. This section of the MICE World Tour CD was created by taking radio samples from many different cities around the world and piecing them together to make the mix. By taking different radio tunings and mixing and mashing them together with some computer distortion and editing listeners can enjoy the radio bits from all over the world. It is interesting to see the different styles of music, different languages, and just comical segments that these digital nomads put into each piece. For a first listen the differences in the radio content itself makes it an extremely interesting and unique listen. As interesting as these pieces are after you’ve listen to them once or twice you’ll want to keep them on the shelf, so to speak, until a much later listening. While there is no doubt it is cool to listen through the stations of different countries there isn’t something about it that makes you want to come back for a third, fourth, or fortieth time. Unlike the first half of the CD that has a distinct musical interest to each piece as you attempt to discover what the original recording was and enjoy seeing how the composer put it all together, the second half just doesn’t hold your attention. It seems to me as if the second half of the CD is more like a Podcast than something you expect to find on a musical CD. The piece of Radio from Chennai, India is one of the more interesting radio mixes on the disc. It is filled with people speaking incredibly fast mixed with obvious commercials, some rap type music, and even a racecar flying by. I believe it is the most interesting radio mix of the group, with plenty of portions that make you chuckle and sections that are an intriguing look, or listen, into India. The radio mix from Cape Town, South Africa starts out by saying it’s the end of the show and has an interesting section that has someone just talking with sections blipped out to make a slightly coherent piece, which is pretty comical. Each little radio mix does have something interesting that will spark your curiosity, these small portions of each mix adds a little bit a flair to the piece but I don’t believe it is enough to make it worth listening too multiple times. Being able to hear the differences in radio stations from around the world makes the second half of the CD perk one’s interests, but that, unfortunately, doesn’t last long. The second portion of the CD is a great listen once or twice and there is no doubt it is an interesting part of this CD that sets it apart from other ‘musical’ CDs on the market. While you may not listen to the second half of the CD over and over like the first portion it is still an interesting part of this disc that sets it apart from other similar CDs.

Armed with little more than a travel itinerary, computers, and the sounds of nature, Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble (MICE) circumnavigated the globe in 2009 in an attempt to add yet another chapter to the evolution of technological music. The result, “MICE World Tour,” is an innovative blend of natural, man-made, and electronic music so satisfying and creative that it is painfully difficult to try and categorize the album in a single genre. The brainchild of Professor Matthew Burtner, MICE seeks to create electronic compositions highlighted by the use natural sounds. A professor at the University of Virginia, Burtner, along with his students, traveled the world performing original compositions that mixed nature with technology. Ultimately, “MICE World Tour” is a brilliant and welcomed respite from the limitations of modern music, as Burtner and the whole MICE gang not only push the boundaries of music, but also represent a new wave of technologic music that proves tradition can be seamlessly combined with modernity into beautiful music. The album can be divided into two distinct sections. The first 7 tracks rely largely on the natural sounds from various environments captured by innovative recording techniques, and it is these 7 tracks that truly define the album. In particular, the tracks Sandprints, Kanja, and World Strings truly exemplify the ability of MICE to draw sounds from various and distinct sources and transform them into a coherent unit. Created in the sand dunes of Namibia, Sandprints is not only one of the most complete and pleasing compositions on the album; it is also one of the most creative. A soft hissing sound, almost like television static, starts off the piece and permeates in the background for the remainder of the track. This noise is nature’s contribution to the piece and is the result of human movement atop microphones buried just beneath the sand’s surface. Shortly after, an ominous whistled tune coupled with a simple electronic beat starts up. The ensemble of noises is constantly growing, as more and more original sounds, most of them short looping electronic beats, enter the composition as it progresses. The electronic music in the piece is mostly simple and plain, as the musicians are careful never to stray from the soft tone of the track. But the decision to avoid the complicated does not make the work seem technologically uneventful or outdated. As more and more electronic beats enter the composition, it becomes evident that, along with the piece as a whole, the electronic aspect of the work is progressing and becoming more complete. Near the end of the song, the harmonious natural noises have been drowned out almost entirely by an ensemble of sounds that are clearly computer created. It is as if the piece is a microcosmic representation of the evolution of both the world and music as a whole, from nature to humans to computers. Like Sandprints, Kanja relies largely on its natural landscape to create a unique sound. Using submerged hydrophones to help capture the tranquil sounds of the Indian Ocean, MICE is once again able to create an imaginative blend of artificial and modern tones with natural and traditional sounds. Just as the hissing of the sand serves as the foundation of Sandprints, the chaotic ocean movement provides a wonderful backtrack for Kanja. This water-created ambience is then merged with a variety of electronic beats and rhythmic instrumental noises into a sea of serenity. Following the blueprint of many MICE songs, Kanja starts with a natural sound and then, with the addition of numerous computer-generated tones, evolves into a largely technological piece before finally reverting to the original sounds of nature that characterize the album. Finally, World Strings is a beautiful combination of various string instruments from around the world, coupled once again with numerous soft electronic beats. Inspired by the vastly different cultures MICE members encountered during the trip, the piece’s use of nature is subtler than the other pieces mentioned but is nonetheless highly evident. Instead, World Strings serves as a testament to MICE’s ability to transform sounds that seemingly do not belong together into brilliant and continuous works. This becomes even more noticeable when listening to the final 8 tracks of the album, which are essentially radio clips from various parts of the world. Though interesting, however, they are more filler than anything else, and do little to add to the album itself. But as previously stated, these 8 tracks are not what make the album so special. After listening to “MICE World Tour”, it becomes undeniably clear that Burtner is attempting to be a pioneer in the field of electronic music. And with works such as Kanja and Sandprints, it appears he is in the right direction. Such pieces invoke both modern and historical influences in an effort to reveal the evolution of music as whole. In Kanja, the importance of technology is highlighted with the use of hydrophones and computer-based tones that make the track the most modern sounding of the bunch. However, the historical impact is also evident, as the ability to create modern and artificial sounding noises through nature brings memories of the Aeolian harp. Essentially, MICE uses technology as a means of creating traditional sounds, as MICE relies on advanced recording technology to capture the sounds of nature and then insert such sounds into electronic pieces. For MICE, there is no distinction between electronic and natural, and their continuous juxtaposition makes it clear that the combination of these two genres into one can succeed. In the end, “MICE World Tour” is a great listen that threatens to revolutionize technosonic music and stands as a wonderful sign of things to come.

My favorite track on this album is Sandprints. This song seems carefree, and it reminds me of being a child and playing in a sandbox, happily whistling a made up song. I like how the simple whistling tune creates a melody that is repeated throughout the majority of the song, and I like how the artists have used desert sand to PLAY the sound of the sand. I also like how many different diverse sounds have been layered upon each other to create a cohesive piece. First, you hear the sound of sand being poured on top of more sand, but it does not sound constant - the flow has been broken up and the sounds are pieced together by a computer to form beats. Next, the whistling tune comes in, and then on top of that is a soft rhythmic percussion sound, which is looped back on itself over and over again until the end of the song. As each new sound is added, it is continuously repeated to the end of the song, so that each new sound is a new layer on top of the others. With each new sound, the song becomes much more complex. The next sound that is layered sounds like keys of a xylophone being randomly - but the randomness does not mess up the layering, because combined with the already playing sounds, the xylophone beats sound coherent and a patterned rhythm seems to develop. (The xylophone is also primarily a child's instrument, so I am further reminded of childhood.) The next sound resembles a merry-go-round tune, and the next resembles computer game and arcade game sounds, continuing the childhood theme. The next sound that is layered is surprising to me. It is a shrieking alarm sound that no longer reminds me of carefree childhood days. Is it supposed to be a wake up call to bring the listener back to the present? The alarm sound continues until the last 20 seconds when all sounds except for the whistling and a few soft arcade game sounds are stopped. This quiet ending is compared to the complexity of the rest of the song, and it gives the piece closure by recalling the similar quiet, simple beginning. The thing that stood out to me most about this song was its name, and the metaphor that I picked up. I do not know if the artists intended for the piece to be understood in this way, but I think it is still pretty neat... To me, Sandprints is a musical metaphor to actual prints in real sand. Beginning with clean untouched sand, one footprint creates one distinct mark in the sand. If another footprint is added on top of it, the second one covers up some of the first, but parts of the first print are still visible. Then as more and more prints are added on top of the previous ones, the individual prints become harder and harder to distinguish and pick out, but it is still possible to do so if you look hard enough. Also, even though the many prints look crowded on top of each other, together, they create a cohesive design, and the complex conglomeration looks natural. I think of this song as a metaphor for this. The first sound - the beats of sand-pouring - is so obviously distinct at first, but as the second sound - the whistling sound - comes in, the sand-pouring becomes harder to detect. It then becomes even harder to pick out as each new sound is layered on top. When all the sounds are finally playing on top of each other, it becomes very difficult to hear one sound among all the others, but it IS possible if you listen hard enough. But, all together, the collection of individual continuous sounds, rhythms, and beats sound cohesive and the song sounds good... just as the collection of individual sand prints look natural in a desert. I give this album a rating of 3 stars because, although Sandprints is my favorite song from this album, I do not think I would listen to the entire album more than once. Some of the songs do not sound pleasant to my ears, but Sandprints (with the exception of the screaching alarm) is relaxing to me, and I actually enjoy listening to it.

The amazing thing about the MICE World Tour album is how sounds from all over the world are compiled in such a unique manner. While some sounds seem very natural in origin and draw upon the listener's experiences in nature, others seem man made and the effective blending of these two types of sound by the composers is what makes this album so intriguing. The constant change of style is also a critical aspect of this album, as pieces like “Sandprints” have an upbeat and almost whimsical feel, whereas “Anemoi” creates an eerie, confused atmosphere. “Sxueak” all by itself sets this album apart because of it's apparent total lack of direction, and its basis in sounds generated by such a simple source used to create many different sounds. The composers of the MICE World Tour album also seemed to have drawn upon the influences of history as songs like “Kanja” and “Anemoi” include sounds which seem very similar to those which could be generated by an aeolian harp of ancient Greece. The composers also seemed to be influenced by the music generated by early electronic instruments, like the trautonium, which is capable of generating a wide range of sounds from a single source, just as the composers were able to do in “Sxueak.” The mobile aspect of this album is also critical, because the composers were album to draw upon a huge variety of sound sources because of their ensembles ability to travel the globe, while simultaneously creating and performing their music. As composer Matthew Burtner said of this globetrotting experience in composition, the members of the MICE ensemble were able to “take advantage of 21st century mobile computing to bring the tradition of the traveling musician to computer music,” which certainly must have created an unprecedented experience for the performers and audience members, as well as helping to stimulate further creativity. Perhaps the best part of the MICE World Tour album is the sense of freedom it exudes upon the listener, through the use of disparate sounds collected and composed into musical selections which take the listener on a journey as varied as the one that the composers of the MICE ensemble must have experienced. From pieces like “World Strings,” to the various World Radio Quily pieces which bounce the listener around the globe with their sound, this album is draws upon the influences of electronic music's history while still providing any listener with an unprecedented experience.

For this review I will begin by focusing specifically on the third track of the album and then go into a bit of detail about MICE. The song begins with what would appear to be collected or electric wind noise which is integral to the message of this song and perhaps the entire album. The background noise lingers eerily leading the listener to the spoken word of the only person featured during this track. She begins to describe the movement of air, bodies, and even atoms before becoming disembodied from her own voice through selective editing and looping. Just as she speaks of the atoms and air being constantly in motion, adrift…so to becomes her voice. Her voice begins to move on its own path, not quite linear but it certainly has a quality that lends itself to leading the listener through the track as though she is still speaking in complete sentences but for whatever reason her words remains indiscernable to us. It is not as though she is broken up, but that her voice is simply carried away. With the use of this broken speech I am reminded of one of Karl Stockhausen’s greatest works entitled “Gesang der Jünglinge” or “Song of the Youths”. The two are notably similar thanks to the usage of electronic sound, captured noise, and spoken word in each of the pieces. For Stockhausen this proved to be quite a feat because it was the first time the genres of German elektronische Musik and French Musique Concrète were woven together in harmony. The two often saw much conflict because of the strict respective natures of their composition. While the French often included captured sound or voices to their work, most German work was derived purely through digital means. While digital music today appears to be a free flowing work of pops, clicks, glitches, and giggles (a variable smorgasbord of sounds and textures) this was not always the case. These two early genres were very strict in their composition and style and certainly did not deviate from one to the other. Just as Stockhausen broke from traditional forms of electronic music for his era, MICE leads the way in introducing a more modern reinvention of composition. Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble-MICE-allows for this reinvention through the ways in which the music is gathered and composed. The sounds of MICE were gathered from around the globe and with varying instruments from the traditional, to electronic, to ecoacoustic (gathering sounds of nature). The composition is intriguing in that the mobile ensemble is essentially a traveling band of students studying, producing, and engaging in the world of technosonic music. During their travels they are not only acquiring new sounds from nature but engaging with locals, indigenous populations, and with ancient forms of music that are not usually present in the sounds of Western tunes.

MICE World Tour is an album representative of a genre of music that falls under a genre of technosonic music that I have been studying at my university. MICE World Tour premiered over the course of several months in 2009 while the group was traveling aboard a boat headed for many major cities around the world, Cape Town, Hong Kong etc. The group made several performances at their stops around the world, releasing their album upon their return home. MICE is an acronym for Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble. EcoSono, MICE’s record label says “MICE employs interactive acoustics and networked human/computer ensemble to create deep collaborations between ecologies, human musicians, and computer systems.” Technosonic music encompasses the idea of using technology to make music. Thus, in a sense, all music is a form of technosonics as musicians have been practicing this idea for many years. The use of technology to make sound is essentially the service instruments have rendered for years, everything from the leather-covered drums of long ago to the modern electric keyboards and synthesizers of today. What makes MICE unique is not their use of technology, it is the way they utilize it. I have been fortunate enough to learn from Michael Burtner, a member of MICE, about much of their music as I am taking a class from him at my university. Randomized and autonomous computer interaction in the music is what gives many of the works an interesting sound. This is by no means my favorite genre of music, my favorite being classic rock, but I am interested in the way the music is made and enjoy hearing the final products. My favorite Song on the album, World Strings, premiered in Hong Kong, China on the World Tour. A collection of interesting string instruments was used in the making of World Strings. Among these instruments were, a Thai Khim, European Cello, African Nyatiti, Africa Kora, South America Birumbau, Vietnamese Dan B’ao, Middle Eastern Oud, and Polynesian Ukulele. The khim is the most pronounced instrument in the piece, whenever it is played it trumps the other instruments in both volume and sound. The development of the piece is characterized, generally, by an increase in the complication and volume of the music from the start to a climax, which is then followed by another decrease in complication, and volume. The first seconds of the piece are exclusively string instruments with very little computer contribution – the first noticeable computerized sounds begin at 0:24. The computerized sounds are initially very short, noticeable beeps that sound random in the way they are integrated. This computer interaction quickly evolves into more complex and lengthier sounds. At this point the piece takes on a less staccato feel and the music sounds more cohesive. Many of the computerized sounds remind me of the famous “R2D2”, and the accelerated sound of a moist rag being rubbed on a glass window. Section 2:35-2:45 is my favorite part of the song, as it incorporates several new sounds and a melodic string accompaniment. I imagined the climax of the piece to be somewhere between 4:06 and 4:25, soon after the music begins to taper. When the cello begins playing at 4:44 the tone of the music changes signaling a slowing down. The cello continues to play until 5:26 when it is relieved and the music begins to fade out with the late addition of a percussion instrument being played at one tap every three seconds. While Sandprints is arguably the most popular song on the album, all of the songs have unique flavors, particularly the last four tracks of world radio that compile sound bytes from a myriad of different radio stations in particular cities during the world tour. One thing to keep in mind while listening to this music: remember that MICE created and performed these works while traveling aboard a boat on a journey around the world. This represents a major progression in the electronic technology used to create music. At one time, creating these computerized noises would have required large, cumbersome equipment – in this case, the mobility of the musicians and their equipment allowed them to utilize natural or foreign surroundings and influences in their music.

It is not uncommon for musical groups to travel around the world, recording and performing their music in many different inspirational and influential environments. Whereas most artists, however, record their music in studios and perform in seated auditoriums, MICE, or the Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble, employs new-age technology and innovative performance techniques to create a unique, refreshing sound on its album “MICE: World Tour.” This intriguing album would most likely never have come into being were it not for UVA Professor and musician Christopher Burtner’s class “Technosonics,” which focuses on the history, theory, and practice of digital music and sound art composition. The class was started in 2006 by Professor Burtner to allow students to explore the very type of music that is the backbone of the “MICE: World Tour” album, including experimental computer music, ambient and dance music, sound art and both new and old-age digital tools. MICE uses a multi-performer, interactive platform to create its music in a way that would likely not be possible with only one performer. Embarking on a on a trip across the world, Burtner and his MICE group combined natural environments, multiple musicians, and imaginative recording techniques to create an album that is all at once curious, original, and refreshing. The “World Tour” album consists of two main parts, including 7 songs based on natural soundscapes, eclectic noises, and digital manipulation, and another 8 songs titled “World Radio Quily” that consists of technologically altered radio clippings collected from 8 different locations around the world. In my opinion, it is the first 7 songs that define both MICE and technosonics, as they combine most all of the tools and techniques that fuse together to form technosonics music. The album begins with what I believe to be the best piece on the album, “Sandprints.” This song epitomizes the technological and musical ideology that is the backbone of MICE, as it combines the creative effects of multiple performers and recording/mixing interaction to create a refreshing environment. “Sandprints” was fittingly recorded in the Namib Desert in Namibia, Africa, during the MICE 2009 World Tour. The members of MICE wanted to create a song that resembled the sound and feeling of pulling sand through your hands and listening to it flow through them, as most all of us have done on a sandy beach at some point in our lives. As the soft, granular sand moves through your hands, the sound changes with every turn of the hand and movement of the arm. In essence, you are “playing” the sand as an instrument, and MICE takes this insightful perspective to a new level as they use sand to create an almost dream-like musical environment on the track. “Sandprints” begins with a sound that seems to be a soft wind blowing sand through the air and over the ground. MICE created this unique and accurate sound by burying microphones in the windy dunes of the Namib Desert. The sound is remixed through a mixer on a computer that seems to give off the sound of both sand blowing naturally and sand being blown faster, with extra pressure, as if through a hose. A sampler was also employed to record the sand, mix it, and play it back over the original sound, so quickly at points that it almost sounds like percussion. The artists then used similar recording and playback techniques to envelop the song with a penetrating whistle that combines perfectly with the steady background sand noise. MICE is extremely innovative and avant-garde in its recording techniques by actually bringing the desired sound into the song by placing the microphone in the sand to truly get the feel of the grains. The song contains bursts of a heavily distorted sound, possibly feedback, that pulls the listener out of the lull of the natural soundscape and back into reality as the song nears its end. This sound reminds me heavily of a song we studied in Technosonics class called, “The Robots,” by the band Kraftwerk, that uses a distorted, digital-sounding electronic beat with some tonal shifting that sounds much like the percussion that permeates “Sandprints.” This technique is again successfully employed on the track “Kanja,” where MICE captures the culture and natural environment of a location-the Indian Ocean in this case- by placing percussion performance under the ocean water and using hydrophones to collect the resonating feel of the ambient-sounding water. This sound is combined with several other digitally-altered instruments and sounds to create a piece that is again exemplary of the album as a whole. Again in the track “Anemoi” we see the use of interactive computer systems collecting and manipulating the sound of air, all collected by a conventional “air” microphone that reacted to the pressure waves of the surrounding air. While most of first seven songs on the album are innovative, enjoyable, and extremely creative in their composition, I find the song “Sxueak” to be by far the worst song on the CD. It uses the sounds of natural “squeaking” toys to attempt to create a unique noise, but all that it does is bring extreme tension to my head and the feeling of an impending, imminent headache. The song lacks no rhythm and fails to reproduce the ambient, evocative sounds of the other tracks. I find it impossible to appreciate the composition due to the sheer pain and frustration it causes. The album concludes with 8 fragmented pieces that reflect the sound of a person flipping through different radio stations as the sounds are digitally-altered by time-stretch, distortion, and other technological effects. As a whole, “World Tour” goes beyond the scope of ordinary music and creates an altogether fantastic, refreshing, and distinctive sound with two contrasting sections that will resonate with the listener for a long time to come.

Technosonics, “Techno” Computer Music, I have heard countless names to describe a genre that I thought only existed in the trance clubs of Europe or late night raves somewhere on fraternity row at various colleges across the nation. I had a very narrow view of the genre of technosonics. I already had a perception of what every song was in the genre (sandstorm, sandstorm remix, sandstorm club version, and finally sandstorm radio edit.) That is why when I initially heard “Sand Prints” by MICE world tour I was initially disappointed, but as I began to research the history of the genre, how the song was made, and listened to it several times I began to appreciate the piece. Surprisingly to me, the history of techno runs much deeper than the advent of the personal computer and electronic instruments have been around much longer than their pop culture popularity in the 80’s. Technosonic music has closely been associated with the Avant Garde. Many songs ignore the conventional thoughts on music and pursue their sounds through more experimental musical methods. “Sand Prints” was a surprise to me because not only did it shatter my thoughts on techno music but it was also a derivation from the “vanilla” form of music I am used to listening to. The Mice Orchestra in the Namibian Desert recoded “Sand prints” as members collected the natural sounds in a mobile recording studio. Unlike my predisposed thoughts on how techno should be made, this song is made in a very organic fashion. It incorporates the sounds of nature, man, and machine into a rhythmic flow. The movements of the sand are complimented by someone’s whistle to create a strong beat. All sounds are passed through a computer that enhances, adds new sounds, and randomizes the song by the use of computer software. The interesting part about this process is that the computer is just as important in the song making process as the people “playing” the sand or whistling in the background. When I first heard “Sand Prints” I did not appreciate it for the art that it was. Ill admit it is not a song I will listen to on a daily or probably even a weekly basis, I can say it has an appropriate time to be played. It is not a song for the clubs or the raves. I really enjoy this song while studying. I can listen to it on repeat and throughout the night the unobtrusive sounds and soothing blow of the wind help time melt away and my studying remain on the forefront. The whistles, sand being played, and the wind combine to make a song that my ears consider unorthodox but my musical taste finds it failure. This song was a fresh add to my musical library. I am glad to have purchased it. It has added a new level of depth to my musical taste. This song appeals to me not only because of the sound but also the process behind creating it. Downloading this song allowed me to research and discover a genre of music that I had gross misinformation on.

The MICE (Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble) World Tour CD, is on the cutting edge of new and novel music technology. With each song being created in a very unique way, from squeaky toys to desert sands to the sound of the ocean, this album is both enjoyable to listen to and incredibly interesting in its creation. This album truly shows that with the help of technology and amble creativity, anything can be used to make music. I am going to focus on the song 'World Strings' because it is my favorite on the disk. This song was created using a string ensemble from around the world including the khim, a hammered dulcimer from Thailand and Cambodia, the American electric guitar, the Middle Eastern oud, the Vietnamese dan bau, the European cello, the Polynesian ukulele, the African Nyatiti and the Brazilian Berimbau. Additionally MICE interactive computers were used to tie it all together. I think the most interesting aspect of this song is the fact that all the varying instruments and sound bytes are from all over the world with varying origins and characteristics, but these instruments have been beautifully blended together to create a truly unique and wonderful piece that in the end resembles none of its parts. The song flows and changes as it progresses but never diverts from its original instruments. I am not sure which instrument it is but throughout the song a beat repeats that, to me, sounds like the piano solo out of Coldplay's 'Clocks'. Overall I think this song is the most musically pleasing and pleasant to listen to. One of the most interesting tracks on this album are 'Sxueak' which uses the noises made by squeaky toys and then speeds them up from four beats per minute to four thousand beats per minute throughout the song. Although I would not say that I like 'Sxueak' in a musical sense, it is very unique and a highly creative idea for a song. Another interesting track is 'Sandprints' which uses microphones buried in sand dunes in Namibia as well as whistling and interactive computers to create a very cool composition. Of all the songs I think the track 'Anemoi' may be the most unusual in its creation. The MICE performers composed this song in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean using the howling winds to push pieces of text (primarily words relating to wind or air) through the interactive computer systems. The finished product is an eerie mixture of words that evolve throughout the song with the background of wind-like ambient noise. Overall this album, containing both tracks that I found acoustically pleasing as well as songs that I would prefer not to hear again, is a true creative masterpiece. With the world of music constantly changing and evolving, this Technosonic music might be the wave of the future. As always, with new technology comes new opportunities. The MICE performers have harnessed these new technologies and added their own musical creativity and passion to create a breakthrough album that is truly great.