Unlock Editor’s Digest Lock for Free
Is this what we want? This is a rare protest album. It was released by over 1,000 British artists (a huge supergroup consisting of over 1,000 British artists (and several non-British people). Participants include Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Damon Albern and Hans Zimmer. They are fighting the UK government’s proposal to change copyright laws to help tech companies train generative AI programs.
The project is organized by Ed Newton-Rex, the opposition AI Music Antrepreneur. The target is data mining using AI models when learning how to make music. 1,000 British artists argue that if the government proceeds with the plan, their rights will be trampled down.
Each of the 12 tracks has a one-word title, forming an acrostic alert that says, “The UK government should not legalize music theft to benefit AI companies.” We endure the rage of multiple guitars, like Bush and Albern scream, and Zimmer wields his conductor’s baton like crazy. But instead, what we encounter is silence. Rather, it’s almost silence.
Each track lasts approximately 4 minutes and does not include vocals or instruments. The obvious inspiration is “4’33”, a memo-free composition by John Cage. Certainly, it may seem rich in 1,000 British artists to complain about their rights being abolished whilst glowing in inspired exercises in cage ambient sounds yeah. However, there is an important difference.
“4’33” is intended to take place in a concert hall where the faint sounds of musicians and the intentional silence of the audience failing to keep quiet is broken. However, here, focus switches from performance acts to recording acts.
The electronic ham is heard on each track and the pitch is slightly different. The button is pressed, the door clang and footsteps are slammed. The drink is swallowed and breaths are exhaled. We are conscious of the muffled contours of people in settings dedicated to capturing sound. Because there is no voice and instrument, it is easier to draw studio equipment, mixing desks, consoles and microphones.
Technological changes are essential to recorded music. It often caused pushbacks, but it’s not necessarily foresight. Drummers were wrong in the 1980s to fear the spread of drum machines. But something is disappointed with the intertwining relationship between music and technology. New anxiety about AI will take part in long-standing complaints about low streaming revenue. There are a lot of comments about this silent protest album.
★★★★☆
“Is this what we want?” Released by Virgin Music
