Spectropolis projects: Upper Air by The DSP Music Syndicate

About Upper Air: As the speed and power of transmission grow, the urban landscape is covered by an ever denser cloud of invisible information. Cell phones, pagers, wireless internet, satellite TV, radio, and GPS all compete to bombard their receivers with messages paying no regard to what they hit on their way. Without specialized devices to decode even a tiny percentage of this ever-present radiation, the public is often unaware of the flurry of information constantly chasing overhead. DSP presents a monitor for this background radiation in "Upper Air." Using intricate demodulation schemes and machine listening algorithms along with synthesis techniques, "Upper Air" musically resonates with the passing electromagnetics. The allocated slices of the spectrum are decoded and compressed into a consistently evolving, informative and engaging piece of music. As patterns of traffic are slowly revealed, the upper air, the ether where entertainment, communication and emergencies float, is brought back down to street level and made audible.

About The DSP Music Syndicate: The DSP Music Syndicate is a group of artists, scientists and activists dedicated to changing the near future of music through experiments in portable powerful audio hardware and music interfaces. They are currently developing "Chiclet," a small-form battery-powered music box made from commodity hardware that can be sold in record stores for the price of a CD yet allows for true distribution of algorithmic, generative and interactive music. They are based in the Boston, MA area.

For more information about Spectropolis, please contact dana@nycwireless.net.

Spectropolis thanks these organizations for their help: Bway.net, Wiselephant, Justin T. Molloy and jtmdsgn, B Squared Design, Starworks, and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation

© 2004 NYCwireless, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), and The Alliance for Downtown New York (DTA). All rights reserved.