Diversion – Databending spam

This morning I got an email, as happens from time-to-time, requesting that I approve a comment to one of the pages here at IM.net. I glanced at the comment, determined it was spam and was nigh on deleting it, when I was struck with the notion to use it for a diversion from my dull and mundane morning.

These were the contents of the comment (name, email, URL and comment):
ultrasonic jewelry cleaners

Lindenberg8@gmail.com

http://www.ultrasonicjewelrycleanersreview.com

I come across myself coming to your weblog extra and additional frequently towards the point exactly where my visits are pretty much day-to-day now!

First, I copied that into Notepad, then saved the file as spam.wav. Then I opened Audacity and imported the file as raw data (16-bit WAV). The file was but the merest fraction of a second long, so I had to use Audacity’s native speed changing effect to stretch it out a tad. I then used +decimate to dirty up the sound, and smashed the living Hell out of it with Audacity’s native compression and amplifier effects. Once I had something loud enough and grimy enough, I opened it in PaulStretch and smeared it out to a reasonable length, using the octave and arbitrary filters to add some depth to the original sound. After all was said and done, I ended up with a nice crunchy little bed of noise. It’s pretty innocuous, and far from extraordinary, but it was still a fun little project for an otherwise boring morning.

Databending spam for profit and pleasure by intelligentmachinery

And, yes, that is the actual email address and URL from the spammer. Feel free to firebomb at will.

Edge of October – Darkness Grows in Empty Places

If indeed Darkness Grows In Empty Places, then this release is possibly as dark as they come. A bleak soundscape ekes out of a backdrop so sparse that it ceases being minimal and borders on non-existent. This great, empty sound drones with a melancholy that is simultaneously dismal and rich, like a tortured wail drifting across a foggy meadow at night; unseen in the hazy moonlight, yet frighteningly real nonetheless.

A near perfect example of minimal, dark ambient, that could only have been served better if it had been served longer: a jaunt too short for the depth of feeling that it evokes.

[Rating:4.5/5]

Somnaphon – Sarasota

Sarasota, the latest release from Somnaphon, comes with the disclaimer that elements of the album are “disturbances” recorded in an active haunted house. Whether this claim is true, or simply great marketing, remains unknown, but the end result is a collection of tracks that certainly live up to that hype. Broken clips of melody, clanging metal and found sounds all contribute to a disturbing and haunting atmosphere that is rife with tension and creepiness.

While the tracks tend to run a little shorter than I would have liked, the overall effort is certainly worth noting. Even without the benefit of long progressive elements, the atmosphere attained is perfect for staring blankly out the window, watching those last stubborn leaves lose out to nature and tumble slowly to the ground.

[Rating:4/5]

Oh!

I forgot these two gems foisted on me as I bid the darlings farewell yesterday:

“Good luck. With the driving.”
-Gabriel

“Give me some sugar.”
-Sean

Gabriel even made his mother email me while I was on the road, to wish me good luck one more time.

Noisy News!

I got an email this morning from Wayne aka Aim23 regarding a new mix that he’s posted on SoundCloud. The mix features tons of tracks downloaded from this very website, from a wide variety of artists who have been featured on compilation releases and even a few that were part of the old Intelligent Machinery netlabel.

http://soundcloud.com/aim23/k

Go. Listen. Feedback. Enjoy.