I would add that the distortion, the voice crack, the grain of the image - these bring the medium itself to light. Without them the medium is (more or less) invisible. These defects represent the interaction, the connection between a metaphysical work of art and the physical reality.
Re:Brian Eno: Composers as Gardeners
by miceeatnicerice on Monday May 08, 2017 @05:40PM
(#14295864)
Also - the glistening of jewellery.
Re:Brian Eno: Composers as Gardeners
by DonHopkins on Monday May 08, 2017 @06:32PM
(#14296243)
The spectacular blooming of a vidicon tube.
Re:Brian Eno: Composers as Gardeners
by miceeatnicerice on Wednesday May 10, 2017 @06:16PM
(#14312234)
Chastisement and reconfirmation in one glittering, bulging codpiece
This is a great quote. One thing I want to point out, although it doesn't affect the overall meaning of the quote: When he says "8-bit" he's referring to 8-bit audio, as in audio with 8 bits per sample. Like a CD has 16-bit audio for instance.
That might seem obvious but I've seen several people post that quote assuming he means audio made on 8-bit game consoles, including a Kotaku article[1].
[1] https://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/06/brian-eno-of-all-people-ex...
To add to this list: television and radio static, the sound of a vinyl record skipping, the dial tone of a phone.
All these annoying sounds have been used in music (and other media).
“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.”
― Brian Eno, A Year With Swollen Appendices (1996)