PRESS PLAY TO PLAY
INTERACTIVE ANALOG SAMPLING WITH CASSETTES, 2016
ALEXANDER ROIDL AND DOMINIK MEIXNER (DE)
Make something new out of something old — a remix. We are surrounded by digital devices in the 21st century, so questioning the old, analog stuff is Alexander and Dominik’s point of departure for their work. They want to compare, learn and conclude from exploring analog to digital. The aura of the analog is incomparable to anything else, and the possibility to be able to touch something real is a unique experience.
Sampling is known as a rather digital process. The artists found some old cassette players and wondered what would happen if they were to transfer the idea of sampling to cassettes. They manipulated hundreds of tapes and cut the tapes to four-second loops. Then they recorded different kinds of music onto these cassettes. By combining many different loops running simultaneously, a new composition is created as soon as you press play. The cassettes can be changed. The result depends on which tapes you use, and when and where you press play or pause.
BIO
Alexander and Dominik have been students at Hof University, Germany since 2013 and recently completed their bachelor thesis in media design. During their studies, they collaborated on a variety of projects. Both work in the field of media design, creating a range of works, from interactive installations to analog books.