II - Paperclip Minimizer (2026)
I had not heard about Nick Bostrom’s “paperclip maximizer” thought experiment before today, so the pun in the name of John Howes’ IDM robot-dub-trap moniker was lost on me.
(While I sympathize with the danger of a runaway AI deciding the the best thing to do is to turn everything into paperclips because of misaligned priorities, I have to wonder if we aren’t doing the same thing by letting certain humans turn every ounce of value in the world into AI-bubble- and manipulated-treasury-bond-financed IOUs)
My layman’s understanding of macroeconomics aside, This is a really fun throwback sort of release to the days of yore when I huddled around my dial-up internet connection and listened to an hour of programmed bleeps and bloops as if it were a symphony.
Modern tech is at play here, if only in the subtle maipulations of the hi-hats and bass tones. The second side is more tonal than the first (notice I said “tonal” and not “melodic”), but the whole thing is a glorious and unapologetic old-school machine music rave-up.
It’s almost entirely rhythm and texture, and it’s fantastic.
RIYL
If you’re only now stumbling across my obsession with 90s electronic music, welcome. You may soon be awkwardly looking for a way to change the subject, as most people do when I talk to them about it.
Some places to start:
- My intro to this bizarre world, the Artificial Intelligence II comp
- Future Sound Of London
- Autechre
- µ-Ziq
- Wagon Christ
- The Orb
- Oval
