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Verity Sharp hears from Berlin-based composer, academic and artist Holly Herndon. Herndon is interested in our complicated relationship with technology, often using the voice to explore the boundaries between the human and the technological.

Her last record, Proto, was created with a choral ensemble and a nascent A.I. ‘baby’ called Spawn which was conceived with her partner Mathew Dryhurst and created by A.I. expert Jules LaPlace. It uses neural networks to process audio and respond to music it ‘hears’. Holly has given Spawn she/her pronouns and sees her as a member of the ensemble. She interrogates some of the ethics around making music with a neural network and where she thinks we are heading to next.

Plus we play dance music for lazy people by Beirut trumpet botherer Mazen Kerbaj, choral drone from NYX Choir and Ivor Cutler tries to plug a hole in his head with his teeth.

Produced by Alannah Chance.
A Reduced Listening Production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3.