Every so often a gadget comes around that manages to transcend the cheap plastic frame in which it’s encased. Little known Chinese firm FM3 have created an ambient loop-playing machine which has gained coverage in the New York Times. The $25 Buddha Machine is the size of a cigarette pack, with one button, an on-off dial and a rather small speaker. Inside is a chip containing nine digitally encoded music loops. The button allows the listener to switch from one to another, but that’s the extent of user control over the experience, leading some observers to refer to the thing as the anti-iPod, attracting music fans, design fans, gadget fans and those who view it as something of a fashion item.

Noise band Throbbing Gristle have recently released their own version designed in conjunction with FM3, featuring more loops and a wider frequency range than the Buddha Machine. They have entitled their custom box GRISTLEISM, with a tracklist featuring intriguing names such as Maggot Death, Rabbit Snare, Sex String Theory and Thank You Brain. GRISTLEISM is described as part Industrial sound machine, part noise instrument.

At a moment when the unused abilities of feature-loaded computers, cellphones and even microwave ovens pile up faster than we can keep track of them, it’s satisfying to know that once you’ve turned the Buddha Machine on, you are using it to its full capacity. From the Sunday New York Times Magazine by Rob Walker.

The Buddha Machine 2.0 comes in three colours: Burgundy, Grey and Brown.

New York Times

Throbbing Gristle

FM3 Buddha Machine

Tags: Audio, Design, Experimental, Noise

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 5:07 pm and is filed under Audio, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.