Reviewer One
With no written text, the author explains very clearly right in the beginning of the video what we are about to watch and listen. It is a brief explanation, which along the video is completed by subtitles that follow and explain the actions of the performer.
The visual part, although simple, is very efficient, consisting of a fixed camera on the synthesizer, which allows the audience to watch in detail what is happening on the surface of the device (and there is a certain magic in listening to the sounds and watching the lights on and off).
The aural part (best understood through the use of headphones) is a sonic voyage of timbers, textures and colors which travel from left to right and which, to me, sounded like a music score of a contemporary dance choreography. The author/performer alternates the use of reverbs, wave forms, intensity and other parameters in a logic of restrictions and affordances offered by these electronic devices, along the three different “movements” (Voice, Voice and Modulation and Voice and Timing).
The power loss episode can also be included in a logic of the restrictions (or affordances?) in electronic devices, for as the author remarks “accidents happen in the world of modular synthesizers”. The video is relevant to the theme, showing how sound art is created and communicated (it can be considered a “work in progress”). On a more personal level, it triggered very pleasant bodily sensations to me (maybe on account of the frequencies involved during the work). It can constitute a singular moment in a dynamic immersive exhibit, particularly if the opportunity of listening to its sound with a good pair of headphones is offered to the audience.
Reviewer Two
Relevance to Symposium Theme: The work appears as a creative work turned into a how-to video. Due to the nature of the work it fits quite neatly with the theme.
How Well The Piece Works: The approach to the presentation of the work is accessible and invites engagement from an audience. The discussion/subtitles are largely technical and descriptive. Some discussion/subtitles about how he navigates the restrictions and explores the edges would be an interesting addition. The restrictions in the performance are not just related to the components of the hardware, but also include having two hands to perform with and the potential need for movements due to transitions.