The final showcase of the WAIVE Europe project took place in London at Rich Mix, featuring a captivating performance by electronic music artists Sound of Fractures (Jamie Reddington) with support from Close up Things (Alex Patten). This event concluded the series of showcases exploring the integration of public heritage archives with AI-driven tools for musicians and audiovisual artists. Unlike previous performances, where performers like OOPUS and Błażej Kotowski focused on intricate AI music systems, Reddington’s and Patten’s sets leveraged the WAIVE tools in a more accessible way, utilizing the sampler and visualizer to enhance his live performance.

 

As with the previous showcases, the WAIVE project continues to explore how public heritage datasets can be used to build AI-driven tools for creative expression. WAIVE offers an ethical alternative to the controversial AI training data used elsewhere by tapping into public domain material. The tools are open-source, meaning artists can experiment with and customize them to suit their creative vision. Where other artists focused on custom-built tools, Sound of Fractures utilized the ready-to-use user experience (UX) of the WAIVE Sampler and Visualizer in Ableton, making the technology accessible for artists of all technical backgrounds.

 

Jamie Reddington, known for his electronic music project Sound of Fractures, is a British composer and producer with a deep interest in ambient and experimental sounds. His work spans genres including dub, techno, and industrial, and he is renowned for creating immersive soundscapes and emotive compositions. Unlike other performers in the WAIVE Europe project, Jamie does not have a background in programming or advanced technical manipulation of AI tools, which made his approach unique. Instead, he worked directly within the user-friendly interface of the WAIVE tools, taking full advantage of their out-of-the-box functionality to integrate archival material into his live set.

 

Close up Things opened the night with his eclectic mix of digital genres. The experienced DJ mixed pre-recorded WAIVE samples into his mix and had live visuals to accompany his atmospheric and rhythmic pieces. 

 

 

Sound of Fractures x WAIVE

 

The DJ performance at Rich Mix was a dynamic, experimental showcase that blended Jamie's atmospheric electronic music with the power of generative AI. During the set, Jamie incorporated the WAIVE Sampler, which uses AI to sift through vast archives of public domain sound material and extract rhythmic elements, such as kicks, snares, and hi-hats, to create custom drum samples. These samples, drawn from historical recordings, were then seamlessly integrated into his live set, driving the rhythm of the performance.

 

The WAIVE Visualizer was also a key component of the performance, with Jamie using the VST to enrich the audiovisual experience. The WAIVE Visualizer pulled historical footage from public archives, including abstract visuals and street scenes, to create a backdrop that interacted dynamically to the music. 

 

Jamie’s performance at Rich Mix was a testament to the versatility of the WAIVE tools. Despite not having a technical programming background, he was able to harness the power of AI to create a compelling and experimental live experience. By using the intuitive user interface of the WAIVE Sampler and Visualizer, he showed how artists can integrate AI-driven tools into their practice without needing deep technical expertise. His set was an embodiment of the idea that creative tools should be accessible to all, regardless of technical proficiency.

 

From the Archive to the Dance Floor

 

The final showcase of WAIVE Europe in London demonstrated how public heritage materials, through the power of AI, can be brought into the present and reimagined in new contexts. While other performers in the project focused on more intricate technical applications, Jamie Reddington’s set at Rich Mix exemplified how AI can be seamlessly integrated into live performances, making archival material vibrant, relevant, and alive for today’s audience.

 

In this final showcase, Sound of Fractures proved that the fusion of heritage and technology can transcend technical barriers, offering an accessible and deeply creative way to engage with our past while shaping the future of music. The evening not only highlighted the power of AI to preserve and transform heritage, but also underscored the potential for tools like WAIVE to democratize the creative process, allowing all artists to experiment and innovate, regardless of their technical background.

 

WAIVE is an initiative by Thunderboom Records and the Netherlands Institute of Sound & Vision. The VST’s are developed by Superposition and Arran Lyon. WAIVE is funded by Mondriaan Fonds and Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie.