The world moves very quickly these days. Proof of that comes, not least, from the fact that by the time I got around to reviewing “Off to Venezuela,” a satirical critique of the USA’s anti-drug crusade activities in the Caribbean, their administration had since bombed Caracas, admitted that it’s all about oil, not drugs, and kidnapped their president! But all of that makes the song even more poignant, even more powerful, even more timely!
Taking the form of a raw-edged slice of punk-infused, industrial-soaked, grunged-up rock and roll, it blends visceral riffs and soaring vocals, pounding beats, but also some spacious atmospherics between the sucker-punch sonic impacts. Music made in the spirit of informed punk and intelligent alt-rock, a song with something to say and saying it loud and uncompromised. (Something that is happening more frequently, I guess, because there is just so much more to react to as a creator or artist or songwriter.)
And it is the video that really hits home, a brilliant swirl of human animation, cleverly manipulated footage, AI creation, and everything in between. But, more importantly, considering that the song/video package is a few weeks old, it looks like MANOSai predicted how this would go. (I hope that their next release isn’t about the end of the world)
And both music and video raise an interesting question about the role of Artificial Intelligence in creative processes. Both are a delicate balance of artistry and artifice, but in the case of music, you can’t tell where the line is drawn. So, the question is this. Is AI just another tool to be used wisely by the person wielding it, just like synths, sampling, digital recording, and all the other innovations and breakthroughs that have been accepted as part of the modern music-making process? Or is this something else? And if you can’t tell the difference, does it make it any less valuable than an old-school analogue recording?
Questions, questions? And don’t look at me, I don’t have the answers, I’m just opening up a debate about the interface of man and machine, heart and programming.
All that matters is MANOSai has given us a low-slung, groovey, gritty slice of prescient rock music. Well, that and the fact that it seems that they might be able to predict the future.
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