Here, verbatim, are all the comments from the expert jury for NIME 2011 (New Interfaces for Musical Expression, where I rocked the house in 2007, NYC). This year: Oslo.
————————— REVIEW 1 ————————–
PAPER: 124
TITLE: RADIO WONDERLAND
OVERALL RATING: 0 (borderline paper)
REVIEWER’S CONFIDENCE: 3 (high)
Originality of submission: 1 (not original)
Relevance to NIME: 2 (I don’t know)
Submission category: 3 (appropriate)
Earlier performances seems entertaining, and the artist performs with authority and humor – meeting and communicating with the audience in a convincing way.
Musically the performance follows the same recipe in both web examples, leaving the development in the music quit static in contradiction to the use of real time sampling. The musical result therefore seems quit predictable even thou the basis material is different every time.
Music technological the techniques used are well known.
The use of steering wheel and shoes to control different parameters are original, focusing more on the artistic than the technical value.
The performance is suited for a club performance
—————————- REVIEW 2 ————————–
PAPER: 124
TITLE: RADIO WONDERLAND
OVERALL RATING: 2 (accept)
REVIEWER’S CONFIDENCE: 3 (high)
Originality of submission: 3 (original)
Relevance to NIME: 2 (I don’t know)
Submission category: 3 (appropriate)
QUALITY: The performance is skilled, funny and a good reminder that many academic performance systems are somewhat pompous. I argue that the quality of presentation weights up for a somewhat simplistic performance interface.
ORIGINALITY: Work relates to both sound art using radio as source material and performance/media art as much as electric music. In a NIME context this might be considered original.
RELEVANCE:
CATEGORY: Club venue is good. Could also work in a concert hall situation as contrast to other program.
—————————- REVIEW 3 ————————–
PAPER: 124
TITLE: RADIO WONDERLAND
OVERALL RATING: 3 (strong accept)
REVIEWER’S CONFIDENCE: 3 (high)
Originality of submission: 3 (original)
Relevance to NIME: 3 (relevant)
Submission category: 3 (appropriate)
The piece features an alternate controller consisting in four shoes and one steering wheel. This contrasts with the usual high tech nature of new controllers and brings an ironic touch to the piece. The well controlled rythmic approach makes it particularly suited for the club venue. The staging of the piece has been particularly worked out to bring a theatrical dimension.
As a suggestion, the piece could be potientially improved in its unity if the FaderMix controller could be replaced by the same Wheel and shoes. Ultimately, they provide the same kind of information as the faders and butons of the FaderMix. Assigning them different functions during the performance would make possible to avoid redundant controllers.