ALPHA by Julien Bayle

ALPHA is the codename of an audio-visual performance by Julien Bayle.

It involves sounds, visuals and algorithmic sequencing providing a unique experience for the audience in which sounds and visuals are melting into a dense, coherent and minimalistic artwork matter.

From physical approach of the sound to customized algorithmic sequencers controlled in real-time on stage, ALPHA a/v live performance explores sounds and visuals fields and how one is related to the other by pushing and moving limits or walls between these creative fields.

Architecture is also both a big influence for the visuals and even the composition. Indeed, brutalism movement is one of the main source of inspiration of the artist who tries to import the underlying concepts into his own art, whatever it can be between sound, music, visual form & data interpretation.

ALPHA is designed to be experienced in electronic music and digital arts festival and can be proposed with a masterclass/workshop with Julien Bayle.

Artistic Research
Bored by rigid sequencers and already-made sequences, Julien Bayle pushes the limit of electronic music live performance a step further by using his own software-sequencers on stage. These sequencers can be tweaked in real-time and offer a wide range of possibilities from sequences generation, alteration, modifications, morphing between parameters and more. Then, live performances can be unique and different each time they are played.

Visuals are also generated from the sound itself. It means that each live performance shows different set of visuals. However, a coherent and strongly radical artwork is shown each time, representing the Julien Bayle’s minimalism and offering a strong synaesthetic experience where the audience can feel constantly the relationship between sound and visuals. The visual system is designed with the idea of evolutivity in mind. The global framework can store presets that can be understood as styles. Julien designs new styles of visuals almost constantly from a performance to another and then ALPHA evolve progressively.

Technical bits
ALPHA is based on a Max/MSP custom data visualization system designed especially for it. It makes a deep analysis of multichannel sound in real-time and the result disturbs a very basic set of lines displayed on the screen. ALPHA’s sound generation is based on programmable software-sequencers.

The whole system can then generate massive and very dynamic flow of lines interrupting, moving, changing, exploring moiré et simpler effect only driven by superposition and offset.