IN THIS ERA OF THE POST-FRIVOLOUS, WHAT IS CONTEMPORARY ELECTRONIC MUSIC WORTH IF IT IS NOT ALSO A TREATISE ON THE VALIDITY OF ITS OWN EXISTENCE? A TALISMANIC DIAGRAM, EMPHASISING AND RE-EMPHASISING ITS OWN RELEVANCE? WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO OPTIMISE OUR MACHINES. WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO LEAVE THE PENCIL MARKINGS IN? OR BETTER STILL, TO SKETCH IN PEN, AND THEN MAKE THE FINAL, CLEAN-EDGED MARKINGS IN PENCIL?

SOMEWHERE AN OLD SERVER RACK IS RUSTING TO BITS. BEHIND THE LAYER OF WHAT WAS ONCE UNIFORM AND PRISTINE, YOU SEE THE THING'S GUTS TUMBLING OUT, THE INSCRUTABLE MECHANICS WITHIN. SOMEONE CYCLES BY, DISTRACTED BY A GLIMPSE, HITS THE KERB AND FLIES OVER THE HANDLEBARS. THEY ARE SLASHED BY THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT, THEIR GUTS TUMBLING OUT. THE SHOT TASTEFULLY MOVES CLOSER, IN SLOW MOTION, AND AN OPERATIC SWOOP LENDS ITS GRAVITAS TO THE MOMENT. THE IMAGE BULGES, AND THE SILVER SCREEN BURSTS OPEN, ITS GUTS TUMBLING OUT. HERE, IN THIS SPACE, WHERE INTERROGATION IS ENCOURAGED, THE GUTS CAN BE EXAMINED UP CLOSE. PULL THEM TIGHT TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE INDIVIDUAL SAMPLES MAKING THEM UP. WE MAKE A CUT. WE DISPENSE WITH THE FORMALITY OF FADES - NO TIME FOR ALL THAT IN AN EMERGENCY.

THE SPEAKER STRUGGLES TO GRAPPLE WITH THESE SUDDEN CHANGES, BUT IT ISN'T UGLY OR UNWANTED; HERE, IN THIS HEROIC MOMENT, IT IS TENDER AND SYMPATHETIC. THE WOUND IS CAUTERISED BY A HYPER-FOCUSED BEAM OF LIGHT, CONTROLLED BY A COMPUTER THAT HAS TAUGHT ITSELF HOW TO SOLVE A SPECIFIC PROBLEM. OUR THIRST FOR TUMBLING GUTS HAS US FEELING WANTONLY SLASHY NOW, BUT NO GUTS ARE FORTHCOMING THIS TIME, FEELING OUR WAY THROUGH A DENSE HAZE, FROM WHICH EVERY NOW AND AGAIN IMPRESSIONS OF VOICES EMERGE AND RECEDE. THERE IS NO MEANING HERE, BUT IF WE CAN TURN OFF THE REVERB ON THE COMPUTER'S IMPRESSION OF HUMANS, IT WILL REVEAL A HUMAN'S IMPRESSION OF COMPUTERS.

LIL REPLICA WILL KEEP SLASHING.
LIL REPLICA WILL SHOW THEIR WORKING.
LIL REPLICA WILL SPILL THEIR GUTS.
LIL REPLICA WILL EDIT AND RE-EDIT.
LIL REPLICA WILL BOUNCE IN PLACE.
LIL REPLICA WILL REJECT THE PREMISE.
LIL REPLICA IS WORTH IT.