There was a time when the internet was mostly silly technology experiments. Where that it worked at all was the win. All the projects were primarily for delight of the creator and delight for others. There was no advertising. No polish. Simply a neopunk aesthetic of “let’s just do it, it’ll be fun.” As the internet has matured and my own children have occasionally referred to me as ‘Mr Business Business’. I’ve longed for a more unstable time, a more optimistic time, a more experimental time.
I thank the creators of the projects below for showing me the we can have internet silliness in 2024.
Bop Spotter
Heard of ShotSpotter? Microphones are installed across cities in the United States by police to detect gunshots, purported to not be very accurate. This is that, but for music. This is culture surveillance. No one notices, no one consents. But it’s not about catching criminals. It’s about catching vibes.
Dookie Demastered
THE ALBUM THAT EXPLODED PUNK ROCK 30 YEARS AGO, RE-EXPLODED ONTO OBSCURE, OBSOLETE, AND INCONVENIENT FORMATS.