800x art

the Justin Bieber teenpop anthem Smile apparently is the source material for Echoes Across the Astral Wastelands by Photon Wave Orchestra, a beautiful haunting 35 minute soundscape.

apparently, pwo applied a 800% slowdown to render their work. Burkazoid, a user on Audioboo, seems to have put the nail in the coffin publishing what he claims is 800% speed up of Echoes... of course, i am downloading my own copy to slow and verify and before the take-down notices appear :)

the questions here are explosive and a fascinating test of IP law and authorship. it is pretty obvious that the two pieces have completely different base audiences. i think one could even make the argument that the new piece is going to drive the consumption of both materials. i, for one, would have never listened to the poptart's song if it weren't for the discovery.

so if we were manipulated by leaked information to drive an internet meme, the music industry wins because they got me to listen to the consumerist lament(not to mention the free advertisement they are getting right now)! if the source of Echoes was never discovered, it would be a niche piece; listened to and appreciated by those of us who listen to the ambient genre.

my opinion: i believe Echoes Across the Astral Wastelands is a separate entity, influenced heavily by the pop music, and the existence of which 'economically' and popularly benefits both pieces by the popular noise it is creating. brilliant!