“Say hello to my first obsession of 2020: "King of Thumbs," a selection from Reality Rounds, a new album by the composer and vocalist Alex Dowling. I find this realization of a cybernetic vocal consort – created by four singers individually equipped with AutoTune and other effects, and synthesizer accompaniment – completely mesmerizing.” (Steve Smith - Night after Night)

“The piece is heavily emotive for being so nontraditional, evoking feelings of Radiohead-levels of alienation without the density that accompanies their pieces. The beginning of the piece aspires to heights, while the conclusion sends the vocalists tumbling down; the spare, unusual lyrics accompany these patterns in atypical but clear ways. Very interesting work. Highly recommended.” (Independent Clauses)

“The choir is simply amazing, ethereal to the point of transcendence. The result is uncanny, an effortless virtuosic performance that blends the best of cold digitization with the comfort of heavenly progressions.”

After years of experimenting with electronic vocal effects to extend the capabilities of the voice, Irish composer Alex Dowling has released his debut album, Reality Rounds, on Carrier Records. Written for ‘AutoTune choir’ and synthesizer, the work was performed live by four singers, each controlling their own vocal effects in real-time. The innovative use of effects allows for a stunning array of sounds from rapid flickering textures to unusual tunings that would be impossible for a normal choir to sing. Breaths build into propulsive rhythms by imprinting amplitude modulation on the singers’ voices (Channeling II) and two-voice hocketing with delayed harmonizers forms complex interlocking patterns (God Rays).

Influenced by the writings of Yuval Noah Harari, Reality Rounds is a future ritual of ‘Dataism’, a new religion that worships the eternal flow of data. The performers’ voices are digitally extended beyond their physical boundaries allowing them to connect with the information stream and become imbued with its spiritual presence. To begin, a form of séance is enacted where the performers chant symbolic playing cards in order to connect with the Great Data Flow. From this, streams of information cascade through the singers creating a swirling blend of thoughts from the mundane to the profound, like fragmented memories ricocheting in the subconscious. They give praise for the vast data centers that sit underground like inverted cathedrals (‘Room 48 and the Citadel in Reno’ in Atoms), and sing hymns for Instagram filters (Vesper) and the fear of isolation (In Silence, In Cold).

Reality Rounds was recorded and filmed live at Princeton University in early 2019. Released January 31, 2020 Singers: Emma O'Halloran, Annika Socolofsky, Chris Douthitt, Alex Dowling Synth: Pascal Le Boeuf Produced, Mixed, and Mastered by Alex Dowling