Matmos
For Alan Turing

Cover Image

September 2006

US CD Vague Terrain VAGUE6

  1. Enigma Machine For Alan Turing - [MP3]
  2. Messages From The Unseen World - [MP3]
  3. Cockles And Mussels - [MP3]

Drew Daniel - sampling, sequence, mix (1-3); radio (1); cracklebox (2); synthesizer (3); editing (1,2)
M.C. Schmidt - enigma machine, digital piano (1); Roland and Korg synthesizers (2); hurdy gurdy, vocoder (3)
Matthew Curry - enigma encryption, MAX patch (1)
David Tibet - voice (2)
Keith Fullerton Whitman - Dopefer analogue modular synthesizer (2)
Clodagh Simonds - voice (3)
Mark Lightcap - acoutsic guitar (3)
Blevin Blectum - violin (3)

Limited edition release sold at dates on the "The Rose Has Teeth In the Mouth of Beast" tour in September/October, 2006. Each copy is hand assembled and signed by Drew Daniel and M.C. Schmidt.

1. The Enigma machine featured on this song was recorded at Cryptography Research in San Francisco. We are grateful to Paul Kocher for granting us access to this fragile, historic object. MIDI information within the song is being encrypted by a MAX patch which hosts a java emulation of the Enigma machine's ecnryption process.

2. The text is taken from a series of postcards sent by Alan Turing to Robin Gandy before his suicide; each as titled "Messages from the Unseen World." Three have survived but the fourth was destroyed.

3. Faced with an imminent trial on charges of gross indecency, Alan Turing insisted upon playing "Cockles and Mussels" on the violin for the police officers who came to his home to take his statement.

This material was first commissioned by Dr. Robert Osserman and David Elsenbud of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute; it was first performed at the dedication ceremony of Shiing-Shan Chern Hall on March 3rd, 2006 for an audience of mathemeticians. Thanks to everyone who played on this reocrd, and to everyone at MSRI and Cryptography Research for their assistance.