Crosstide for computer realized sound is a work for choreographer Rebecca Chisman. Most of the sound for the piece comes from recordings done in my kitchen, from various mixers and food processors to my microwave popping corn.
Using these sounds, I wanted to try and juxtapose the rhythms of the machines (including the computer itself) interacting with organic material (presenting rhythmic ideas that tend to be more chaotic). The unpredictability of the organic sounds themselves become predictable to an extent. As an example, though you can never tell when the next kernel of corn may pop, you know that the rhythm of the pops will gradually increase. Yet the relentless rhythm of the machines is never truly constant, since, if given enough time, all machines eventually fail. These mechanical failures which occur, usually after countless flawless executions of a task, are the ones that are most disconcerting.