From The Telegraph, July 28, 2009:

The evolution of pop music could be set to take another turn with the introduction of Cybraphon, a machine that plays different music depending on its mood. Cybraphon spends its day surfing the internet, looking at Google and its own Facebook page, every website hit it gets the happier it becomes. The machine was created by avant-garde musical collective Found who teamed up with Professor Simon Kirby from Edinburgh University.

Professor Kirby said: “The obvious question is – what makes Cybraphon happy? 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Cybraphon is online surfing Google, looking at its Facebook page, counting website hits. Whenever it gets someone visiting its web page it will cheer up, and whenever it gets extra friends on Facebook, that will make it happy. However, Cybraphon is insecure – it just wants more and more fame and publicist and if that rate of publicity falls, it will get upset again, in that way it’s basically a model of a modern Indie band.” […]

Cybraphon Demo Song from Cybraphon on Vimeo.

Cybraphon is the latest project from Edinburgh-based artist collective FOUND.

Cybraphon is funded by the Alt-w Production Award administered by New Media Scotland and will be unveiled at the Edinburgh Arts Festival on 5 August 2009 in Inspace Gallery (Inspace, Crichton Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AB).

On 13 August from 8 pm, there will be a special event at the gallery where FOUND will talk about the making of Cybraphon and then perform live in a head-to-head battle of the bands with their creation. To book your free place go to cybraphon.eventbrite.com.