Chris Otchy - Recursive (2020)

The fourth full-length from media artist Chris Otchy sees his most daring to date. A step beyond his usual ambient output, Recursive toys with percussion and improvisation in a way that mirrors its contextual narrative. Centred on the algorithms that shape our lives, from our internet searches to our media consumption, the album is composed of various algorithms constructed by Chris himself.

“In my previous albums, I tuned into the natural rhythms around us—the tides, the seasons, the cycles of the moon,” Otchy remarks. “This time I wanted to comment on the algorithms that shape our lives. From Netflix recommendations to the results of a Google search, we rely on algorithms to make decisions for us. That which the algorithms favor blossoms; that which they ignore withers. They are a force that rivals nature in shaping our society.”

The title Recursive is also a reference to a specific type of algorithm, that which defines a problem by referring to itself. “The self-referential nature of a recursive algorithm seemed oddly appropriate to our selfie-centric, social media-obsessed world.”

Mastered by Ghostly International champion Christopher Willits, the entire piece resonates with an unrestrained yet connected sound. The freedom of its composition is tapered by its reliance on technology, thereby pointing to its present day reference.