If our technological devices ever develop enough sentience and agency to decide to rebel against the human race, I have no doubt that they would succeed. Technology has become a necessity in our lives, from smartphones that let us communicate and share in a variety of ways to robots that help us domestically by automatically detecting and eliminating messes, to GPS devices that ensure our safety by allowing parents to track their children (which is admittedly a nice step up from child leashes).
Technology has even infiltrated the arts simple 2-D cartoons on TV, such as "South Park," now use advanced animation software and feature-length films make extensive use of computer-generated imagery. Even music is moving towards a more technologically integrated state.
As it is there are already scores of bands that create electronic-based music, most often in the genres of house and techno. In recent years, however, artists have been merging electronic music with other types to form entirely new genres. Colorado duo 3OH!3 melds electronics, pop, punk and rap to create some sort of electro-crunk hybrid (which may or may not be an actual term). Groups like Enter Shikari and Horse the Band combine post-hardcore and metalcore with electronic sounds that are strongly reminiscent of old-school Nintendo games, resulting in a genre that has been brilliantly termed Nintendocore.
The use of electronics has also spread to and shaped larger, more mainstream genres. After Britney Spears' comeback in 2007 with her heavily electronic album "Blackout" and Lady Gaga's ascension to the throne of pants-less electro-pop queen two years later, mainstream pop music has seen an overwhelming surge of electronic and techno influences. Other major pop stars like Rihanna and Christina Aguilera have followed suit by incorporating a larger amount of electronic effects and releasing more dance-oriented tracks.
Beyond these general trends, listeners may notice a shift towards a more tech-heavy sound in the individual evolutions of many artists and groups. Thrice's music, for example, has developed from the rough-edged post-hardcore of their debut album to the more heavily produced, smoother sound of "Vheissu" (2005) and "The Alchemy Index" (2007-08), which employ synthesizers, keyboards and electronics. Similarly, Long Island's Brand New started out as a pop punk band and has moved closer and closer to a more industrial experimental sound with each record. "Daisy" (2009), their latest release, even digitally splices older recordings and audio into its tracks.
Of course it's reasonable to assume that the longer a band has been working and the more successful it has become, the more resources it will have. Access to new equipment, better studios and veteran producers certainly does account for the more produced sound some bands acquire later down the line.
Yet the choice to add electronic elements to a band's arsenal of instruments or even replace instrumental parts with electronic ones can have a significant impact on an artist's music and fans' reception of it.
Bloc Party's third album, "Intimacy" (2008), is a far cry from the spontaneous-sounding guitar riffs that characterize their debut. The layered techno beats and extensive use of synths in the majority of the tracks had many fans begging Bloc Party to pick their guitars back up and return to their roots.
Other artists have turned to electronic equipment and technology to alter their singing. When used selectively and sparingly, this can create an exciting effect that enhances the song. When completely abused (see: Kanye West, T-Pain), it just annoys listeners and prompts YouTube users to target those artists in parodies and satires.
At least one good thing has come out of T-Pain's exorbitant use of Auto-Tune the "I Am T-Pain" iPhone app. Now anyone can produce decent but clearly altered singing talent not required just like your favorite music stars!
While Kanye West and T-Pain do not hide their use of Auto-Tune or if they are trying, they're doing a terrible job there have been allegations that some artists (like Taylor Swift) use Auto-Tune in the studio or on stage to correct their pitch and enhance their voices. Vocal enhancement software and other studio tricks cast doubt on how much of the music we listen to was created by the artists we love and how much was created by the equipment they use.
Technology is clearly an important part of our lives and can certainly be incorporated into art and music in innovative ways. The problem, however, occurs when artists rely too heavily on equipment to the extent that anyone playing around on GarageBand with access to the "I Am T-Pain" iPhone app could feasibly create the same thing.
While technological applications will surely continue taking over tasks previously done by humans, I hope music does not become one of them. As someone who has taken the "Terminator" movies very seriously, this would not bode well at all.
