1 00:00:02,260 --> 00:00:04,420 Georgia: Hello, hello, producer Georgia here. 2 00:00:05,150 --> 00:00:06,860 Georgia: In this month's archival episode, 3 00:00:07,460 --> 00:00:10,720 Georgia: we're gonna bring back an especially fun segment 4 00:00:11,060 --> 00:00:14,380 Georgia: made by me and guest producer, Luis Lopez. 5 00:00:15,420 --> 00:00:19,300 Georgia: Luis is an audio producer, a very online person, 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:21,660 Georgia: and one of my close friends. 7 00:00:22,610 --> 00:00:26,820 Georgia: And this episode was the product of weeks of conversations 8 00:00:26,820 --> 00:00:36,360 Georgia: he and I had had in TikTok DMs about this one kind of really bad sounding audio we kept coming across. 9 00:00:37,370 --> 00:00:44,300 Georgia: And I mean, the audio wasn't just bad. It was clipped completely, 10 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:53,160 Georgia: distorted beyond recovery, and so loud that you'd basically be completely screwed if you made the 11 00:00:52,820 --> 00:00:56,420 Georgia: a foolish decision to scroll your feed while wearing headphones. 12 00:00:57,840 --> 00:00:59,560 Georgia: Blowing out the microphone like this 13 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:04,019 Georgia: felt to us like this kind of mimetic language 14 00:01:04,420 --> 00:01:07,940 Georgia: in and of itself, the sonic equivalent of a keyboard smash. 15 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,640 Georgia: Luis and I called this phenomenon "burnt toast audio." 16 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,720 Georgia: And in this episode, you'll hear us come to that term, 17 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,660 Georgia: define it, and explore why anyone would 18 00:01:21,620 --> 00:01:24,480 Georgia: enjoy this kind of sonic affront in the first place. 19 00:01:25,500 --> 00:01:28,220 Georgia: And I'm pleased to say that Burt Toast Audio 20 00:01:28,420 --> 00:01:31,180 Georgia: is still very much out there. 21 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,300 Georgia: I hear it all the time. 22 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,260 Georgia: Honestly, I've been hearing a lot of new ways 23 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,440 Georgia: that people mess around with sound online. 24 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,180 Georgia: The latest thing I've noticed is that people will 25 00:01:44,620 --> 00:01:47,820 Georgia: intentionally place themselves too far away 26 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,800 Georgia: from their microphone, like this, 27 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,540 Georgia: and start yelling to make up for that space. 28 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:57,380 Georgia: They're almost always doing this 29 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,000 Georgia: while talking about something that's a little scandalous 30 00:02:01,380 --> 00:02:03,800 Georgia: or maybe ought to be whispered instead. 31 00:02:04,830 --> 00:02:09,200 Georgia: And I usually interpret this as a way of underlining your point 32 00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:11,520 Georgia: in like an exasperated way. 33 00:02:12,340 --> 00:02:15,020 Georgia: I hear that distance in their voice 34 00:02:15,470 --> 00:02:18,920 Georgia: and it feels like no matter what the person is saying, 35 00:02:19,660 --> 00:02:21,660 Georgia: What they're really trying to tell me is, 36 00:02:22,260 --> 00:02:24,520 Georgia: Jesus Christ, don't you get it already? 37 00:02:27,060 --> 00:02:30,880 Georgia: And I can hear a clear line between that 38 00:02:31,820 --> 00:02:32,840 Georgia: and burnt toast audio. 39 00:02:33,980 --> 00:02:36,700 Georgia: This new trend plays with sound in, granted, 40 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,400 Georgia: a less sonically brutal way. 41 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,400 Georgia: But in the two years since Luis and I created 42 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,400 Georgia: the concept of burnt toast audio, 43 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,580 Georgia: The desire to break out of the system 44 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:55,500 Georgia: of perfectly normal sonic experiences hasn't changed. 45 00:02:56,140 --> 00:02:58,840 Georgia: If anything, it's expanded 46 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,680 Georgia: because high quality sound remains something 47 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:09,360 Georgia: that is extremely reliably, even stubbornly available to us. 48 00:03:10,300 --> 00:03:14,239 Georgia: If we wanted to, we could make perfectly acceptable 49 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:15,940 Georgia: sounding stuff with our iPhones. 50 00:03:16,810 --> 00:03:17,680 Georgia: And many people do. 51 00:03:18,750 --> 00:03:21,980 Georgia: But when so much of our visual experience online 52 00:03:22,340 --> 00:03:26,300 Georgia: is digitally enhanced or smoothed or generated, 53 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,320 Georgia: sound still feels like the best way 54 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,280 Georgia: to add some grit and texture back in. 55 00:03:35,270 --> 00:03:37,760 Georgia: To say, fuck your levels. 56 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,100 Georgia: And crucially, RIP to headphone users. 57 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,340 Luis: We've been thinking about crappy audio on the internet. 58 00:03:56,180 --> 00:04:03,240 Luis: Crappy as in mediocre or amateur, audio that's been poorly recorded or poorly reproduced. 59 00:04:04,060 --> 00:04:07,280 Luis: Being online, you get exposed to a lot of it. 60 00:04:07,620 --> 00:04:10,880 Georgia: People record themselves way too close to the mic, 61 00:04:11,380 --> 00:04:14,740 Georgia: or in a noisy place, or outside when it's windy. 62 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,000 Georgia: Maybe they want to record something 63 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:18,680 Georgia: that's happening right now 64 00:04:19,220 --> 00:04:20,680 Georgia: so they don't set up their levels. 65 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:24,300 Georgia: There's a thousand reasons for audio to be bad, 66 00:04:24,810 --> 00:04:28,220 Georgia: and there are countless examples of bad audio online. 67 00:04:29,420 --> 00:04:30,720 Georgia: Give me a lot of snow in Iowa! 68 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,580 Clip: Charge your tablets, get your papers out of the bag, 69 00:04:33,580 --> 00:04:34,120 Clip: get everything! 70 00:04:34,420 --> 00:04:35,700 Clip: This is not your paper job. 71 00:04:35,620 --> 00:04:39,220 Clip: Is Papa John a person or is he just like a character? 72 00:04:39,220 --> 00:04:40,040 Clip: Oh my gosh! 73 00:04:40,260 --> 00:04:42,040 Clip: Oh my God, it looks so much like this in the picture. 74 00:04:42,140 --> 00:04:43,280 Clip: Not my books! 75 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:44,940 Clip: Apple is not a person! 76 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,340 Clip: You're not trouble to close right now! 77 00:04:48,380 --> 00:04:53,360 Luis: You hear it so much that it's easy for crappy audio to just become background noise. 78 00:04:54,300 --> 00:04:58,360 Luis: But as an audio producer, I'm thinking about audio all the time. 79 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:05,600 Luis: If I hear a mic that's clipping, if the voice starts to distort and create noise, I immediately 80 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,820 Luis: It's like a blurry picture. 81 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,900 Luis: In fact, there is a case to be made that it's better when it sounds bad. 82 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:15,040 Luis: It's doing something. 83 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,480 Luis: Something that it wouldn't do if the recording was clean. 84 00:05:19,820 --> 00:05:26,000 Luis: There is a desire for audio to clump, distort, degrade, totally against the rules. 85 00:05:26,710 --> 00:05:31,160 Luis: But this rule-breaking communicates an essential aspect of internet culture. 86 00:05:32,060 --> 00:05:33,500 Luis: Bad is good. 87 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,580 Luis: or at least certain flavors of bad are good. 88 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,220 Luis: ♪ Put your head on my shoulder ♪ 89 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:44,200 Georgia: So, listen along with me. 90 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,700 Georgia: You're sitting on the couch and scrolling TikTok, 91 00:05:48,220 --> 00:05:49,920 Georgia: sort of half paying attention. 92 00:05:50,900 --> 00:05:53,660 Georgia: The sound is just playing out of your iPhone speakers 93 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:58,000 Georgia: into the room, so the quality is already okay-ish. 94 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,420 Georgia: And this video pops up by a woman named Tiara Skye. 95 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:05,980 Clip: Hello, hello, it's the beach with the massive camel toe. 96 00:06:06,860 --> 00:06:10,200 Georgia: Tiara's whole thing is running up to people on the street 97 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:11,980 Georgia: at night with a microphone 98 00:06:12,540 --> 00:06:14,340 Georgia: and asking them unexpected questions 99 00:06:14,620 --> 00:06:15,820 Georgia: to catch them off guard. 100 00:06:16,060 --> 00:06:17,420 Clip: Are you gonna be at least being tonight? 101 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:19,000 Clip: I might be. 102 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:20,000 Clip: (laughing) 103 00:06:21,620 --> 00:06:24,220 Georgia: You watch a few and then you get 104 00:06:24,380 --> 00:06:26,520 Georgia: to this one particular video. 105 00:06:26,700 --> 00:06:28,260 Clip: Do you know who's the red black devil? 106 00:06:28,380 --> 00:06:30,140 Clip: Oh, sorry. 107 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,460 Georgia: Tiara is in a long red dress with a white fur coat. 108 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:38,420 Georgia: It's night and she's just approached a woman on the street. 109 00:06:39,430 --> 00:06:40,480 Georgia: The sound is already bad. 110 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,080 Georgia: Tiara is using this handheld corded microphone 111 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:49,220 Georgia: that seems to only pick up distorted rough sounding audio. 112 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:51,100 Clip: Can you say that to black people? 113 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:52,920 Clip: Oh, sorry. 114 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:55,500 Georgia: After being asked the question, 115 00:06:56,150 --> 00:06:57,820 Georgia: the girl hesitates and laughs. 116 00:06:58,580 --> 00:06:59,900 Georgia: She's definitely been put on the spot. 117 00:07:00,420 --> 00:07:01,340 Clip: Sorry. 118 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,220 Georgia: But then, Tiara decides to change the subject. 119 00:07:06,700 --> 00:07:07,880 Georgia: How are you doing today? 120 00:07:08,540 --> 00:07:12,580 Georgia: And that's when something really fabulous happens. 121 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,040 Clip: I'm feeling good because today is my birthday. 122 00:07:20,300 --> 00:07:21,020 Clip: Birthday! 123 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:22,300 Clip: Wow. 124 00:07:22,780 --> 00:07:26,840 Georgia: Tiara's voice just totally overpowers the technology. 125 00:07:27,820 --> 00:07:34,200 Georgia: It's like the mic just can't capture her full body exaltation about the fact that it's 126 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:35,360 Georgia: this girl's birthday. 127 00:07:36,250 --> 00:07:38,100 Luis: The mic doesn't just fail. 128 00:07:38,990 --> 00:07:40,140 Luis: It gives up. 129 00:07:41,070 --> 00:07:46,980 Luis: And the video abandons its original premise completely and becomes a masterful failure 130 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:48,320 Luis: in audio recording. 131 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,980 Luis: Individual syllables struggle to burst through the saturation. 132 00:07:53,780 --> 00:07:59,680 Luis: And if you close your eyes and focus only on the video's sound, it's like time stops. 133 00:08:00,790 --> 00:08:06,040 Luis: We get freeze frames of an outburst that never could have happened if the recording had gone 134 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:06,340 Luis: well. 135 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:07,620 Clip: Birthday! 136 00:08:09,539 --> 00:08:14,100 Clip: Happy birthday to you! 137 00:08:14,990 --> 00:08:18,060 Georgia: The clipping is what makes this video something. 138 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:24,980 Georgia: Just in case you need the numbers to prove it, this TikTok has been viewed 7.6 million 139 00:08:25,260 --> 00:08:29,320 Georgia: times and has been liked 1.8 million times. 140 00:08:30,050 --> 00:08:34,979 Georgia: And even the comments can't find the right way to express how that clipping makes them 141 00:08:35,099 --> 00:08:35,360 Georgia: feel. 142 00:08:36,380 --> 00:08:41,800 Georgia: So many of the comments on this video, and we're talking tens of thousands of comments, 143 00:08:42,659 --> 00:08:45,440 Georgia: so many of them use emoji more than text. 144 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:52,660 Georgia: It's like the clipping has broken not only audio recording but also written speech, as 145 00:08:52,660 --> 00:08:55,900 Georgia: if even that isn't sufficient to capture what's going on here. 146 00:08:56,780 --> 00:09:03,380 Georgia: This video is an especially good display of overloaded audio, but pretty much all of Tiara's 147 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:04,460 Georgia: videos sound distorted. 148 00:09:05,340 --> 00:09:11,160 Georgia: I don't know what kind of microphone she's using, but it's very good at recording bad 149 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:11,780 Georgia: audio. 150 00:09:12,560 --> 00:09:16,760 Georgia: Even if she's just talking, her voice is raggedy at the edges, 151 00:09:17,250 --> 00:09:19,440 Georgia: like the microphone could give up at any second. 152 00:09:21,020 --> 00:09:23,640 Georgia: But when other people speak, it sounds fine. 153 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,580 Georgia: And that tells us that she's not doing this by accident. 154 00:09:28,540 --> 00:09:31,320 Georgia: It's not the microphone, it's how she's using it. 155 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,060 Georgia: Tiara is holding the mic so close to herself 156 00:09:35,310 --> 00:09:38,220 Georgia: that it has no other option but to blow out. 157 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:40,540 Georgia: She wants it to sound bad. 158 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,820 Georgia: We can assume that. So why? 159 00:09:49,680 --> 00:09:52,920 Georgia: Well, because it means something to do that. 160 00:09:53,810 --> 00:09:58,440 Georgia: And she's not the only person who intentionally distorts what could be 161 00:09:58,610 --> 00:10:02,040 Georgia: quote unquote normal sounding audio to make it worse. 162 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,320 Georgia: It's a sound that's familiar to a lot of us on the internet. 163 00:10:06,570 --> 00:10:07,040 Clip: >> Bruh. 164 00:10:08,150 --> 00:10:10,060 Clip: >> And his name is John Cena. 165 00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:23,320 Luis: When we do get the decency of a warning before listening to anything like this, it'll usually 166 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,780 Luis: go something like RIP headphone users. 167 00:10:27,060 --> 00:10:33,280 Luis: Audio like this is shocking and discomforting at best, and dangerous and potentially harmful 168 00:10:33,330 --> 00:10:37,280 Luis: to our hearing in the worst cases, if we listen to it too loudly of course. 169 00:10:38,460 --> 00:10:44,440 Luis: And yet people make it and share it, and people listen to it for fun. 170 00:10:45,290 --> 00:10:52,120 Georgia: And the joy comes, at least in part, because this is so far beyond the scope of what could 171 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,200 Georgia: be considered regular or acceptable audio. 172 00:10:55,930 --> 00:11:01,620 Georgia: The entire point is to overwhelm you in the way that the audio equipment itself is being 173 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:02,120 Georgia: overwhelmed. 174 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:04,180 Georgia: It's too loud. 175 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:05,600 Georgia: It's too distorted. 176 00:11:06,540 --> 00:11:07,200 Georgia: It's too much. 177 00:11:08,260 --> 00:11:14,640 Luis: intentional over-cooking. We could compare it to deep-fried memes, these washed-out, 178 00:11:14,940 --> 00:11:20,440 Luis: grainy, and strangely colored images run through many filters and often accompanied by equally 179 00:11:20,540 --> 00:11:27,160 Luis: weird text, and they do have a lot in common. But we'd like to propose a different culinary term. 180 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:36,260 Luis: Burnt Toast Audio. But why burnt toast? And why would anyone find that appealing? 181 00:11:37,380 --> 00:11:42,400 Luis: Well, when you burn your last piece of toast and you have no other choice, that's breakfast, 182 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:42,940 Luis: I guess. 183 00:11:43,940 --> 00:11:49,400 Luis: It'll be wrong, and with every bite you'll be tasting how wrong it is, and no amount 184 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:54,360 Luis: of butter or jam can remove that lingering char from your mouth. 185 00:11:55,759 --> 00:11:59,860 Luis: Now, imagine you're served burnt toast every day for breakfast. 186 00:12:00,940 --> 00:12:02,920 Luis: Eventually, you'd get used to it. 187 00:12:03,460 --> 00:12:04,000 Luis: You'd have to. 188 00:12:05,260 --> 00:12:12,640 Luis: the burnt taste will never leave. It's there to stay, like the burn marks on the sound waves 189 00:12:12,820 --> 00:12:19,060 Luis: that redlined for too long. And after getting a taste of it again and again in your daily 190 00:12:19,170 --> 00:12:25,340 Luis: doom scroll, you realize that it's not so bad. And you're starting to like it. 191 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:34,940 Georgia: Then you start to seek it out. Burnt toast audio has a layer of intention to it. It's 192 00:12:34,740 --> 00:12:41,600 Georgia: either made to sound bad on purpose, or it's shared, with purpose, because it sounds bad. 193 00:12:42,370 --> 00:12:47,180 Georgia: The poor quality is what makes these clips funny, and it's what makes them meaningful. 194 00:12:50,660 --> 00:12:56,640 Luis: That relationship to intention is the key to all of this, because there is an inherent 195 00:12:56,820 --> 00:13:00,500 Luis: contradiction between the internet and those of us who use it. 196 00:13:01,620 --> 00:13:07,840 Luis: The internet offers immediacy, quantity in addition to and often in place of quality. 197 00:13:08,830 --> 00:13:14,300 Luis: And people value authenticity, something that statistically few things on the internet will 198 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:14,700 Luis: have. 199 00:13:15,700 --> 00:13:19,420 Luis: Although, of course, what counts as authentic is ultimately in the eyes of the beholder. 200 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:26,260 Luis: In any case, here you are with the tools at hand to record a piece of content and you're 201 00:13:26,300 --> 00:13:27,480 Luis: able to share it right away. 202 00:13:28,470 --> 00:13:29,340 Luis: And what's going to happen? 203 00:13:30,460 --> 00:13:35,900 Luis: Will you create content that follows professional standards or content that defies them? 204 00:13:37,060 --> 00:13:42,760 Georgia: For example, it's difficult to imagine something more immediate than live streaming. 205 00:13:43,590 --> 00:13:48,700 Georgia: And gamers who stream on Twitch have their own relationship to this burnt toast type 206 00:13:48,700 --> 00:13:49,220 Georgia: of audio. 207 00:13:49,980 --> 00:13:55,620 Georgia: Sure, they have a headset mic or whatever, but when they totally freak out when they 208 00:13:55,660 --> 00:13:59,739 Georgia: die in the game... 209 00:13:59,740 --> 00:14:07,580 Luis: it is again. A pristine high quality recording of this scream might be funny, but it wouldn't 210 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:16,880 Luis: have this burnt toast flavor to it. It wouldn't be of the internet. And we know audio distortion 211 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:23,240 Luis: is nothing new. Whole music genres exist because of how much we love distorting guitars. Voices 212 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:28,979 Luis: on the phone have gone from a nostalgic "leave your message" band pass filter to an uncanny 213 00:14:28,980 --> 00:14:32,300 Luis: warrable while the person on the other end finds better Wi-Fi. 214 00:14:33,300 --> 00:14:35,480 Luis: But that's not burnt toast audio. 215 00:14:36,500 --> 00:14:41,640 Luis: Because burnt toast audio is audio that is bad not only because the person who creates 216 00:14:41,860 --> 00:14:47,980 Luis: it knows it's bad or doesn't care, but because they expect the listener to understand the 217 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:49,560 Luis: badness as a choice. 218 00:14:49,980 --> 00:14:51,440 Luis: ♪ Pineapple upside down ya ♪ 219 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,460 Luis: ♪ In the toilet I make a brown ya ♪ 220 00:14:53,460 --> 00:14:55,420 Clip: ♪ At my wedding I won't wear a gown ya ♪ 221 00:14:55,420 --> 00:14:57,940 Clip: ♪ I would rather wear a lady gaga mattress ♪ 222 00:14:57,940 --> 00:14:59,140 Clip: ♪ Let's go ♪ 223 00:14:59,820 --> 00:15:02,720 Georgia: The point of a live stream is to grant access, 224 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:05,560 Georgia: to record yourself gaming for other people 225 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:07,160 Georgia: to watch you in real time. 226 00:15:07,900 --> 00:15:10,860 Georgia: And as a viewer, it feels like that level of access 227 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,520 Georgia: should come with a lack of artifice. 228 00:15:15,260 --> 00:15:15,740 Georgia: (screaming) 229 00:15:19,740 --> 00:15:23,240 Georgia: Even if someone streams professionally as their real job, 230 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,660 Georgia: it's still possible that they'll blow out their mic 231 00:15:26,980 --> 00:15:29,120 Georgia: in a moment of game-induced fury. 232 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,400 Georgia: And when that happens, it's a tell, 233 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:37,100 Georgia: like a reminder that this is a real person, a real emotion. 234 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:39,980 Georgia: It's letting you as the viewer in. 235 00:15:40,980 --> 00:15:43,920 Georgia: As the audience, we want that bad audio 236 00:15:44,100 --> 00:15:48,739 Georgia: because, in a way, it feels more real 237 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:49,680 Georgia: than other kinds of media. 238 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:51,280 Clip: Please, Ed. 239 00:15:52,100 --> 00:15:52,500 Clip: No! 240 00:15:52,580 --> 00:15:52,720 Clip: No! 241 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:54,260 Clip: I can't, I hate this. 242 00:15:54,260 --> 00:15:56,000 Clip: You see the day, see the day, 243 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,140 Clip: why are you walking back, you have to roll with steel! 244 00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:58,680 Clip: (laughing) 245 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:01,100 Clip: You're finally too slow. 246 00:16:02,199 --> 00:16:02,600 Clip: (mumbling) 247 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,360 Georgia: But what's desirable online 248 00:16:07,140 --> 00:16:09,440 Georgia: would be seen as an absolute failure 249 00:16:09,900 --> 00:16:12,800 Georgia: in other more traditional kinds of media. 250 00:16:13,399 --> 00:16:17,220 Georgia: Like, if a microphone blew out during the news broadcast, 251 00:16:17,940 --> 00:16:19,080 Georgia: That would be unprofessional. 252 00:16:19,780 --> 00:16:21,360 Georgia: It would be a mistake. 253 00:16:24,700 --> 00:16:28,600 Luis: And in this internet code, we crave mistakes. 254 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,320 Luis: We don't care that clipping may sound unprofessional 255 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:35,220 Luis: because what we're looking at is not professional, 256 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:37,080 Luis: at least not in the same way. 257 00:16:37,900 --> 00:16:40,040 Luis: A gamer on Twitch could be a millionaire, 258 00:16:40,620 --> 00:16:43,700 Luis: but they're using the tools of the internet to do their job. 259 00:16:44,660 --> 00:16:48,880 Luis: It's of the internet in a way that a news broadcast is not, 260 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:51,740 Luis: which means that in a certain way, 261 00:16:52,460 --> 00:16:54,680 Luis: this media prioritizes accessibility 262 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:59,220 Luis: over this more standard sheen of professionalism. 263 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,060 Luis: It's not hyper-produced, 264 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,000 Luis: and moreover, it can't seem to be hyper-produced. 265 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,880 Luis: Even if streamers have the best, most expensive equipment, 266 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:13,880 Luis: They can still give that DIY feel to their content. 267 00:17:14,819 --> 00:17:16,560 Luis: They make it look and sound 268 00:17:17,110 --> 00:17:19,819 Luis: like any of their followers could do the same thing 269 00:17:19,939 --> 00:17:21,640 Luis: with whatever tools they have at hand. 270 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:24,660 Luis: Not only does it contradict the rulebook, 271 00:17:25,380 --> 00:17:28,040 Luis: it exists for that very contradiction. 272 00:17:35,650 --> 00:17:39,479 Georgia: And that rejection isn't just a bratty response 273 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:41,420 Georgia: to pre-approved audio standards. 274 00:17:42,220 --> 00:17:45,360 Georgia: It comes with a very interesting weight to it. 275 00:17:46,260 --> 00:17:48,840 Georgia: In the essay "Rough Music, Futurism, 276 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,280 Georgia: and Post-Punk Industrial Noise Bands" 277 00:17:51,660 --> 00:17:53,300 Georgia: by Mary Russo and Daniel Warner, 278 00:17:53,900 --> 00:17:56,240 Georgia: they talk about this idea of challenging 279 00:17:56,460 --> 00:17:58,500 Georgia: the dominant code with something harsher. 280 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:01,840 Georgia: In that context, it was replacing sound, 281 00:18:02,500 --> 00:18:05,540 Georgia: something people want to hear, with noise, 282 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:08,400 Georgia: something people don't want to hear. 283 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:09,500 Georgia: (crickets chirping) 284 00:18:10,500 --> 00:18:12,980 Georgia: It might be a bit much to say 285 00:18:13,030 --> 00:18:15,160 Georgia: that blowing out a microphone by screaming, 286 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,180 Georgia: "Oh my God, happy birthday!" 287 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:22,760 Georgia: is some deliberate punk act of rejection of the status quo. 288 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,700 Georgia: But it is intentionally refusing the option 289 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:28,200 Georgia: of better sounding audio. 290 00:18:29,020 --> 00:18:30,920 Georgia: And there is joy to be found 291 00:18:31,010 --> 00:18:34,240 Georgia: in basically saying, "Fuck your levels." 292 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,980 Georgia: There's a desire to hear what we don't want to hear. 293 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,180 Georgia: There's this paradox. 294 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:42,760 Georgia: But in the essay, Russo and Warner 295 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:44,980 Georgia: mention a really interesting idea 296 00:18:45,140 --> 00:18:48,660 Georgia: of aestheticizing the tumultuous activities of modern life. 297 00:18:49,740 --> 00:18:52,940 Georgia: In other words, interpreting the chaotic nature 298 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,460 Georgia: of living in the world through a look, a vibe, 299 00:18:56,900 --> 00:18:58,540 Georgia: or in this case, a sound. 300 00:18:59,759 --> 00:19:02,959 Georgia: Brutto's audio is its own aestheticization 301 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:06,980 Georgia: of this very online internet forward feeling. 302 00:19:07,940 --> 00:19:10,280 Georgia: A lot of the sounds we've used here serve 303 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:12,280 Georgia: as these emotional shortcuts. 304 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:14,140 Georgia: ♪ Birthday ♪ 305 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,060 Georgia: These short form bite-sized memes 306 00:19:17,580 --> 00:19:19,840 Georgia: that can be used in place of writing out, 307 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:21,720 Georgia: this is how I feel when I see this. 308 00:19:21,780 --> 00:19:24,860 Clip: ♪ Happy birthday ♪ 309 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,440 Luis: There's a sort of real ones no situation here. 310 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:30,580 Luis: Not everyone will get it. 311 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:35,520 Luis: It's a kind of lexicon, an internet slang, so to speak. 312 00:19:36,900 --> 00:19:38,940 Luis: And beyond that, it takes the communication 313 00:19:39,220 --> 00:19:41,760 Luis: in our everyday online lives- 314 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,200 Luis: the voice notes, the TikToks, the threads- 315 00:19:45,220 --> 00:19:48,220 Luis: and throws them into the fire, scorching them to a crisp. 316 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:52,900 Luis: It's exaggeration to the point of destruction. 317 00:19:54,500 --> 00:19:56,020 Luis: It's beyond aesthetics. 318 00:19:57,300 --> 00:19:58,940 Luis: Like the comments on Tiara's video, 319 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:02,040 Luis: It's something that's hard to put into words. 320 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:05,840 Luis: It's almost anti-aesthetics. 321 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,760 Luis: It's fucked your aesthetics, aesthetics. 322 00:20:21,500 --> 00:20:23,680 Mike: That is the show we have for you this week. 323 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:25,680 Mike: We're gonna be back here in the main feed 324 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,840 Mike: on or around Thursday, June 18th. 325 00:20:29,220 --> 00:20:38,240 Mike: The 4th of July is coming up and to celebrate our nation's glorious 250th birthday, about 326 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:45,780 Mike: which we are deeply ambivalent, we are running a promotion for a limited time only and in 327 00:20:45,860 --> 00:20:55,200 Mike: celebration of the 4th of July, you can become a never post member for only $4 a month. 328 00:20:55,610 --> 00:20:57,200 Mike: Get in here while supplies last. 329 00:20:57,460 --> 00:20:58,140 Mike: Supplies are unlimited. 330 00:20:58,780 --> 00:21:00,620 Mike: Now this deal is in effect. 331 00:21:00,730 --> 00:21:02,760 Mike: This is our normal membership price act fast. 332 00:21:03,180 --> 00:21:09,100 Mike: Summer deals summer steals neverpo.st become a member today for four bucks a month. 333 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:18,680 Mike: Neverpost's producers are Audrey Evans at Georgia Hampton and the mysterious Dr. First 334 00:21:18,780 --> 00:21:19,360 Mike: name last name. 335 00:21:19,570 --> 00:21:21,420 Mike: Our senior producer is Hans Buto. 336 00:21:21,450 --> 00:21:24,720 Mike: Our executive producer is Jason Oberholzer and the show's host. 337 00:21:25,060 --> 00:21:26,620 Mike: That's me is Mike Ragnetta. 338 00:21:28,100 --> 00:21:33,680 Mike: Think of a moment when, far from the land, molested by a mile a minute wind, the ocean 339 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:40,940 Mike: starts to roll, then rear, then roar over itself, in rank on rank of waves. 340 00:21:42,460 --> 00:21:44,980 Mike: Excerpt of War Music by Christopher Loge. 341 00:21:46,340 --> 00:21:51,420 Mike: Post is a production of Charts and Leisure, and it's distributed by Radio Topia.