Alex McLean

Hello! I'm Alex. You can mainly find me over on post.lurk.org/@yaxu

There's still time to propose something for our festival of algorithmic patterns in the creative arts alpaca.cc/call/

Sorry I accidentally wrote three Post-AI thinkpieces * What happens post-AI slab.org/2026/10/19/w... * What is post-AI slab.org/2026/10/25/w... * Humane post-AI policy for live coding software development slab.org/2026/10/27/h...

Our festival on Algorithmic Patterns in the Creative Arts is happening in Sheffield 6-9th May 2027! For emerging details including our open call for performances, talks and workshops please see the festival website here: alpaca.cc

If you like making patterns then you might be interested in the open call for performances, conference talks and workshops for the Alpaca Festival on Algorithmic Patterns in the Creative Arts, happening in Sheffield UK. alpaca.cc/call/

If you like making patterns then you might be interested in the open call for performances, conference talks and workshops for the Alpaca Festival on Algorithmic Patterns in the Creative Arts, happening in Sheffield UK. alpaca.cc/call/

Got a few gigs coming up in Sheffield this September including #elevate #algorave at factory floor on the 17th 🤟 #pigssamplelungs #sleepsang #glasz #vernondelph #psi

Disappointing to see so many high ranking UK academics sign this petition in support of white supremacist academic Nathan Cofnas https://johnarmstrongmaths.com/openletters/letter.php?campaign=cofnas I've written to the two Sheffield-based signatories, sharing this counter letter which is […]

I'm going back to that London for a party 16th Sept 2026, it's going to be really good https://gel.now/events/849 Top lineup of live coders! Too many in fact so we decided to make some software to switch between them automatically so we stay EXACTLY on time, 20 minute sets each. Then this […]

we are planning the most ridiculous algorave night thing

Someone had just emailed me on a Friday night to ask if I have any thoughts to share on AI in digital govt and I think my answer is that we should focus on making basic services work for everyone and stop worrying about AI

Maintaining a project on microsoft/azure github seems as bad as maintaining a profile on X It's bonkers that we let the free/open source community get so comprehensively captured by closed source, inhumane corporate tech. If your community on there doesn't have an exit plan, it might be worth […]

Tour done ! Our final epiploke tour date in Lyon was probably the most banging https://www.youtube.com/live/414h7Vqk2r8?t=20620s

Grrrnd zero algorave is streaming live from Lyon, France all night long https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=414h7Vqk2r8

This from Stockhausen is remarkable in a couple of ways.. First it closes his book and clearly he felt it was important, but as far as I know dancing is completely absent from computer music/electroacoustic education institutions that otherwise laud Stockhausen […] [Original post on post.lurk.org]

the live coding scene is 100% the thing that has made me most excited over the last couple of years: seeing people perform actually live music with computers, as free as jazz, freer, showing their screen, sharing what they're doing with an audience who understand what they're doing has felt so...

An excerpt from a tidal cycles live coding music set performance video by me Performing the first track from the released "Shimmering Blossom" album in 2026. Album available on Bandcamp: Rangga Purnama Aji Full video on YouTube: youtu.be/7x-n7bUk3Iw?... #algorave #livecoding

Uzu microgrant open call 2026! Thanks to the generosity of all the contributors to the opencollective, we are able to open this call for development of uzu langs including funding community building events and other activities, and giving grants for software development work already contributed […]

Fuck you people. Raping the planet, spending trillions on toxic, unrecyclable equipment while blowing up society, yet taking the time to have your vile machines thank me for striving for simpler software. Just fuck you. Fuck you all. I can't remember the last time I was this angry.

Hi @tidalcycles + @strudel people! If you'd like to support + encourage software and community development of Strudel, Tidal and sibling projects, now would be great time! https://opencollective.com/tidalcycles This software is shared as free/open source with love, and created and supported […]

Also a bummer considering the original algorave in 2011 cautioned that the point wasn't just generating pieces with minimal input -- "algorave musicians don’t pretend their software is being creative, they take responsibility for the music they make, shaping it using whatever means they have"

Released today, "Compassion through algorithms volume III" - a huge 55 track album full of really great music and noise from the live coding/algorithmic music community, fundraising to support Palestinian health, dignity and culture. Buy it today (name your price!) and bandcamp will waive their fee.

The Alpaca festival (on algorithmic patterns in the creative arts) aftermovie and photography now live on our website ! 2025.algorithmicpattern.org/sheffield/

Live code stream for Palestine, ~96 performances over 24 hours. Starts at midnight UTC eulerroom.com

London ! I'll be playing at the last ever @algorave.com at Corsica Studios this Wednesday 26th Nov before they close the doors for good, amongst a top multi-generational line-up of live coders + co. Come down if you're nearby! ra.co/events/2280905

Diving into final rehearsals for this gig in Sheffield this Saturday with the incredible percussionists B C Manjunath and Matt Davies musicintheround.co.uk/events/sound... Come over if you're nearby !

"Have you ever watched a very tired person typing" - now in stereo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZmuSekEoko

How to imagine computation without the malicious tech of our imperial way of life? I talked about this at a hybrid keynote for ALPACA2025 on „Endosymbiotic Computation“. I am definitely out of practice to talk freely in EN ;-) youtu.be/eRhgtwtkYv8?... thanks @slab.org @federicovisi.bsky.social

Honored to be prominently discussed in this #esolang podcast which raises some of the most critical questions in the space and covers a LOT of material in its nearly two hours

nice #livecoding #algorave documentary from Arté - ie live music and visuals coding performances also featuring @slab.org here :) in German www.arte.tv/de/videos/12... in French www.arte.tv/fr/videos/12...

Just a few days until Alpaca Festival Sheffield ! Three busy days of music, talks and workshops in this new festival exploring algorithmic patterns in the creative arts. Limited capacity with workshops selling out fast, and concerts+'rave not too far behind.. 2025.algorithmicpattern.org/sheffield/

can't wait for this, pattern-based music being my favourite thing.. + nervous excitement: i'm going to try a 'from scratch' kind of set using benny...

Less than two weeks to go until Alpaca festival Sheffield + we just added @jamesholden.bsky.social to the club night full of pattern-based music on the 13th Sept. It's going to be a special one and if you are nearby I think you should definitely join us. 2025.algorithmicpattern.org/sheffield/

enjoyed this month's pattern club radio - some amazing music & an interesting (hopeful, inspiring) discussion of human-centered algorithms www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/pc...

We recorded our @patternclubsheffield radio show not realising that resonance FM is on a summer break. So we uploaded it here please have a listen! https://www.mixcloud.com/patternclub/pattern-club-radio-24-august-2025/

Alpaca festival on algorithmic patterns is coming up 12-20 Sept, starting with a huge diversity of top notch pattern-based music + crafts in Sheffield, plus dozens of online talks with watch parties in Barcelona, Berlin, Linz + Sheffield. Full info +tickets: 2025.algorithmicpattern.org

We're excited to be hosting Alpaca conference from 12-20th September 2025, with a huge range of talks, workshops and performances exploring algorithmic patterns in the creative arts. Algorithms aren't just about computers, they're also used to make […] [Original post on social.thentrythis.org]

seeing increasing numbers of people shift their projects away from Github - this announcement makes that choice seem far-sighted.

Something has gone very wrong with British politics that almost 500 of people have been arrested at a Palestine Action protest, when we should be standing collectively as a society against the cruelty and devastation on the ground in Palestine www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

Sheffield! Tickets now available for our festival Alpaca happening 12-14th September.. Join us for some extra patterny concerts, workshops, talks and (of course) algorave. It's going to be a lot of fun, don't forget your tickets: 2025.algorithmicpattern.org/sheffield/