In algorave, musicians take responsibility for the music — not the software

A defining philosophical stance of the algorave community is that performers do not credit their tools with creativity. The algorithm is a means, not an agent: the human coder is accountable for every aesthetic choice. This stance distinguishes algorave from narratives about ‘AI music’ or ‘self-generating systems’ — the code does what the performer tells it (even if the results surprise). This is also a practical performance ethic: if it sounds bad, you can’t blame the software. The principle shapes how algorave culture positions itself toward AI-generated music.

Examples

A performer who says ‘my algorithm made this’ is resisting the algorave ethic. A performer who says ‘I wrote code that generates rhythms and I’m shaping them in real time’ exemplifies it.

Assessment

Write a one-paragraph artist statement for an algorave performance that correctly expresses the human-responsibility principle without understating the role of the algorithm.