Alex McLean
slab.org
Alex McLean
@slab.org
Researcher + musician based in Sheffield UK https://slab.org/
Co founder of algorave, toplap, algomech, pattern club, strudel, tidalcycles
Part of Then Try This https://thentrythis.org/
Exploring algorithmic patterns https://algorithmicpattern.org/
Pinned
Hello! I'm Alex. You can mainly find me over on post.lurk.org/@yaxu
Reposted by Alex McLean
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.
December 25, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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 […]
Original post on post.lurk.org
post.lurk.org
December 20, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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"
December 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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.
Compassion through algorithms volume III, by algorave
55 track album
algorave.bandcamp.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:09 AM
The Alpaca festival (on algorithmic patterns in the creative arts) aftermovie and photography now live on our website ! 2025.algorithmicpattern.org/sheffield/
Alpaca Festival – Alpaca 2025
2025.algorithmicpattern.org
November 26, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Live code stream for Palestine, ~96 performances over 24 hours.
Starts at midnight UTC
eulerroom.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:30 PM
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
November 20, 2025 at 11:10 PM
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 !
SOUNDS OF NOW: KONNAKOL, DRUM KIT & CODE
SOUNDS OF NOW: KONNAKOL, DRUM KIT & CODE - Music in the Round %
musicintheround.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 9:56 AM
A bit annoying that free/open source communities are almost all hosted by a closed source platform owned by microsoft AI who use it to IP-wash all those projects by training LLMs.. While also supporting genocide etc. An awful situation that we need to move away from ASAP. [1/2]
October 23, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Reposted by Alex McLean
"Have you ever watched a very tired person typing" - now in stereo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZmuSekEoko
October 7, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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
Endosymbiotic Computation: Unlearning Alpaca, and Why Dissipation Is Key - Shintaro Miyazaki
YouTube video by Algorithmic Pattern
youtu.be
October 4, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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
September 29, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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...
Tracks - Algorave - Komplette Sendung | ARTE
Sie bestimmen, was ihr auf Social Media zu sehen bekommt, mit wem ihr das nächste Date habt oder auch die Marke eures zukünftigen Turnschuhs… Schwer vorstellbar also, dass Algorithmen aus dem techno-k...
www.arte.tv
September 7, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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/
September 6, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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/
September 3, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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/
August 30, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
This is some of the hardest shit I've seen in my life
August 28, 2025 at 6:42 AM
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/
August 30, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
enjoyed this month's pattern club radio - some amazing music & an interesting (hopeful, inspiring) discussion of human-centered algorithms

www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/pc...
Pattern Club Radio - 27 July 2025
Sheffield's Pattern Club presents a monthly selection of pattern-based music alongside discussions and interviews with artists working across heritage and algorithmic arts. For more information visit ...
www.mixcloud.com
July 30, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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/
Mixcloud
www.mixcloud.com
August 22, 2025 at 7:06 PM
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
Alpaca 2025 – Algorithmic Patterns in the Creative Arts
2025.algorithmicpattern.org
August 21, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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]
August 12, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Reposted by Alex McLean
seeing increasing numbers of people shift their projects away from Github - this announcement makes that choice seem far-sighted.
GitHub is no longer independent at Microsoft, as CEO Thomas Dohmke resigns. GitHub is now moving to Microsoft's AI engineering team, CoreAI, with a new structure for GitHub's leadership team. Details 👇 www.theverge.com/news/757461/...
GitHub is no longer independent at Microsoft after CEO resignation
GitHub will be part of Microsoft’s AI engineering team
www.theverge.com
August 11, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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...
‘A deadly scheme’: Palestinians face indiscriminate gunfire at food sites
Investigation based on visual evidence, bullets, medical records and testimony appears to show sustained pattern of Israeli shootings
www.theguardian.com
August 10, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Reposted by Alex McLean
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/
Alpaca Festival Sheffield – Alpaca
2025.algorithmicpattern.org
July 27, 2025 at 1:49 PM