Enhanced CDs are a great idea: music and cool stuff on one disc. But most of them suck. Thankfully, some clever souls are hard at work creating bona fide art for the format.
It is the first enhanced CD from the people at Think Electric, a graphic design and multimedia firm in London. The disc is chock-full of clever time-wasters ideally suited for those situations when you find yourself staring blankly at the computer screen.
The CD-ROM segments are interactive oddities. More often than not a click of the mouse sets a mysterious action in motion. One section features a screen of guitars that opens up to reveal layer upon layer of an ambient suite. Half the fun is searching for ways to escape a section; when you get back to the main screen you feel like patting yourself on the back. The three music tracks, by obscure bands such as Bonjour Monsieur Basie, range from experimental electronics to ambient jazz.
Think Electric promises regular installments. My mind wanders at the thought.
Scott Taves
It enhanced CD for Mac and PC: US$11.99. Think Electric: +44 (0181) 960 1319, fax +44 (0181) 964 3457, email rcm@channel.co.uk.
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