Mix a Cantopop cocktail with Henry Chu’s special recipe. Canto Cocktail is a karaoke generator that uses computational algorithms to compose new medleys based on excerpts of 120 Cantopop songs. Drawing on shared cultural memories, it offers an affectionate commentary on this popular genre. The project also reflects the increased use of machines for music-making and hints at a future era when computers can be creators rather than just tools.

Read Wong Chi Chung's written response to the work here.

About the artist

Henry Chu is a Hong Kong–based designer, programmer, and media artist. He graduated from the Electrical and Computer Engineering programme at the University of Auckland and founded pill & pillow in 2004. The independent studio has won more than 170 local and international awards including recognition at the Cannes Lions, Webby, and One Show. His iPad music app Squiggle was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. He has been a speaker at Business of Design Week, TEDxKowloon, and TEDxTaipei.

Henry Chu’s Canto Cocktail is commissioned for M+’s series of digital commissions, exploring online creative practices that sit at the intersection of visual culture and technology.