Hear the Otherworldly 'Choir' of Singing Beechwood Dolls by Teenage Engineering
Briefly

Teenage Engineering has launched the Choir, a collection of linkable digital speakers designed as charming wooden characters. The lineup features eight different figurines, each possessing a unique vocal range. These beechwood speakers can operate for three to four hours and connect via Bluetooth to create a cohesive audio experience. The Choir can play pre-recorded music and produce original compositions when connected to a MIDI keyboard. Composer Rob Simonsen incorporated the Choir in his film project Elio, highlighting its ability to deliver otherworldly sounds that blend the electronic and human experience.
We were looking for an otherworldly sound-something that sounded relatable, that echoed vocalizations (and) communication that humans could understand but felt like it was from another world. I came across these Choir dolls and heard their sound. It was beautiful-electronic, but human. Each body is handcrafted. They have a robotic but organic sound at the same time. It felt like a perfect answer to what we were looking for.
The Choir can perform prerecorded compositions or, with the assistance of a midi keyboard linked via BLE, belt out original tunes. The effect is a kind of unearthly, alluring audio that wavers between human and digital sounds.
Read at Colossal
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