Rill Sound
Bruce Blay, 2026
Five small instruments for music and moving images. Voice, Synth, Mallet, and Drums make pieces that develop as they play; World reshapes field recordings into slowly changing environments. A melody shifts, a pattern returns with a difference, a familiar sound finds a new setting.
The project draws on Brian Eno’s generative music, Björk’s Biophilia, Cyma Forma’s RND synth, and Zach Lieberman’s daily sketches. Their influence appears in the use of simple rules, chance, and repetition to make work that keeps unfolding. Sound and image have room to move independently, finding combinations that weren’t fixed in advance.
The Stick S3’s small screen, built-in speaker, and few buttons set the scale of the work. A tap starts a new piece; a shake changes the visual or environment. Those limits leave space for listening and watching, with just enough control to change direction. Each instrument runs on the device without a network connection. This browser version runs the instruments’ own sound and visual software, making the work available without the hardware.
For composed music made with better instruments, check out Melting Season on Spotify or Bandcamp.
Get one ready to play
Preflashed Stick S3s may be offered: one instrument, a pair, or four that play together as an ensemble. Join the waitlist to hear when they’re available.
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On your own Stick S3
Install an instrument through M5Burner, M5Stack’s firmware library and installer.
- Rill VoiceWordless singing and vocablesGet on M5Burner
- Rill SynthSynthesized melodiesGet on M5Burner
- Rill MalletSampled percussion and pianoGet on M5Burner
- Rill WorldField recordings and environmentsGet on M5Burner
- Rill DrumsEvolving drum patternsGet on M5Burner
Store releases may differ from the browser version.
Browser FX
Also by Bruce Blay, Browser FX is a Chrome extension for shaping a tab’s audio with effects such as reverb, delay, and filters, with optional MIDI control.