Steampunk in music

Steampunk, within the confines of music is a unique aesthetic that attempts to make music of sorts out of vintage styled items. These items typically use vintage antique hardware examples full of elegance and tasteful design. In this sense, Steampunk is appealing both visually and also takes a unique perspective in creating sound. An interesting example I found was of the lego sequencer by Yoshi Akai. In this, arranging the lego blocks at different points on the board creates a wide variety of sounds. The lego blocks are instantly familiar. Many people will remember playing with lego as a child. The lego blocks are also colour coded and you can form many different layouts on the board. They effectively represent "blocks of sequenced time" When watching this, the viewer can recognize, how the layout is affecting the sound. The user in the video starts of with a basic arrangement of the lego blocks and the viewer can recognize the new sounds as more lego blocks are added. This way the relationship between what you can see and what you can see is completely clear. This seems to be crucial as with steampunk it has to appeal visually.





http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/03/03/a-lego-sequencer-imaginary-electronic-antiques-and-other-yoshi-akai-creations/#comme

I have found a second example of the steampunk genre. This example is by the same artist and is named "Wireless Catcher". It produces fairly simple sounds and works by scanning the radio waves around the area and sounds are generated by these radio waves. Different sounds can therefore be produced by pointing the device to different angles. What is most significant about this creation is that wireless interference is normally undesirable. However this device completely relies on it which is unique. It is also been styled very effectively in a victorian style. This is a very crucial part of this device and so also makes it successful under the category Steampunk in which it has been placed. I do think however it would be better still if the sounds that it produced were more musical.
Overall Steampunk takes an interesting and unique view which will appeal to some people more than others.