AI:Supertoys Last All Summer Long
Purchase
Track Listing
- A Prelude to a Love Machine: “The making of David at the Synthank Robotic Company”, May, 2139, Easter United States (5:25)
- Mommy and David at the Swinton Home. Are you real or a super-toy? Suite for Cellos, Violas and Alto Saxophone. Adagio, Molto vivace (4:51)
- Robot Sinfonietta in D minor for Chamber Orchestra. Largo, Allegretto, Andante con modo (8:41)
- David is abandoned. Vivo, Andantino in modo di canzona. (2:53)
- David and the World- A Circus of Freaks- Robot City-Android Hunters-David meets Zora (a female robot programmed to protect) Larghetto, pizzicato ostinato, Allegro con vigoroso, Larghetto (9:48)
- David and Zora’s Odyssey-Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Adagietto (7:26)
- Epilogue: A look into the distant future-Restored to life again after 300 years-David meets Mommy again (a female robot programmed to be a Mommy in the 25th Century…(5:27)
Liner Notes
Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the world saw remarkable advances in technology. The Industrial Revolution, automobiles, aircraft, spacecraft, computers and then, in the year 2068, sentient robots. After several years they became a part of everyday life, replacing some of the human workforce.
Around 2092, the cumulative effects of global warming finally melted the polar ice caps, inundating shorelines the world over. Coastal cities were forever lost. Hundreds of millions of people were displaced into the continental interior and new cities were found inland. Climate became chaotic. Poorer countries ceased to exist and many people perished from starvation. In industrialized nations there was strict enforcement of sanctions such as pregnancy licenses to control the population. But robots were never hungry and consumed no precious resources, the manufacturing of them increased dramatically. Soon robots became an economic necessity, performing all types of tasks invaluable to society.
In May, 2139, The Synthank Robotic Company introduced “David” an advanced prototype child robot programmed to love human parents: those ho had lost a biological child or could not legally have one. David is given to Henry and Monica Swinton, who have given up waiting for a government permit to bear children. David is introduced to his new home where he meets Teddy, a robot teddy bear known as a super-toy. Teddy and David become friends and it is Teddy who explains what is real not real. At first Monica Swinton doesn’t know what to do with David, but gradually accepts him as her own.
One day Henry Swinton announces to Monica that they finally have the opportunity to have a child be permission from the Ministry of Population. Nearly a year later, Monica has her child and the Swinton home becomes an environment in which David is no longer needed. And so it is that he is abandoned to an uncaring world.
With Teddy, David travels the earth in hope of finding a mother who will love him. After android hunters capture Teddy, David is left alone in his search. He eventually comes upon thousands like himself who have been tossed aside-obsolete or simply no longer needed. David meets and befriends Zora, a female robot who was programmed to protect humans before the Great Civil War of Robots and Humans. David and Zora travel far, beyond the signs of civilization. They find a great ancient cave and go inside. Zora’s power is depleting and without a recharge she will not function. David watches her fall asleep and in few months he, too, goes to sleep and they sleep for a long time. After 300 years, they are found and restored to life by a new civilization, a new order of robots. David’s wish for – which he has been waiting so long - is granted. He meets Mommy again; a robot replica of Monica programmed to be a Mommy of the 25th century…
Production Credits
United Media Productions, Ltd.
Presents
A Synthank Cybertronic Production
Artificial Intelligence: Super-Toys Last All Summer Long
Inspired from a short story “Super-Toys Last All Summer Long” by
Brian Aldiss
Recorded at UMP, Studios, March, 2002
Creative Design Consultant:
Nancy Donald, Donald & Associates
Sleeve Design:
David J. Merritt
Painting Front Cover “Face of Boy” by
Alex Vazquez Brull
Photographed by
Salvador Calvo
Digital Recording Equipment by
Phillips
A & R Coordinator:
Chad Canadey
Remixed and Mastered at Audio Mixers Recording Company, Steve Schartz, Chicago
Re-orchestrated and re-mastered at UMP Studios, April, 2006, Austin, TX
©2002 United Media Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.