“Algorave” is a portmanteau of “algorithm” and “rave” that describes an electronic music event where people watch live coding performances. The term was originally coined by Alex McLean, a musician and software developer who created the live coding environment TidalCycles and its offshoot Strudel, the most popular tools used by live coders. Despite spreading internationally in the early 2010s, Algorave and live coding have remained relatively unknown.

On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Nathan and Sebastien try to answer the question of why Algorave has not become more popular. The two begin by highlighting the contributions of Brian Eno and Alex McLean before examining the work of the first Algorave musician to experience mainstream success: DJ_Dave. They reflect on her recent performance in Chicago and argue that she has appealed to a wider audience by incorporating pop music fundamentals. They then discuss the music of Switch Angel, a regular DJ_Dave collaborator who recently started a record label for live code music called Polymaters. The episode concludes with an examination of how Algorave is a vestige of the “social computing” ethos of the 1960s.

Links:

Nathan's Algorave Playlist

Algorave Generation

Run the code: is algorave the future of dance music? - The Guardian

Run the code: is algorave the future of dance music? by Imani Amrani

Algoraves: Dancing to Live Coding by Rob Marvin

Musical Genes: Sisters DJ_Dave and Maddy Davis Premiere "Can't Do This Alone" Remix

DJ_Dave @ Elsewhere

If code can make music, what will you make? | Sarah Davis | TEDxCornell

Pop Live Coding Encounters: Reflections on Practice by Sarah Davis (DJ_Dave), Jack Armitage (Lil Data), and Gus Lobban (Kero Kero Bonito)

Pop Live Coding Encounters: Reflections on Practice (Podcast)

Live Coder DJ_Dave Is Logged In to the Algorave Afters by Mekala Rajagopal

Meet DJ_Dave: The Live Coding Producer Lacing Together the Future of Electronic Dance Music

Algorave: Algorithmic Dance Culture

Algorave: Creating music with code

Why We Bleep 045: Algorave/Alex McLean

Tidal History

'Original' TOPLAP draft manifesto

Live Coding: A User’s Manual by Alan Blackwell, Emma Cocker, Geoff Cox, Alex McLean and Thor Magnusson

Artwork:

DJ_Dave performing at Chop Shop in Chicago, IL on 5/9/2026

Photo by Sam Schlegel

Recorded on 5/20/2026