Open “Nio” by Jim Andrews
As a sound and visual poem in the Lettriste tradition, Nio consists of a set of glyphs made of stacked letters, each of which plays its own musical phrase— a recording of Andrews’ voice— and its own animation. Verse One allows readers to layer sounds and animation, while Verse Two allows both layering and sequencing.
Nio is equal parts tool, toy, artwork, and poem— and it is one of Jim Andrews’ most engaging works because it invites play. My suggestion? Crank the volume on your speakers, dim the lights, and enjoy!
For more on Nio, I dedicate a section of my dissertation to Andrews’ audio work: “Visual Music” (pgs. 207-244).
Featured in The Electronic Literature Collection, Volume 1.
