Audio sample: http://soundcloud.com/martin_howse/micro-blackdeath-yersinia

Returning the body, electronics, and dystopic code to the earth, revived and decoded years later as "yersinia pestis," the micro_blackdeath marks a new development in virulent open source plague computing and audio re-synthesis. In contrast to the blackdeath noise synth, micro-blackdeath (codename: yersinia pestis) acts as an infectuous sound generator rather than a vampriric sampling and processing engine. A new, additional programmable analogue filter and switched noise/feedback section render the results far from digitally restricted.

Yersinia pestis is a fully fledged viral computation unit including a central plague unit [CPU] acting as interpreter for selected instruction sets which operate on the interior cells or sound-generating individuals (the simulation of a medieval village within the synth). Instruction sets include masque (of the red death, courtesy of E.A Poe), brainfuck, redcode, plain plague and SIR (susceptible, infected, recovered).

Speed of execution and instruction set are both selected by the left-hand knob. In addition, the interior population (used to generate audio frequency) is subject to inflected plague processes (such as the hodge-podge machine) selected by the right hand (control) knob which is also used to control plague speed and filter modifications. Finally the central (hardware) knob controls the filter depth and other parameters such as switching feedback/white noise generation.

The micro-blackdeath is played like no other synth; although the hardware knob offers some degree of direct control, subtle interactions of instruction set and plague process over time distinctly alter the sound landscape, the medieval village itself played back as direct, physical audio. Please note: Crashing is part of the process; the plague CPU is, by its nature, unstable and a reboot is sometimes necessary.

Yersinia/micro-blackdeath is delivered fully assembled and tested with three high quality ALPS potentiometers, 9v battery holder for portable use, and a full size (6.5mm) JACK output socket.

More at: http://1010.co.uk/org/yersinia.html