Without going into too much detail, Google’s Deep Dream algorithm makes ordinary images look like out-of-this-world, mesmerizing hallucinations. Google has recently made the source code public, proving that computers have a far more twisted comprehension of reality than we could have ever previously imagined. We wanted to see what happens when classic albums get the Deep Dream treatment.
The code is based on Google’s “machine learning” artificial intelligence software, which looks for patterns that it has been trained to recognize in images fed to it. From there it makes a series of minor changes to the image to replicate a pattern, often creating wild, vivid images that are almost beyond recognition of the original image.
Some people have been using it for artwork, others to turn cult classics like “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” into an even more haunting acid-soaked nightmare and others again have fed in some of the most classic album covers in history into the nightmare factory that is Deep Dream.
Outkast – Stanktonia
Outkast’s seminal album cover has Andre 300 and Antwan Patton dissolving into a hallucinatory dog filled realm.
Nirvana – Nevermind
Deep Dream has managed to turn probably the most famous baby in the world into an amorphous blob of various indistinct animals but as with anything involving the music industry, the money remains in focus.
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Michael Jackson’s crisp white suit has fractal-ized and we get the distinct impression when looking at this cover that something might be watching us.
Primal Scream – Screamadelica
One of the watershed releases of the 90s, the cheery, primary colors of the hand painted cover for Screamadelica is quickly replaced with trippy, mutant gerbil seal beasts that will forever haunt your dreams.
Iggy Pop – Lust For Life
Known for pushing the envelope musically and his impressively charismatic live performances, Iggy Pop’s (then) squeaky clean visage has been taken over by psychedelic millipedes from out of space. And those teeth…
Bruce Springsteen – Born In The USA
Hardly a declaration of nationalistic Pride, Born in the USA confronts the emptiness of the American Dream and is arguably Springsteen’s finest work to date. Dream scape only sees a bunch of dogs and eyeballs trying to escape from a man’s jeans.
The Beatles – Yellow Submarine
Known for their experimentation with spirituality and psychedelics we would have thought that The Beatle’s Yellow Submarine would be, well, maybe a little more psychedelic.
The Beatles – Abbey Road
Ah…. that’s more like it Beatles. Probably one of the most famous album covers of all time, The Beatles’ Abbey Road cover has spawned thousands of imitators, and infurated motorists as people recreate this classic cover on that one suburban London street. Not a single photo incorporated a hulking fish-dog into it.
The Clash – London Calling
One of the defining albums of the punk rock genre, we’re close to certain that the original album didn’t feature amorphous canine ghosts exploding out of bassist Paul Simonon’s body and soon to be destroyed Fender Precision Bass.