These programmes reveal the secret work of the Institute of Radiophonic Evolution in South Mimms - drawing on conference calls, voice notes and life-logs, to tell a compelling and strange story of the technological lengths to which the researchers will go to push forward the boundaries of the emerging digital technologies.

Each week a jiffy bag of sound files arrives at BBC Radio 4. We listen to the contents to discover what backroom boffins Luke Mourne and Professor Trish Baldock (ably assisted by Shelley – on work experience) have been up to.

In this episode, they develop an algorithm to replace continuity announcers – resulting in industrial unrest and ‘easy listening’ on every BBC radio network – which is fine if you’re a James Last fan.

Luke..................William Beck
Trish..................Emma Kilbey
Shelley...............Lizzy Watts
Felix....................David Brett
Colin..................Chris Stanton
with Jessica Carroll

Written by Jerome Vincent and Stephen Dinsdale

Producer David Blount

A Pier production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in February 2016. Show less