Description

Can microbes make music? Yes, they can. It turns out that microbial samples often produce small fluctuating voltages of electricity, like a tiny battery.  And perhaps each bacterial sample has a sort of unique electrical signature, like its own unique heartbeat.

I collected microbial samples of Purple Bacteria from Lake Abert and Cyanobacteria from Summer Lake, on a short residency at PLAYA. I then pitched them against one another in a playful sort of “Battle of the Bands” to see which one would win.

Each one produced live soundscapes from their live electrical data, which I translated musical notes, to create a data-driven composition .

The cyanos tended to be more frenetic with their data, and I set up a rack of digital instruments  to create a noodly-sounding synth, with syncopated drums, reminiscent of Pink Floyd, but with bacteria driving the music.

The purple bacteria of Lake Abert tended to be slower-moving in their data, with slow fluctuations, and their data-driven soundscape sounded darker, like post-punk Joy Division with hints of dream pop you see in bands such as Goldfrapp.

Who won the contest? You’ll have to watch the YouTube video (still being edited) to find out!