Biomusic: When Nature Composes the Soundtrack
You won’t hear a lot of human vocalizing and singing in biomusic, which allows nature and the human body itself to make the music.
Have you heard about the benefits of biomusic? Or the mystique and sometimes — okay, we’ll say it — weirdness of this genre? What’s that, you say you’ve never heard of biomusic ? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
Biomusic, also called Eco Music is a type of experimental music based on sounds of nature and that’s also made by non humans. Think of those early mornings when you sit on your deck, enjoying and relaxing to the sounds of birdsong, and you’ll get the idea behind Bio Music. You’ve probably heard some examples of Biomusic and not realized it. For example, animal and nature sounds are ubiquitous New Age Music for the 1980's. Almost any of Dan Gibson’s Solitudes albums like Dawn in the Desert or Ocean Surf bring you from the canyons of the southwest to the rush of the sea and changing tides. I like to think of it as alternative sleep therapy, or the gentle wake up call.
Biomusic employs sounds found in nature, often birdsong, or even the sounds of whales.
There is a psychological or spiritual refreshment of this particular type of music because it brings us closer to the natural world in a time that feels so unnatural. However, biomusic takes many forms, for example the amplification of animal sounds, or creating music through the fluctuating electric currents in plants. Or how about animal notation: — music scores created by animals — often in the form of — wait for it — paw prints. Not to mention music made by animals trained to perform specific behaviors as part of a musical performance, for instance, birds trained to sing.
An early example of biomusic is appropriately titled Music From the Body , a biomusic album that was the soundtrack a 1970 documentary film about human biology called The Body, narrated by Vanessa Redgrave and Frank Finlay. Roger Waters of Pink Floyd composed and produced the music. Besides employing traditional musical instruments like the guitar, piano and strings, the soundtrack used sounds made by the human body like slaps, breathing, laughing, whispering, and even farts.
Music that is created by the brain waves of the composer can also be called biomusic as can music created by the human body without the use of tools or instruments that are not part of the body.
There are claims that consistently listening to some types of biomusic strengthens your relationship with yourself, your entourage, your environment, releases stress, increases general well being and better sleep.
Biomusic often mixes the sounds of nature with traditional instruments to produce a mood, or feeling of being in that natural environment.
It might also help you concentrate better, and improve physical, intellectual and creative performance, not to mention self-confidence. Biomusic is an eclectic genre as its composers are constantly experimenting with sound and ambience.
If you’re seeking out additional sources for biomusic, here’s a few recordings you may find interesting, if not always relaxing:
The experimental ambient/noise group Tribes of Neurot released an album titled "Adaptation and Survival: The Insect Project" in 2002; a multidirectional sound experiment in which all sounds were originally produced by insects and then manipulated and synthesized.
The Lake, by artist Julie Freeman tracked natural biological motion via electronic tagging systems, and transformed the data collected into musical composition and animation.
For the more adventurous: A collaboration album between Breakcore artists Venetian Snares and Hecate entitled Nymphomatriarch was composed entirely sounds of the couple various adult activities together. Those sounds were then distorted and time-stretched to resemble typical Breakcore samples.
The musical world constantly changes and expands to include diverse and experimental forms. You have some time on your hands. Grab a set of headphones, find a quiet space and discover a new genre to expand your musical world.
Further Reading