botanical bangerz
the ibp's summer playlist about, for, and by plants
The playlist has been divided into three parts:1. Music RE: plants [tunes inspired by plants]2. Music FOR plants [some sounds that nurture and help plants grow]3. Music BY plants [beep boops straight from the roots]// re: plants
Ambient music can be a funny thing—simultaneously unassuming and arresting, creating what our friend (we wish) Brian Eno refers to as “many levels of listening attention…as ignorable as it is interesting”. In 1980s Japan, ambient music morphed into Kankyō Ongaku, or environmental music. Forming landscapes of sparse, clear melodies, the music of this genre uses electronic palettes and soundbites from nature to create environments of its own, where birdsong and rainfall meet synthesizers and metal.
In our age of eco-and-other anxieties, Kankyō Ongaku allows us to tend to the ecology of our mindscapes—our everyday fears, our simpl(er) joys, the topography of our emotions.
Green
1986
Hiroshi Yoshimura
A herald of the genre, Hiroshi Yoshimura’s Green can seem both austere and inviting, with its cycling melodies leaving space for your own frame of mind, accommodating both happiness and heartache. Its simple, looping soundscape evokes the vitality of nature, re-inviting you into a space both familiar and wondrous.
Praying For Mother/Earth Part 1
1986
Akira Ito
Akira Ito’s Praying for Mother Earth features repetitive textures, washed with synth and natural sounds. It reminds our bodies of a long, warm walk along a river, refreshed by the sounds of birds along the bank, a splash of cool water along our shins.
White Morning (Healing Music)
1989
Fumio Miyashita
This two side-long album is a soft, textural experience, with sparse synth lines and acoustic interruptions creating 45:56 minutes of meditative healing. Turn this previously cassette-only record on when you need to quiet the noise in your mind.
// for plants
The investigation into potential sonic benefits for plants has been in the works for ages. In the 1970s, curiosity in the link between plants and music blossomed, specifically looking at the impact music might have as a growth aid. The 1976 album, Mother Earth’s Plantasia, well known in niche music communities, resurfaced in 2019 when it was reissued by Brooklyn record company, Sacred Bones -- just in time for the houseplant boom that would come with the COVID-19 lockdown.
While there aren’t a ton of scientific studies demonstrating the effectiveness of encouraging your plants into expedited growth with smooth jazz or classical music, there are a purported few that show the impact sound waves can have on the opening of a plants’ stomata. According to agro-sonic researcher, Dan Carlson Senior, sonic stimulation aids in plant growth and health, opening their stomata so as to absorb more CO2 and nutrients. Regardless of whether playing music for your plants is scientifically-backed, it’s undoubted that this act of care, creating a thoughtful relationship between human and non-human, provides some sort of positive benefit for the plant.
You (and a reported 2/3 of gardeners) can appeal to your plant’s listening needs by following this guide. NOTE: steer clear of metal and techno as plants apparently hate moshing and hard stepping in the club.
In addition to Plantasia, here are a few other projects specifically composed for your plant’s listening pleasure : )
Music to Grow Plants
1970
Dr. George Milstein
Retired dentist turned plant enthusiast, Dr. Milstein thought plants enjoyed swinging sixties tunes, peppered with high-frequency tones believed to stimulate the opening of their stomata. This record was exclusively sold in floral shops and department stores, rather than a record store, as it was decidedly not intended for human consumption.
De La Musique Et Des Secrets Pour Enchanter Vos Plantes
1978
Roger Roger
This 28-minute two-track record was created by French composer, Roger Roger, who was known for his light orchestral music and film scores. It’s rather dreamy, so we get its plant appeal.
Music for Growing
2014
B. Ashra
"Music for Growing is a concept album tuned to the spectral maxima of the Delta-9 THC molecule. Homeopathic essences of frequencies, designed to trigger the documented psychotropic effect of THC through our sense of hearing or- as an agent- pass it on to the plant. This is the sound and rhythm of pure oscillations from the cannabis plant itself…The basic idea behind the creation of this CD stems from the desire to stimulate plant growth through sound projection.” Who knew plants liked to get stoned too?
// by plants
The past few years have ushered in a deeper collaborative music production practice between plants and humans, interfaced by technologies. With advances in technology, artists are able to listen to sonic levels we have not been able to before - whether that be literal locations and sounds that were previously inaccessible or translating electrical signals into notes. Products such as PlantWave have been developed to allow folks (that don't necessarily want to DIY an Arduino and play with sensors) to tune into plant signals around them.
These projects of interplay and creativity open up more questions on how different species work together and understand each other. It is an invitation and opportunity to re-learn how to listen to our green friends to collaboratively create and question beauty.
Shane Mendonsa - one of the first artists that showed us the beauty of these collaborations - says: "We are nature, connected and extended to our world and the universe in more ways than we know. Let's explore the idea of what we are through sound, light, nature and life. This is my way of honouring that connection. Creation is a form of reciprocity with nature."
Before diving into some more tunes by plants check out Shane's How-To video, as well as one of our favorite clips of his work :))
Mushroom Dance
2022
Modern Biology
Not only is Tarun Nayar one of the most well-known names in synthesizer ‘plant music’, his vision aligns staggeringly well with that of the IBP. Coming out of Vancouver with an education in biology, home-built synths, and lifelong training in Indian classic music, “his performances are an effort to bring the listener into the present moment through vibration, space, and connection.” With sound, Tarun created space for tens of millions of people to step into interbeing.
Aquaculture 18:00
2011
Jana Winderen
This magical soundscape comes from Jana Winderen, an artist based in Norway. With a background in mathematics, chemistry and fish ecology, her spatial audio utilizes hydrophones as a doorway into frequency ranges that humans struggle to access: invisible worlds, deep under water. Jana states: “I am interested in the areas not known, or less investigated, less researched, where questions are still possible to ask, and which should be asked.” Her soundscapes do just that: bring a feeling of openness, questioning and wonderment that cannot be described as anything short of otherworldly.
Aube
2002
Mileece
As a pioneer of ‘organic electronic music’ [or as Mileece calls it - Organica] Mileece has a big vision: “a network of zero-impact fuel cell powered urban wilderness sanctuaries inside technologically augmented bio-domes, viscerally connecting the urban environment to remote ecologies in real-time.” Her development of the hardware and software system People’s Interface for Plants is what enables this beautiful auditory experience of her vision of interconnected interbeing sanctuaries.