Vancouver artist makes music with plants
Posted April 26, 2023 9:56 pm.
Last Updated April 26, 2023 10:03 pm.
A Vancouver-based electronic musician and former biologist is combining his passions, and making music with plants.
By using synthesizers and the electrical currents that run through plants, Tarun Nayar builds serene soundscapes under the stage name Modern Biology.
“When I connect the other electrode, a small current is going to be sent through the leaf,” he said. “As the resistance of the current changes, as the resistance changes over time, as the conductivity changes over time due to bioelectric fluctuations in the plant, it’s going to trigger note and rhythm changes on a synthesizer.”
Nayar studied biology in school. That, combined with his skills as a musician, led him to experiment with plant music in the Northern Gulf Islands during the pandemic.
Using synthesizers and the electrical currents that run through plants, Tarun Nayar builds serene soundscapes under the stage name Modern Biology. (Sarah Chew, CityNews Image)
Using synthesizers and the electrical currents that run through plants, Tarun Nayar builds serene soundscapes under the stage name Modern Biology. (Sarah Chew, CityNews Image)
He says he feels present when he’s foraging in the forest, letting the plants lead the music.
“Mushrooms are the most unpredictable and you never really know what you’re going to get, and they can go really quiet for some time,” said Nayar. “Plants tend to give off a bit more of a steady pulse, and I’m not sure why that is.”
He shares his passion on social media, amassing over 700,000 followers on TikTok. He says it’s his way of doing environmental activism.
“I kind of feel like it’s my duty now at this point to inject moments of wonder and fascination with the natural world into people’s feeds.”
In addition to plants, Nayar has made music from vegetables, fruit, and even humans. He’s playing live plant and mushroom shows in public parks in BC this week, with his Vancouver show taking place April 30th.
“It’s really hard to do work for the planet and for the environment when you’re upset and when you’re depressed. You just want to cover your head with a blanket and go to sleep. It’s a lot easier when you’re feeling inspired and hopeful. And I hope that this music, which is connected to the natural world in a meaningful way, inspires people.”
