"Do plants have consciousness? Is it possible to find a musical frequency in the biological rhythms of the organic world? Can creative authorship exist beyond the human form?" These are questions posed by the new project from Joyful Noise Recordings.
The Sound Sanctuary is a "multi-species plant ensemble" housed in the label's office, consisting of a money tree (Pachira aquatica) and four rubber trees (Ficus elastica). Together, these organisms are part of "a generative system in which the plants themselves act as composers," a video from Joyful Noise explains. The collection of plants will be releasing a series of improvisational albums this year in collaboration with Deerhoof, Kishi Bashi, Butthole Surfers' JD Pinkus, and WHY?'s Yoni Wolf. The video asserts that the project is a way to push back against encroaching AI in creative spaces:
The Sound Sanctuary arrives at a moment of cultural erosion, as digital systems are increasingly engineered to mimic the human spirit in the name of efficiency. The project stands as an act of resistance to the accelerating rise of AI-generated music. As streaming platforms introduce artificial artists designed to harvest profits once sustained by human musicians, the Sound Sanctuary seeks inspiration in the frequencies of the natural world — a return to the organic soil of creation.
This puts a whole new spin on the industry plants discourse. The first of the Sound Sanctuary albums, a collaboration with Deerhoof, is out today. The subsequent records will be out in summer (Kishi Bashi), fall (Pinkus), and winter (Wolf). Below, hear the entirety of Deerhoof & The Sound Sanctuary — which, at two tracks totaling 22 minutes, is more like an extended single — and check out the explainer video.
Deerhoof & The Sound Sanctuary is out now on Joyful Noise. Buy it here.
