For Tarun Nayar, mushrooms, papayas, and watermelons aren’t merely sources of nutrition they are natural entities he collaborates with to craft music. He dubs it ‘organic music,’ a term he coined to describe music derived from plants and mushrooms.
While the term may be his own creation, ‘botanical music‘ has been in existence for well over a century. In the early 1900s, Indian scientist Jagdish Chandra Bose delved into the electrical activity of plants. During the pandemic, former biologist Tarun Nayar stumbled upon this concept and embarked on experiments involving sounds emitted by plants and their responses to external stimuli.
When inquired about how he enables plants and natural organisms to ‘sing,’ Nayar explains, “The sounds generated by many of these organisms fall beyond the range of our typical hearing. I convert these electrical fluctuations into audible sound.”
Consequently, listeners are treated to human-generated music crafted by Nayar, employing equipment that translates bioelectric fluctuations into rhythms. The process is straightforward—Nayar utilizes electrical clips to link plants to modular synthesizers. These synthesizers capture fluctuations in the organisms, triggering note changes that produce sounds.
As a result, listeners perceive the sounds produced by plants in response to alterations in their environment or internal processes. Nayar asserts that his music enables people to connect more profoundly with the vitality of the natural world. “I strive to compose music that fosters hope and a connection with the natural realm,” he remarks.
When asked whether he adapts to the sounds produced by the plants or modifies them to make them more appealing, Nayar replies, “I make rather subjective decisions regarding the synths (and their tonal qualities) these sounds possess. It’s very much a collaboration, one that I significantly shape.”
Based in Vancouver, Tarun Nayar has crafted music from kiwis, papayas, coconuts, pineapples, maple leaves, ferns, and more. However, mushrooms have profoundly influenced him. “They are quite unpredictable and enjoyable to work with,” he states. Additionally, he finds the amanita muscaria mushroom, the iconic white and red mushroom from Super Mario Bros, particularly intriguing. “At times, it’s highly active, while at others, it’s astonishingly tranquil. It remains a bit of a mystery to me,” he admits.
Nayar’s endeavor, “Modern Biology,” boasts over 150k followers on Instagram. He employs platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and other streaming services to share his music. When discussing the healing and psychedelic aspects of his music, Nayar mentions that he has received messages from individuals claiming that his music aids in relaxation and fosters a meaningful connection with nature. “India possesses a long history of employing sound and vibration for healing and spiritual practices. Through this music, I seek to demonstrate that the world is alive, we are alive, and we coexist in this world together. I believe this recognition is inherently therapeutic—and perhaps even slightly psychedelic and mind-expanding,” he remarks.
Despite his scientific background, Nayar has been profoundly influenced by Indian Classical Music, which he began studying at the age of 7. “The concepts of ‘taal‘ and ‘raga‘ profoundly shape my thinking. Even when working with plants and mushrooms, I often select the scales of specific ‘ragas’ to encapsulate the ambiance of various times of day.” Nowadays, Nayar can be seen leading a series of ‘field trips’ where he escorts people to parks, forages for plants and mushrooms, and facilitates deep listening experiences through headphones, employing sound and vibration to attune to non-human consciousness. “In this critical juncture on our planet, I believe it’s more crucial than ever for humans to reestablish their connection with nature. I firmly believe that music and art can serve as a means to remind us that we are an integral part of a living world—and that our survival hinges on this realization,” Nayar concludes.
Source: THE TIMES OF INDIA
