Mientras se consolida el proceso de paz en Colombia, los territorios anteriormente ocupados por algunos grupos armados se han convertido en escenarios de posconflicto, los cuales contienen áreas de rica e inexplorada biodiversidad. Con el objetivo de explorar dichos territorios, en el año 2018 hice parte de la Expedición Bio en el municipio de Anorí. Mi función fue diseñar una combinación de métodos participativos y modos de representación visual para traducir preguntas sobre el mundo natural en acción social.
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https://erratico.info/Anori
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Este es ‘errático’, una serie sonora que aborda la intersección entre biología, arte y antropología. Sin embargo, la proporción en la que estas áreas se mezclan es completamente variable y depende del proyecto del que estemos hablando.

errático

Anorí (parte 1)

All songs by My bubba, written during Scandinavian winter months full of longing for warm, exotic places - except East Cave, where the lyrics come from a Slavic folk song, and Sexual Healing, by Marvin Gaye & Odell Brown. Recorded in Seahorse Sound Studios, Los Angeles, and House of Blues Studios, Encino. Produced and mixed by Noah Georgeson. Mastered 
by Golden Mastering.

Our Water Hours

Big Bad Good was made from scratch at Figure 8 Recording. The songs were recorded as they were written, and most of the takes are among the first times the songs were ever sung - allowing the record to portray the immediate rawness and intimacy of a newborn song.

Charm

While we cannot see small nanoscopic objects like proteins or other molecules that make up virtually all living matter including our cells, tissues, as well as pathogens such as viruses, our computational algorithm allows us to make its material manifestation audible.  This piece is a musical representation of the amino acid sequence and structure of the spike protein of the pathogen of COVID-19, 2019-nCoV (protein data bank identifier 6VSB [1]). 

MUSICAL DECEIT

A virus’ genome hijacks the host cell’s protein manufacturing machinery, and forces it to replicate the viral genome and produce viral proteins to make new viruses from it.  This musical art teaches us something about the fine line between beauty of life and death as an opposite pole.  As you listen to the protein you will find that the intricate design results in incredibly interesting and actually pleasing, relaxing sounds. This doesn’t really convey the deadly impacts this particularly protein is having on the world. This aspect of the music shows the deceiving nature of the virus, how it hijacks our body to replicate, and hurt us along the way. So, the music is a metaphor for this nature of the virus to deceive the host and exploit it for its own multiplication. 

HOW IT IS DONE: 

What you hear is a multi-layered algorithmic composition featuring both the vibrational spectrum of the entire protein (expressed in sound and rhythmic elements), the sequence and folding of amino acids that compose the virus spike structure, as well as interwoven melodies - forming counterpoint music - reflecting the complex hierarchical intersecting geometry of the protein [2].

Scientific references:

[1] Wrapp et al., "Cryo-EM structure of the 2019-nCoV spike in the prefusion conformation," Science, 2020, DOI: 10.1126/science.abb2507

[2] Buehler et al., "A Self-Consistent Sonification Method to Translate Amino Acid Sequences into Musical Compositions and Application in Protein Design Using Artificial Intelligence," ACS Nano, 2019, DOI: pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.9b02180

Viral counterpoint of the coronavirus spike protein (2019-nCoV)

Viral Counterpoint of the Coronavirus Spike Protein (2019-nCoV)

‘Bat Party’ is a project that aims to identify sound as a sensory ‘way of knowing’ (Feld 2015) and to encourage people to engage with despised animals, like bats. 

Anthropologist and artist Alejandro Valencia-Tobón, composer Federico Goes and biologist Oscar Alzate-Zapata collaborated in recording and using bats’ ultrasound signals to create electronic music. 

Alongside the biological science methods of tracing and trapping bats, sampling and database analysis, for the purpose of this project we also used the idea of ‘soundscape ecology’ (Pijanowski et al. 2011). 

*Making the recordings*

Ultrasonic vocalisation records can be used for biological identification because bats’ ultrasound signals are unique for each species. 

We measured the acoustic signals and ultrasound calls produced by different insectivorous, frugivorous and nectarivorous bats present at Universidad EAFIT (Medellin, Colombia) to show how recorders can be used in ‘citizen science’ to construct an acoustic baseline of an area (Ritts et al. 2016). 

We then produced lathe-cut vinyl records as relational objects that encouraged discussion of how bioacoustic data might be used in interdisciplinary collaborations (Barry and Born 2013). 

Finally, the project allowed us to acknowledge the interdependence and benefits humans receive from nature (Díaz et al. 2018): bats disperse seeds, pollinate plants and control pests. 

*Drinking nectar and eating mangos*

Far from presenting bats as ‘dark’ animals, we wanted to create a party full of colour, sounds, and flavours. Historically, bats have been seen as ‘pests’ or ‘vermin’ that generate abhorrence or fear. Even before associating them with blood-sucking animals, people linked bats to ‘madness’, ‘melancholia’, ‘satanic affiliation’ and ‘sympathy for the Devil’ (Laird 2018, 45). 

Rejecting such associations, our music composition was inspired by imagining bats flying through the trees, drinking nectar, and eating mangos. 

This project reveals that bioacoustic data and sound recordings can offer a way to enact the multiplicity of relations, and their limitations, between bats and humans, while at the same time translating scientific knowledge into the public domain.

*Composing music*

Track 1 (‘Molossus molossus – ultrasound’) is the original ultrasound recording of insectivorous bat Molossus molossus. By slowing ultrasound recordings down several times and setting the sampling frequency at 44.1 kHz so the human ear can hear them, we then converted the recordings to the human hearing range to allow people to audibly appreciate the sounds (track 2, ‘Molossus molossus - human hearing range’, is an example of this). 

Then, by sampling the recordings of bats’ sound signals, Federico Goes created different bits that were used as rhythm patterns for the songs (track 3, ‘Rhythm patterns’). Further layers were added using typical Colombian instruments, such as kuisi (a Colombian gaita made from a hollowed cactus stem), a marimba from the Pacific coast, and an accordion, playing vallenato-like music from the Caribbean coast. 

A very diverse range of synthesizers and analogue drum machines were also integrated into the mix and, finally, other bat calls were added as instruments, paying particular attention to the panning and the mixing of them. As a result, we have two singles: ‘Bat Party (a-side)’ and ‘Bat Party (b-side)’.

*Credits*

Project director and executive producer: Alejandro Valencia-Tobon
Bioacoustic analysis: Oscar Alzate-Zapata
Composer and record producer: Federico Goes
Cover art: Jorge Marin

Bat Party

Bat Party (b-side)

Winged Adventures Of The Caribbean Colombia
www.cucusonic.net
(by Danny Zurc)

In the Caribbean region of Colombia many bat species occupy both terrestrial grazing land and lagoon surroundings. This recording, made near a lagoon (see attached photo), is a perfect example of how diverse echolocations calls can be. So, with a bioacoustic analysis of such a soundscape—looking at differences in frequencies, pulse and call duration—we can identify different families of bats (something that we cannot do just by looking at the landscape).

In this particular case, the visual representation of the spectrum of frequencies (called ‘spectrogram’) reveals individuals of three bat families: Vespertilionidae, Emballonuridae and Molossidae. We know this because ‘Bat 1’ has 60.2kHz of maximum energy frequency and the pulse duration is 21ms; ‘Bat 2’ has 48.3kHz of maximum energy frequency and the pulse duration is 32ms; and ‘Bat 3’ has 16.3kHz of maximum energy frequency and the pulse duration is 23ms.  

In short, the sound analysis of echolocation calls is very useful in order to identify groups of individuals in contexts where you have many bats flying around at the same time.
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cucusonic: www.cucusonic.net

Winged adventures

Sanguaré Natural Reserve dock
www.cucusonic.net
(by Danny Zurc)

Sanguaré Natural Reserve is in the Colombia Caribbean region. This is a wonderland paradise not only for humans, but also for many bats species. One example is the lesser dog-like bat, an insectivorous bat which scientists name Peropteryx macrotis. Individuals and small colonies of this species forage in Sanguaré dock. Their echolocation calls have 40.5 kHz of maximum energy frequency and the duration of their pulses is approximately 10ms.
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cucusonic: www.cucusonic.net

Sanguaré Natural Reserve dock

Anthrophony & Biophony
www.cucusonic.net
(by Carlos Restrepo)
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We are a collaboration, interested in identifying how the multiple sonic registers of animal sound can be harnessed to bring different groups of people together in Colombia: scientists, musicians, farmers, city dwellers, indigenous peoples, ex-combatants, to work towards a common purpose, which is the exploration of the transformative potential of biodiversity.

By focusing purely on the medium of sound, through practices of listening, recording, analysing, composing, telling stories about and singing the animal world into being, our work is designed to bring together scientific, social, and artistic perspectives.

From a scientific point of view, the vocalisation records of animals such as frogs and bats can be used for biological identification because such signals are unique for each species (Bioacoustic Data).

By measuring acoustic signals we are aiming to construct an acoustic baseline of some localities in Colombia that can then advance our understanding of biodiversity.

From a social perspective, by asking people to send in their own recordings and oral narratives of these same animal sounds we want to provide a lived, human perspective and an opportunity for the expression of personal as well as communal histories and cultural traditions, all via the same sonic medium (Narratives).

From an artistic perspective we aim to share recordings of animal sounds with musicians and producers so as to encourage creative dialogues and new musical compositions that explore the potential of these sonic registers to make connections between these scientific and social perspectives and to be translated into messages of hope to a wider, international audience (Music).

We believe that through this inclusive and interconnected approach, which combines the full sound spectrum, differences of knowledge and expertise can be harnessed for the purposes of finding shared understandings and appreciations of biodiversity and ways of working together for its protection.

Anthrophony & Biophony

Chocolate
www.cucusonic.net
(track by Carlos Restrepo)
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*Hyloscirtus antioquia: advertisement call*
(text by Carlos Restrepo)

Members of the Hylidae frog family are commonly known as ‘tree frogs’, as many of the species in this family have semiarboreal habitats. Hylidae frogs usually have large bodies (> 70 mm), large, slim hands and legs, webbed feet, and bulging eyes [1].

Within the Hylidae, we find the highly diverse and, until recently, poorly studied genus Hyloscirtus, which includes tree dwelling frogs that inhabit regions of high elevation in the Colombian Andean mountains2. There are reports of 23 species occurring in Colombia3, which suggests high levels of endemism [2,6].

Among the Hyloscirtus genus, some species exhibit astonishing reticulation colour patterns, such as those of Hyloscirtus sarampiona (like the reddish measles rash [4]) or Hyloscirtus tigrinus (similar to a tiger [5]). Others, like the ones in the larinopygion group are characterised by a dark brown to dark purple dorsal background coloration along with white, yellow or cream stripes on the belly and flanks [5]. 

Hyloscirtus larinopygion has traditionally been considered a ‘widespread’ and relatively ‘well-studied’ species by most herpetologists, occurring along the entire Ecuadorian and Colombian Andes. Because different studies have already been conducted in populations occurring in Ecuador, there was not much interest in studying it further in Colombia. However, in 2013 my colleague Mauricio Rivera-Correa, presented evidence to suggest that the populations occurring in Antioquia region were actually a different Hyloscirtus species (not Hyloscirtus larinopygion as had been thought). Mauricio and his research colleague Julián Faivovich named this new species after the Antioquia region as Hyloscirtus antioquia)[2]. Because of its dark brown tone that resembles chocolate, Hyloscirtus antioquia is also known as the ‘chocolate frog’.

As a recently described species, there is little information on the natural history, reproduction, behaviour, and ecology of Hyloscirtus antioquia. These sets of recordings represent a significant contribution to the bioacoustic studies of this species.

Here, we can appreciate that the call of Hyloscirtus antioquia is composed of a sequence of low-pitched notes modulated both in frequency and amplitude. The call contains 7-8 notes, the first being subtle, with notes then increasing in frequency and a slight decrease on the last one. The call lasts around 0.25 seconds and the duration of the notes varies between 0.015 and 0.030 seconds, with the penultimate being the longest.

*References*
[1] Savage J.M. 2002. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica. The University of Chicago Press
[2] Rivera-Correa M. & Faivovich J. 2013. Herpetologica, 69(3): 298–313
[3] Acosta Galvis A.R. 2019. Lista de los Anfibios de Colombia. http://www.batrachia.com
[4] https://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+0213+1023
[5] https://amphibiaweb.org/species/7171
[6] Guayasamin J.M., et al. 2015. Neotropical Biodiversity, 1: 2–21.

Chocolate

Returning echoes
(by Danny Zurc & Alejandro Valencia-Tobon)
www.cucusonic.net

Most bats emit and detect ultrasound signals while flying, in a process known as ‘echolocation’ (they have an active sonar system) [1]. The principle behind echolocation is to emit high-frequency signals (in bats, mainly ultrasonic signals above 20 kHz) and then analyse those returning echoes. By detecting such returning echoes, bats can recognise, classify and localise those objects that reflected back sound signals [2,3].

The problem is that bats confront multitude of issues and masking effects while flying; for example: dealing with external noise, clutter echoes, sound signals emitted by other bats, and the physical effects (temperature, humidity and distance) that generate an atmospheric attenuation of sound [3]. Such ecological constraints have meant a selection pressure which seem to have led to an adaptation process in which ultrasound signals appear to be unique to each species. Biologists came to this conclusion by comparing narrowband and broadband components of echolocation signals [3].

Biologist agree that bat sound signals appear to be divided into three phases: search, approach and terminal phase (this latter one also called ‘feeding buzz’). These phases are indications of the bat’s activity: in the search phase, bats seek food and, while doing this, each individual is analysing what is happening in its habitat. Encountering possible prey, bats go towards it, emitting pulses in shorter time interval (approach phase). Finally, during the feeding buzz, bats are so close to their possible prey that pulses are emitted in very short time interval in order to obtain faster information about what is happening and thus have a successful hunt. This process is repeated over and over again.

As different bat taxa have a particular pattern during the search phase, ultrasonic vocalisation records can be used as complementary information for biological identification. In the other two phases (approach phase and feeding buzz) the pulses tend to have varied frequencies that do not fall between a specific range of frequencies.

Similar echolocation principle is used by humans. For example, blind people can make mouth click sounds and use the returning echoes to locate possible obstacles [4]. Other applications include submarine sonar systems and the detection of underwater mining [5], and the ultrasound scan that physicians use to obtained medical images of different organs [6]. 

*References*

[1] Metzner, W. & Müller, R. Ultrasound Production, Emission, and Reception. in Bat Bioacoustics (eds. Fenton, M. B., Grinnell, A. D., Popper, A. N. & Fay, R. R.) 55–91 (Springer, 2016). doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-3527-7_3.
[2] Griffin, D. R. Echolocation by Blind Men, Bats and Radar. Science 100, 589–590 (1944).
[3] Schnitzler, H.-U. & Kalko, E. K. V. Echolocation by Insect-Eating Bats: We define four distinct functional groups of bats and find differences in signal structure that correlate with the typical echolocation tasks faced by each group. BioScience 51, 557–569 (2001).
[4] Thaler, L. & Goodale, M. A. Echolocation in humans: an overview. WIREs Cogn. Sci. 7, 382–393 (2016).
[5] Vinutha, K. V., Vinutha, K. & Yuvaraja, T. Under Water Mine Detection Using Sonar. J. Comput. Theor. Nanosci. 15, 2150–2152 (2018).
[6] Carbelo, M. Á., Sosa, L. E. & González, C. R. Historia y desarrollo del ultrasonido en la Imagenología. 13, 15 (2019).

Returning echoes - human hearing range

Returning echoes - ultrasound

Projects at the interface of art, anthropology and science
[Relational art, sound and electronic media]

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Proyectos que conectan el arte, la antropología y la ciencia
[Arte sonoro y relacional]

Bat Party (b-side)

alejandrovalenciat

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