ID#: 803

Biofonia (2025) ; 9:28

by Eduardo Nespoli

Federal University of São Carlos

Biofonia is an acousmatic composition for four channels, mastered in an ambisonic format. The piece explores the sounds of the Cerrado biome, a natural environment that experiences numerous sonic interferences from human activities. The sounds recorded in this biome were used as the primary material for the composition, which integrates field recordings and electroacoustic techniques. I utilized a portable recorder along with different types of microphones to capture a wide range of sounds, from the open environment to very subtle ones. The recordings were then analyzed, edited, and organized based on similarity criteria such as duration, timbre, and motion, with the assistance of AI algorithms. These audio groups were then used to create textures, pitches, drones, granulations, and rhythmic structures by applying techniques such as speed manipulation, time-stretching, and pitch-shifting. From these samples, I also synthesized sounds using polyphonic and granular samplers, and applied various audio effects, including filters, compressors, and spatialization features during the mixing process.

Biofonia invites listeners to experience the Cerrado biome aurally, evoking its ecological condition in a world where climate change threatens life. The thematic focus of the work raises reflections on the relationship that our society establishes with the delicate universe of natural sounds. In this sense, Biofonia highlights the defining characteristic of soundscapes in the Anthropocene era: human interference. As I delved deeper into field recording, it became evident that human-made sounds frequently overshadow the subtle sonic elements of the Cerrado. The sounds of insects, shrubs, creeks, birds, and wind rustling through leaves and branches populate the composition, yet human interference is always present. Taking this condition into account, I created electronic sonorities to dialogue with timbres, textures, and movements investigated in the field recording experience.

The first section of Biofonia builds toward a climax of sonic overlap, intensifying the listening experience resulting from multiple interferences. In the second section, the movement of leaves and branches takes center stage, accompanied by the sound of human footsteps traversing the region. The intensified sonic attacks and interruptions symbolize the abrupt human interference with the fragile biome. Water then emerges as a sign of life, grounding the listener in a state of bodily awareness. In the final section, the composition offers an immersive experience of the Cerrado soundscape by revealing the original aural dimensions captured in the field recordings. However, this immersion is not sustained indefinitely, as the Anthropocene condition does not cease. The reimagined listening experience of the Cerrado, as presented in the composition, once again exposes the sonic conflicts and ambiguities that characterize our relationship with the natural biome.