When Plants Play Music
Published: Oct 25, 2024 by dadamachines
What if creativity wasn’t just a human trait? What if mushrooms and plants could compose music and create visual art? For Manchester-based band Bionic and the Wires, this isn’t science fiction—it’s their daily reality, powered in part by the dadamachines automat toolkit.
Bionic and the Wires are a genre-defying UK collective led by Jon Ross and Andy Kidd. Their performances feature bionic robot arms built from the automat toolkit’s default mallet assembly and microphone stand adapters. These assemblies were further extended with desk lamp mechanics. This setup allows living plants and fungi to control musical instruments and paintbrushes. By transforming bio-electrical signals from mushrooms and plants into artistic expressions, the band explores the intelligence and responsiveness of the natural world.
Their art challenges the traditional notion that creativity is exclusively human. Instead, they demonstrate how the rhythms and signals of non-human life can be harnessed to create abstract and intricate artworks and compositions. As Jon Ross puts it, “It’s exciting to think that with this invention we may have opened up the opportunity for a whole new genre of music. Maybe it’s called bionica!?”
Central to their setup is the dadamachines automat toolkit—a plug & play MIDI-controller that Jon Ross purchased second-hand on reverb.com. Jon recently shared with us that he’s very happy with the toolkit’s flexibility and reliability, which has helped bring their botanical bandmates to life on stage. The automat toolkit’s universal DC outputs and MIDI compatibility make it the perfect bridge between bio-signals and musical instruments.
The band’s invention works by capturing the electrical bio-signals generated by natural processes like photosynthesis. Sensors attached to plant leaves pick up these pulses, which are then transformed by music-making equipment into electricity to power the robotic arms. This allows plants to directly play live instruments such as steel handpan drums and violins—an innovation that’s already made waves in the music tech world.
Jon Ross is the visionary force behind Bionic and the Wires. As an artist, technologist, and environmental thinker, Jon assembled the bionic arms that let plants and fungi express themselves. His work spans sculpture, performance, and electronics, always driven by a desire to reveal the hidden intelligence of nature. Jon is also the founder and CEO of Sow the City, a Manchester-based not-for-profit environmental organisation.
Andy Kidd is the sonic sorcerer behind the band’s sound. With a background in live performance and electronic music, Andy translates the subtle rhythms of the natural world into immersive musical experiences using synthesizers, keyboards, and digital soundscapes.
Bionic and the Wires have already captured the imagination of millions. In a recent chat, Jon Ross told us their videos have surpassed 50 million views—a testament to the fascination and inspiration their work brings to audiences worldwide.
Their project has been featured in major music and technology publications, including MusicTech, DJ Mag, and even the official MIDI.org website. The band’s debut performance with their bionic robot arm and plant-mate took place at Manchester’s Castlehead Viaduct, where audiences witnessed plants controlling instruments live on stage.
By bridging the gap between technology and the natural world, Bionic and the Wires reframe art as an act that transcends human hands. Their work celebrates the inherent rhythms of non-human life forms and questions the anthropocentric view of creativity. As MIDI.org put it: “MIDI mushrooms, what will they think of next!”
Bio sonification opens up a fascinating world where the invisible processes of living organisms become audible and interactive. By measuring microcurrent fluctuations in plant leaves, devices like the Biodata MIDI Interface and Playtronica Biotron transform biological signals into MIDI notes, allowing plants to play music and interact with electronic instruments. This technology not only enables artists and scientists to explore the secret life of plants, but also offers new ways to connect with nature, create generative soundscapes, and experiment with living instruments. Whether for music production, art installations, or scientific research, bio sonification bridges biology and technology, revealing the rhythms and responses of the natural world in real time.
With their innovative approach and the help of the automat toolkit, Bionic and the Wires are opening new doors for art, music, and technology. We’re excited to see what’s next—and maybe even see them enter the 2026 MIDI Innovation Awards in the art and installation category.
Learn more about Bionic and the Wires on their website, and check out the dadamachines automat toolkit to start your own journey into creative music machines.
Try the dadamachines automat toolkit and start composing with nature.
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