SACCHAROsonics

SaccharoSonics is a hybrid sound installation and research project that explores what happens when we listen closely to metabolism; our own, and that of the microbial cultures we live alongside. Using SCOBYs (symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeast) as active performers, the project translates microbial fermentation into sound through sensors, custom electronics, and glass vessels designed specifically for vibration and resonance.

As the SCOBYs digest sugars and reshape their chemical environments, they produce subtle electrical and acoustic signatures. These are amplified, processed, and played back into the space, creating a shifting soundscape that reveals the hidden activity of fermentation. Human participants also contribute: soft wearable sensors track the body’s changing rhythms in response to sweetness, turning digestion into a sonic dialogue.

SaccharoSonics sits at the intersection of sound art, sensory research, and microbial aesthetics. It brings together sculpture, fermentation, DIY biotechnologies, and fabric-based speaker design to create an intimate, embodied listening environment. The project asks how we might understand metabolism not only as a biological process, but as a shared language between species.

Upcoming presentations of SaccharoSonics include installations and performances supported by Plexus Projects (New York).

Slightly surreal concept video and slide deck below: