About the Album
"Yucca Music" is a sonic exploration of the deep, living connection between humanity and the environment. Inspired by the breathtaking landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park and Yucca Valley, California, this work invites listeners to pause, listen, and reflect on the fragile ecosystems that sustain us.
While hiking the desert trails, Hiram nestled among the stones to capture the vibrations of life emanating from the Yucca plants and Joshua Trees. These living beings, with their silent, steady pulse, are at the heart of the album’s compositions.
Through the use of data-sonification technology, Hiram translates the subtle electrical variations in the plants’ leaves and root systems into musical sounds. Sensitive electrodes are placed on the plants, detecting slight electrical changes which are then converted into pitch messages and transmitted to an analog synthesizer via MIDI. This process transforms plant energy into music, a true collaboration between human and Nature.
The result is a meditative soundscape woven with the textures of the surrounding environment—Walnut bass flute, stereo signal processing, and the ambient sounds of the desert landscape—creating an intimate portrait of a breathing, interconnected world.
"Yucca Music" is both an artistic act of listening and a call to reconnect with the Earth. In an era where our bond with Nature is often overlooked, this work serves as a reminder of our deep interdependence with the planet we call home.
Track Highlights
Track 1: "First Light" – 17:25
Flora: Yucca Schidigera (Mojave Yucca)
Contact Points: 2x +/- leaves
Location: Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Track 2: "The Great Unseen" – 17:42
Flora: Yucca Brevifolia (Joshua Tree)
Contact Points: 2x +/- root system
Location: Yucca Valley, CA
Gratitude
Thank you to the Yucca plants and Joshua Trees for sharing their vibrations.
Visit my Bandcamp page to listen and support!
Explore more from my catalog, including Air Songs and Immersion.
