Inspired by the experience of failing to fully control my moods and thoughts while in depression, I started the research on microorganisms living in the human body and their impact on our sense of “self”, which eventually led to the questioning of human individuality and identity.

Named after the number of bacteria species detected in my body, this project looks into the millions of tiny organisms that constitute who I am as a person. Through 16s amplicon sequencing, the bacterial make-up is analysed and then translated into soundscapes. Later this sonic information is embedded in a vinyl record coloured with Serratia marcescens, a pigment-producing bacterium that can be found in the human body. Accompanying the vinyl is a catalogue containing the DNA reads of the 3607 bacteria and a clamshell box made out of bacteria-dyed book cloth.

The record was designed to split into four tracks, each corresponding to a different site where bacteria were sampled (oral & nasal cavity, gut, skin, and vagina). The sonic information for each track correlates with the composition and abundance of bacteria species inhabiting that specific body part.

Due to the limitation of the technology and our current knowledge of the bacteria, 8.8 percent of the total number of bacteria found are unclassifiable on the genus level, accounting for almost one-third of the bacteria species detected.

Since there was so little information on them other than their DNA reads, all the DNA sequences of the unclassifiable ones were translated in a linear fashion by assigning different sound frequencies to each nucleotide, creating a mysterious glitch for each species. As for all the identifiable bacteria, they were instead divided into different groups based on similar physical/behavioural characteristics, according to which sound objects were synthesised.

The final soundscape is a mix of literal transcription and human interpretation of the bacteria information we have, capturing the elusive beauty of bacterial life forms.

< CLICK HERE > to listen to the entire album.