“Connected brain”, said a female robotic voice. A large rectangular block all in mirrors stands on the stage of the 104 in Paris. “Connected Brain”, answers the DJ Molécule who stands opposite, standing, motionless for this rehearsal, Wednesday, May 18. Everything goes through sensors in his cap. “There are no buttons. There is no way to interact with this instrument, except to resonate by thought, look and try to tame it”, explains the musician.
After months of work, Romain Delahaye-Sérafini – his real name – presents for the first time in front of a real audience, Sunday May 29, at the Nuits sonores festival in Lyon, Brain Performance Mix, electronic music produced from a connected headset. An accessory originally designed to control a television or the shutters of a house. The artist focuses his gaze on shapes, white targets, on the screen: “On the one hand there are control parameters, playability where I trigger notes, harmonies. I really play on the sound parameters. And there is another aspect of control which is linked to the eight sensors which are behind my visual cortex, which constantly sends data to the instrument, which constantly modulates the sound according to my state of mood, according to my physical state. And that creates a sound which is each time a little unique”.
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This gives for example a kind of loop which stretches, or later, a break in the rhythm. “I like projects where I put myself in a bit of danger. There are major bugs at each rehearsal and for me, it’s important to accept this risk, these bugs and the fact that the concert may change. abruptly interrupt, Molecule insists.
“That’s what I liked too, it’s connecting the research and the DNA of techno, electronic music which is the club, and making people dance.”
A surprising sound, according to Marianne, electro musician, guest at the preview : “It’s difficult to capture as an audience because if we don’t know it, we say to ourselves what the hell is he doing standing in front of something with nothing to do for a few minutes “While here is an electro artist, in general, we expect him to be always interacting with his machines. And there, it’s cool, he comes to land to do nothing other than interact with his mind, it’s pretty cool. I admit, I was a bit in mode: ‘It’s a good sign!’ Me too, I’m tired of using my hands!”
This “instrument of the future” indeed opens up a world of possibilities, especially for musicians with disabilities. After the Nuits sonores, Molécule’s Brain Performance Mix will be on stage in Toulouse on Thursday June 2 as part of the Curiosités weekend and Friday June 3 at the Le Bon Air Festival in Marseille.