μbryd by Josephine Stamer, Hendrik Klatte

Inspired by the concept of a modern-day bestiary, μbryd delves into the sonic possibilities of speculative hybrid beings. Animal voices fuse with artificial sounds, natural recordings intertwine with synthetic structures, and the organic collides with the electronic – creating eerie, sometimes even absurd sonic landscapes.

In an era of accelerating species extinction, μbryd reflects on hybridization as both a necessity and a haunting possibility. As ecosystems collapse and disappear, new, unintended sonic and biological entanglements emerge. What hybrids are born when nature is forced to adapt to an increasingly artificial world? How do we listen to a future where the boundaries between species—between the living and the mechanical—blur beyond recognition?

Developed for a live setup, Josephine Stamer and Hendrik Klatte sculpt acoustic chimeras from a rich palette of field recordings, mechanical noises, and electronic textures. Through granular synthesis, modular sound generation, electroacoustic manipulations, and vocal experiments, they explore their auditory perception.

What happens when the roar of a buffalo merges with mechanical drilling? When the chirping of midwife toads collides with the squeaking of shopping carts? When a human voice dissolves into digital oscillations?


About the Cover Art:

The midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) is a small amphibian found across parts of Western and Central Europe, known for its unusual reproductive behavior: males carry fertilized eggs wrapped around their hind legs, keeping them safe until they're ready to hatch.
One of the most distinctive features of the midwife toad is its call. Unlike the croaks of typical frogs, Alytes obstetricans emits a high-pitched, repetitive “beep” that sounds remarkably like a supermarket checkout scanner—short, regular, and electronic in tone.

Unfortunately, populations of the midwife toad are in decline across much of their range. Habitat loss, pollution, road construction, and especially a deadly fungal disease called chytridiomycosis have taken a serious toll. In some regions, local populations have disappeared entirely.
Conservation efforts are now underway in several countries to protect this unique species. These include habitat restoration, monitoring of wild populations, and breeding programs to support reintroduction efforts. Raising public awareness about the toad’s distinctive call and lifestyle is also an important part of ensuring its future survival.

re:natura is a non-profit artist collective, music label and experimental laboratory with a clear, shared vision.

With a focus on topics of biodiversity, we explore animals, plants, landscapes and natural phenomena. In the critical tradition of naturalists, we compose, publish, perform and convey experimental musics that are concerned with the specifics of life.

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label.re.natura@gmail.com

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