GUEST by vegetable.machine.animal

A live conversation between plants, fungi, machines, and human musicians

What would it sound like if we could interact musically with plants and fungi—if humans stopped to listen and respond? vegetable.machine.animal is an interspecies improvisational trio exploring this question through a hybrid sonic language of biosignals, modular synthesis, and live drums.

Led by drummer Kieran Monaghan, the project transforms living data from plants and fungi into voltage, translated into sound via modular synthesizer. Monaghan responds in real time, creating a feedback loop between human, organism, and machine.

Their debut album, GUEST, was recorded during the 2024 Sonic Artist Residency (Creative New Zealand / NZSM / Toi Pōneke) and emerged through open-ended, intuitive sessions. A diverse group of collaborators was invited to join the process, including Kedron Parker, Nico Buhne, Bill Wood, Ruby Solly, Indigique Brown, David Long, Andrew Faleatua, Andy Wright, Gemma Thompson, Timothy Morel, Mo H. Zareei, Tae Kyung Seo, Issac Smith, and Chrissie Butler.

Rather than guiding the music, contributors were invited to follow it—adding their voices to a living, shifting ecology of sound. The result is an album that is rhythmic, irregular, immersive, and alive.

GUEST is co-released by Audio Foundation Records (Tāmaki Makaurau) and skirted Records (Te Whanganui-a-Tara).

Tracklist

1.	Ice Water. Warming World. [Kedron Parker, Nico Buhne]	2:51

2.	Contaminated by Humanness [Bill Wood]	2:31

3.	Let the Shifting Ground Hold me Up [Ruby Solly]	3:47

4.	The Strength of Rivers [indigogue browne]	2:06

5.	Moat of Rest. Mote of Dust. [David Long]	3:51

6.	The Floor Holds [Andrew Faleatua]	3:00

7.	The Physics of the Swing [Andy Wright]	2:10

8.	Random Patterning [Baxter Gray]	1:26

9.	Exit when Entering [Gemma S. Thompson]	3:37

10.	Exuberant Whimsy [Timothy Morel]	2:02

11.	No Evidence of the Future [Mo H. Zareei, Tae Kyung Seo]	3:13

12.	Forward. Tense. [Issac Smith]	3:01

13.	In the End, it's Enough [Chrissie Butler]	4:48

Credits

released May 30, 2025

1. Ice Water. Warming World.
with: Kedron Parker [Tambourine, 2 sting viola, childs microphone, a plastic severed hand], Nico Buhne [trumpet]

2. Contaminated by Humanness
with: Bill Wood [guitar]

3. Let the Shifting Ground Hold Me Up
with: Ruby Solly (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu) [taonga pūoro]

4. The Strength of Rivers
with: indigogue browne [guitar, detritus, synth, violin, vocals]

5. Moat of Rest. Mote of Dust.
with: David Long [cello, guitar, effects]

6. The Floor Holds
with: Andrew Faleatua [keyboard, fagufagu]

7. The Physics of the Swing
with: Andy Wright [drumkit]

8. Random Patternings
with: Baxter Gray [electronics, vocals, feedback]

9. Exit when Entering
with: Gemma S. Thompson [guitar, effects]

10. Exuberant Whimsy
with: Timothy Morel [guitar]

11. No Evidence of the Future
with: Mo H. Zareei [digital processing, electronics], Tae Kyung Seo [vocals]

12. Forward. Tense.
with: Issac Smith [modular synth]

13. In the End, it is Enough
with: Chrissie Butler [electronics, keyboards, domestic objects]

skirted 33

License

CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. See the Creative Commons website for details.