JANIS LABHART

This project involves collaboration with the Flamenco dancer Fanny Keller to create a live set. Traditional Flamenco elements are explored, reinterpreted, and deconstructed. A custom-built Max patch converts the dancer’s movements into commands for the computer, allowing her to actively interact with the live set. Together, this creates an interactive interplay that mirrors the dynamic nature of Flamenco.
The project blends traditional Flamenco techniques with modern technology to craft a performance that is both innovative and engaging. The name Soni(c)quete reflects the fusion of the individual art forms, combining “sonic” (relating to sound) with “soniquete,” a Flamenco term for rhythm that also describes someone with an exceptional sense of timing.

Composing the music for the documentary Suspekt provided a unique opportunity to blend production expertise with electroacoustic influences. The music was carefully crafted to complement and enhance the film’s visual narrative, contributing to the storytelling through sound.
Suspekt premiered at the Solothurn Film Festival and was shown in Swiss cinemas in February-May 2025.  


EMFFBS is a live performance at the intersection of drone, ambient, noise, and electroacoustic improvisation. At its core is a modified vintage amplifier, which I use to generate feedback and sounds through electromagnetic induction. These sounds are captured live with electromagnetic microphones and manipulated in real time.
Using Ableton/Max, inductors, cables, and a MIDI controller, I create dense, floating soundscapes that repeatedly collapse into raw, noisy moments. Each set oscillates between structure and chaos—composed sections merge with improvisation, while chance becomes an integral part of the music. This keeps every performance unpredictable, evolving in its own unique way.

For the group exhibition “Mischabbruch; nomadisches Archiv”

Exhibition text:

Four participants connect their smartphones to one of the four Bluetooth speakers in the room, scan the corresponding QR code that leads to an audio file, and then coordinate to press play as simultaneously as possible. Multichannel systems are as common in electroacoustic music as Bluetooth speakers are in public parks. However, these systems are typically more expensive, difficult to operate, and accessible to only a select few. “4-to-the-floor” intentionally breaks down this barrier surrounding the art world. The installation creates a space that can only be experienced collectively, as the four audio tracks blur and blend together, fostering a connection between the participants.
“4-to-the-floor” invites experimentation, encouraging engagement with others to co-create new spaces. It calls for exchange, shared experience, and collective action.

“VBAT” is an acousmatic composition that explores the hidden soundscape of bats. Using specialized microphones, I captured ultrasonic bat calls that are normally inaudible to the human ear. These recordings became the foundation of the piece, with the unique rhythms and textures of bat communication seamlessly woven into the composition, creating an organic and immersive sonic experience.

“Sauvage” is a site-specific, participatory installation in a public space that emerged from an interest in analog experimentation. Departing from a primarily digital workspace, the artist built a mechanical drum machine. Using an Arduino to control four solenoids, and a computer to convert MIDI signals into analog movements, the solenoids struck different materials from a distance, generating sounds.
For the presentation of the 4-channel installation, a train station entrance hall was chosen as the setting. The setup involved the solenoids striking four distinct materials, with the resulting sounds processed live using three contact microphones and a dynamic Shure microphone.
Listeners were invited to strike the materials themselves, contributing to the evolving soundscape. Through Bluetooth headphones, they could hear both the raw impact sounds of the solenoids and the processed audio, all while immersed in the ambient noises of escalators, trains, and people, which were also captured by the microphones.
The MIDI pattern for the installation was inspired by field recordings taken at the site. Sounds of approaching trains and the rhythmic hum of the escalators were woven into a 4:30-minute MIDI loop.
The artist finds inspiration in the sounds and atmosphere of the location, allowing the environment to guide the creative process. “Sauvage” was also a deliberate intervention into public space, challenging the city’s development trends that increasingly push subversive culture to the margins.

This piece originates from the recording of an existing space using 3rd-order ambisonic techniques. Over time, the familiar environment transforms as ambiguous figures emerge, only to dissolve into an increasingly dense and immersive drone.
The sound journey reflects a process of spatial deconstruction and transformation, where the room itself becomes a shifting sonic landscape. The work is available as a binaural mix, optimized for headphone listening, and as a full 3rd-order ambisonic download for a complete spatial experience.
“47°22’57.7″N 8°32’05.3″E” invites listeners to explore a space that blurs the line between presence and abstraction, leading them into a realm of immersive, evolving sound.

This patch is designed to convert audio trigger signals into MIDI notes. It analyzes incoming audio signals, translates them into MIDI data, and integrates seamlessly into Ableton Live as a Max for Live device. The patch can be used for real-time MIDI note generation from audio triggers or for playing MIDI notes from clips in Ableton Live, making it a versatile tool for creative music production. It was specifically used in the live performance sonic/quete, where it played a key role in transforming audio inputs into dynamic MIDI interactions.

I have repurposed an old audio amplifier, modifying it to send sounds through cables via electromagnetic induction. Using electromagnetic microphones, I am able to create a feedback loop or directly listen to the sounds traveling through the cables. This instrument is part of the live performance EMFFBS, where it contributes to a unique, immersive sonic experience by manipulating electromagnetic fields and feedback.

“swarms” is a noise drone composition crafted entirely from field recordings of electromagnetic fields. These recordings, captured from various environments, were woven together into a cohesive sonic journey that explores the invisible world of electromagnetic energy. The composition immerses the listener in layers of textured sound, creating a meditative yet intense auditory experience. Through this piece, the often unnoticed and unheard electromagnetic fields are transformed into a dynamic and immersive sonic landscape.

This live set emerged from an experimental phase working with electromagnetic microphones (EMF mics). Fascinated by their simple construction, there was a desire to uncover hidden sounds and integrate these beautiful yet dark, concealed tones into a live performance. The result was a 20-minute drone-ambient piece.
During the performance, participants’ smartphones were collected and used as sources of sound. It was an exciting experience to harness the diverse sonic textures from these devices and incorporate them into the performance. This project was both artistically and technically inspiring, opening new possibilities for sound creation and expanding creative approaches.

Brautone is a festival dedicated to experimental music, designed as a platform for creative exchange, skill-sharing, and networking. Now in its 4th edition, the festival spans several days, featuring concerts, listening sessions, and workshops that explore the boundaries of sound and music.
The festival aims to create a collaborative environment where artists, musicians, and audiences can connect and inspire one another. It is a space for sharing knowledge and fostering a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about pushing the limits of sonic experimentation. Brautone celebrates diversity in sound, from live performances to interactive workshops, encouraging participants to engage, learn, and contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of experimental music.