There is definitely no limit to s.
What do a cathode-ray television, a barcode reader, a set of fans have in common? If you immediately answered that they can be used to make music, you are probably made of the same wood as the members of the group Electronicos Fantasticos.
Indeed, for this heterogeneous musical group founded by the Japanese artist Ei Wada, there is no question of using standard instruments such as guitar, piano or drums. Instead, these sorcerer’s apprentices recycle and divert old electronic devices into a series of surprisingly functional instruments.
We can for example cite the very cleverly named CRTelecaster. It is a contraction of Cathode-ray Tube (an acronym for cathode-ray television technology) and Telecaster, an iconic guitar model produced by Fender. Two objects that do not have much to see at first glance; but once passed into the hands of Ei Wada, they transformed into a “guitar” as fascinating as it was improbable.
And if that concept isn’t exotic enough for you yet, the Fantasticos still have more than one trick up their sleeve. They also developed an instrument soberly called “Barcoder” based on a simple barcode reader. The artist then scans different calibrated patterns to completely disrupt the poor machine’s signal. The signal thus generated is then transmitted to a computer which processes it in order to make it audible. This ultimately allows the artist to compose a “piece” that is certainly very abstract, but surprisingly nuanced for a simple barcode scanner!
We can also mention the Fantar, an indescribable generator of cacophony built on the model of a Keytar. The device is equipped with several fans which each rotate at a different rate. The musician can then generate several different tones and modulate them by passing a small probe in front of the blades. An ingenious concept, but which also seems capable of generating a devilish headache after prolonged use!
The members of Electronicos Fantasticos also experimented with an industrial fan. They replaced the blades with an irregularly drilled disc that was lit from behind. This assembly makes it possible to generate rapid light pulses, the frequency of which is analyzed using a probe; this is then connected to a bass guitar amplifier to generate a more or less serious sound depending on the positioning of the probe.
And it’s not just about experiences; these astonishing instruments are staged live during colorful concerts. Not sure that one day they end up signing with a big label; but even if the result is to say the least… surprising from a strictly musical point of view, it is still a series of rather entertaining experiences. All of their projects are documented on their YouTube channel at this address.