Kit Garcia:
My main project right now is called the Dale X Mothfur Collab with XEELA-phone. We are a music performance group merging acupuncture, sound, and nature together with a touch of retro-futurism. I go by Mothfur (Kit Garcia). I play the human instrument XEELA-phone (Sheilagh O’Hare) as well as sing and write lyrics. Sheilagh is given acupuncture live on stage which is the interface by which she produces sounds. The generated music is further modified by pedals and filters to shape the final product to which Dale Cannedy-Azim harmonizes to on his synths in real-time. Every performance is unique because Sheilagh’s physical state of being as well as emotions affect the sonic outcome. I would say our sound is a sort of auditory escapism that guides the participant into a hopeful and magical world of a benevolent future complete with playful aliens and sentient mushrooms. In the past, I have played guitar, ukulele, created sound baths, and sung in a variety of groups.
COTFG: What are some of the influences on your recent work? Musical or otherwise.
Garcia: Being outdoors has the biggest influence on me. I hear nature playing a symphony at all times; from the blood rush in my own ears to cricket chirps to seeing where the fungi have their “secret raves”. I hold a Masters in Chemistry and another Masters in Acupuncture/Herbology which drives me to see where those worlds intersect with art and music. While I was online, I came across the Plant Choir device and saw it was designed to use a plant’s electrical signals to generate music. I thought to myself: ‘what if I hooked up a human instead?’ That’s how my current group got its start. I like exploring and visualizing acupuncture and herbal healing woven into the fabric of music. As far as I know, no other musician has explored this connection before in this exact way.
Another thing that influences my work is the conscious passing of time. Most musicians get started early in life and while I certainly did get starter guitar education, nothing much emerged in the early decades due to my work and interests in other fields. As none of my collaborative partners were born this century, we are keenly aware of our mortality and the legacies we leave behind. In our teens and early adulthood, every voice of authority hammered how we had to get “real jobs”. Few people encouraged self-exploration through music and art. Back then, only the children of the 1% or the supremely talented were encouraged to pursue the arts while the rest of us were funneled into STEM jobs, which were ridiculously flooded by the time we entered the market.
The musicians who have previously and currently partnered with me have each had an influence on my growth and transformation. I am grateful to each one for the challenges and accomplishments we have done together.
COTFG: What have you been listening to lately?
Garcia: Right now I’ve been drifting into Daisy Rickman’s “Sunflowers of Your Mind” from her pandemic era album “Howl” and Tomo Katsurada’s (from Kikagaku Moyo ) project: “Dream of the Egg”.
J.G. Thirlwell’s new bittersweet “Halt” also made my radar, as it marks the end of his decades long project called Foetus. Special shout out to Fujilllllllllllta, Oren Ambarchi, Raven Chacon, Oreville Peck, Zola Jesus, Johnathan Bree, Sudan Archives, Xorcist, and Afro Celt Sound System.
COTFG: What does “avant-garde” and/or “experimental” mean to you?
Garcia: In general, experimental music has to be pushing the everyday constraints of what is normally considered conventional and it should influence the listener’s emotional state. It is the combination of accessibility and creativity in the realm of sound. I have spent time volunteer-teaching ukulele to underprivileged children in the past and believe music to be every human’s divine birthright. Experimental music is a portal that allows any creative person to access the music world which would otherwise be unlikely due to the high cost of education/equipment.
Dale X Mothfur Collab with XEELA-phone performance
