The condemned_bulbes project was initiated a few years ago by Alexandre Burton, Jimmy Lakatos and Julien Roy, also known as artificiel. After a number of iterations (and some hardware development), the final setup was fixed in a square array of large light bulbs, individually controlled by a computer that allows complex and rich sonic textures to be created out of pure electricity.

The result is an audiovisual installation where sound and light are inseparable—dimming the light changes the sound. Strangely, at maximum intensity (1000 watts) the bulbs are almost silent. It is when they are dimmed that they produce their louder sounds.

Both installation and performance contexts are suitable for condemned_bulbes. In installation mode, the lamps play a cycle of prepared compositions. The installation is relatively quiet, and mostly acoustic (contact microphones are used to amplify some bulbs but no processing occurs). In performance the light bulbs are played live (with custom software) and many forms of signal processing are used to enrich, transform and distort the sound. While there is a bulb-free area allowing one to see the bulbs from a distance, participants are encouraged to enter and walk within the installation.