What does blue electricity smell like? The mystery remains. One thing is certain: Italian composer Vittorio Montalti drew on this line from Fahrenheit 451, the dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury. Fascinated by the protagonist Guy Montag’s determination to change the course of time, he composes music brimming with tension. Underlying themes of mass technological surveillance and the resulting loss of freedom emerge. The omnipresence of raw metallic percussion (disc brakes, metal plates, frying pans) combined with electronic textures aims to recreate the suffocating, electric atmosphere unique to the book.

Through an exploration of sounds that blend percussion, everyday objects, and electronic devices, the piece blurs the boundaries between acoustic and processed sounds. Its technological dimension extends beyond sound processing: reactive lighting, directly linked to the beats, dynamics, and percussive gestures, accompanies the performance. It thus becomes a dramaturgical element in its own right, establishing a dialogue between the visible and the audible, between the performers’ bodies—four percussionists from Eklekto and the composer—and the stage space.

Presented in an industrial setting at the Arcoop building in Carouge, the raw, functional architecture interacts with the piece’s sound and lighting aesthetics. It invites the audience to an immersive collective experience.