BOTHELBOWS - Joe Stratton
musician / engineer / sound designer
New York, USA
bothelbows.com | @bothelbows | joestrattonsound@gmail.com
BIO
Joe Stratton (aka Bothelbows) is a New York-based musician, engineer, and sound designer specializing in spatial audio. His work explores how sound behaves in physical space, using ambisonics, Dolby Atmos, 4DSOUND, and live performance to create environments where listeners can experience sound in unexpected ways.
Known for his work in theatrical rock group Not Blood Paint, he continues to challenge each audience to listen beyond the surface, outside comfort zones, with multi-channel arrays now in place of guitars and costumes (– though often still including costumes).
PAST RESIDENCIES
2025 — Spæs Lab for Spatial Aesthetics in Sound, Berlin, Germany
Residency focused on ambisonics in a studio equipped with a 24-speaker half dome (and the IKO beamforming speaker) at the Funkhaus broadcasting complex. A month studying the seminal works of early spatial artists, exploring software (Reaper, Sound Particles, IEM’s suite of plugins) and establishing concepts for a new spatial composition.
2022 — Ionian Center for the Arts and Culture, Kefalonia, Greece
Joint residency with visual artist John Burton McGarity. Composed and produced sound for his exhibition, and performed a live theatrical piece reflecting the themes of his work.
2022 — Lobe Studio, Vancouver BC, Canada
Two months in Lobe’s studio custom-built for the 4DSOUND system. Composed and performed a 20-minute piece using electronics, voice, found sounds, and field recordings – to be released in binaural format (spring 2026).
2021 — The Mill at Vicksburg (Prairie Ronde Artist Residency), Vicksburg, Michigan, US
Residency in a decommissioned paper mill in Michigan. Designed and installed an 11-speaker array, and composed a site-specific piece made with recordings captured in The Mill and its surroundings, performed with live vocals. Released in Dolby Atmos (2022).
SPATIAL SOUND WORK
2022-2025 — Reality Labs, Meta
Three years working as a sound designer for Supernatural, Meta’s flagship VR fitness app. Created and implemented spatialized ambience for virtual environments for the Meta Quest headset, using real-time 3D processing, as well as mixing music and dialogue for the user experience.
MUSICAL PROJECTS
Not Blood Paint (songwriter, vocalist, guitarist)
Brooklyn-based theatrical rock group - six albums, extensive touring
albums:
2008 – Pure Electron
2010 – La Normalidad
2012 – Calm Down
2013 – Bed Music
2013 – Time to Deliver
2016 – Believing is Believing
Bothelbows (solo work)
albums:
2022 – Bothelbows at The Mill (in Dolby Atmos)
2023 – The Summation
2024 – Catalog: 35 Tracks
2024 – Compromising Files
2026 – Bothelbows in Progress / Live at Lobe (binaural)
EDUCATION
2005 – Concordia University, Montreal (Creative Writing)
2002 – Middlesex University, London (Sonic Arts)
ARTISTIC AIMS
Wonder, curiosity, communication, debate, education, collaboration, contemplation