The Sound System Cicada FM is an infinite point, location specific modular sound system, whose name and concept pays homage to the summer emergences of millions of cicada singing in trees. The Sound System Cicada FM is comprised of various low power FM transmitters and a collection of battery, solar and crank powered boom boxes, and transistor radios. Cicada FM broadcasts to the receivers orchestrated into a malleable large-scale sound installation.

In 1996 there was a massive emergence of the 17-year periodical cicadas in upstate New York. From extended listening the ears could be trained to hear the individual sounds of each cicada, while also experiencing the omnipresent sonic waves of their chorus oscillating with the ears locational relationship to the sound. In 1998 Zemi17 started a community based pirate radio station in a loft in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Among the diverse programming, was an hour of psychoacoustic dense minimal tones. The show was designed to encourage listeners to play the tones on portable receivers and car stereos in public places with intention to create localized psycho-acoustic phenomena.

In 2007 at the Lucky Seven summer camp in Chappaqua, New York the Sound System Cicada FM presented an installation called Sonnets for Trees. A 1-watt FM transmitter located in a geodesic dome on the edge of a forest broadcasted live ambient sets of music. Musicians were challenged to create music as if they were whispering in the ears of trees. Receiving their transmission were 15 boom boxes suspended from tree limes. In the past two years The Sound System Cicada FM has also facilitated several silent discos in Prospect Park, the Yard and for the Warper music event.