vinyl records turn into 'music you can see' in new AR app by wieden + kennedy

the brainchild of creative agency wieden + kennedy, necessary explosion is a new app, which pairs music with AR (augmented reality) to create ‘music you can see’. part music video, part interactive sleeve design, the app visualizes SOS, the debut album of its namesake musician, turning its 11 tracks into unique AR sculptures that spin atop the vinyl record on a turntable.

all images courtesy of wieden + kennedy

the nostalgia of listening to records and physically browsing vinyl sleeves as an extension of the artist’s vision tiggered wieden + kennedy to design the necessary explosion app. users can interact with the AR content through the iOS app, which, using audio fingerprinting technology, allows them to engage with the sculptures and move them around.

to create the digital sculptures for necessary explosion, W+K worked closely with the artist to visually reflect the sound and underlying themes of the album. interpreting the artist’s internal mindscape, the collection of visuals comprises of explosions, rainbows, skulls, flowers and surf-inspired waves. the app, which is now available to download on the app store, is intended to be experienced alongside the SOS vinyl LP (available at CDBaby), yet, it can also be used on its own.

the app is the first in a series produced by LAVA, a new creative platform focusing on pairing music with AR to produce immersive experiences. evolving the way we listen and create ‘music you can see’, each future iteration will be specific to the artist’s vision, offering users new, unique visuals for every album.

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: sofia lekka angelopoulou | designboom