HUSH recently unveiled HUSH/LISTEN, a 'record' that, through the use of a custom-made Instagram filter, plays an augmented reality musical composition based on the collective experiences and nostalgia of its employees. To do so, HUSH looked internally at the places their employees have called home and the music that defined them there. Using that geographical and musical history data, they designed a 'record' that can be played through Instagram's Spark AR platform.
"The idea to connect the places we've called home with the music that defined those times was a simple methodology to bring back old feelings, and to piece together the places and sounds that formed who we are," explained HUSH Creative Partner David Schwarz. "Since both of those things - places and sounds - are discrete and quantifiable information, we knew they would be a great input into the design process that would provide data points to turn into something special."
HUSH/LISTEN is activated when you use the Instagram filter and click, drag and move your finger over the data points of HUSH staff that are on the printed 'record' graphic. While this functionality was specifically designed to be simple and easy to use, the process to bring HUSH/LISTEN to life was more complex. This includes making innovative uses of 3D vectors and creating a digital player-piano that connects specific sounds to each person in the data, determining tonal ranges, patterns and symmetry for the 'record' visual, and, perhaps most importantly, creating a streamlined user interface.
"By calculating the angle between the center of the disc and where the user is touching the screen, we can animate the playhead to determine the sound we hear," said HUSH Partner Erik Karasyk. "With enough of a spin, the playhead gets a bit of momentum allowing to play the track automatically. This creates two different ways to listen, via passive listening or active exploration."
With its sleek, minimal aesthetic inspired by actual vinyl records, HUSH/LISTEN provides a unique audiovisual experience, one which HUSH intends to evolve and expand beyond the data of its internal team. The experience design agency is mailing prints of the trigger graphic to clients and partners and prompting them via QR code to use the Instagram filter to play the data music. Those without the physical 'record' can play by simply utilizing the filter by using the HUSH/LISTEN graphic.
Photos: Courtesy of HUSH