Creative agency Wieden + Kennedy (W+K) completely lives up to their philosophy of transcending the boundaries of technology and creativity with their latest creation . The LAVA is a new-age interactive app, a creative platform focusing on pairing music with AR (augmented reality) to produce immersive experiences. W+K worked closely with Necessary Explosion on the visuals to reflect the sounds and underlying theme of the album SOS.
The idea was inspired by the 70’s music scene where browsing through vinyl sleeves and listening to records was the only way to discover music. The LAVA app not only bridges the gap between the 70’s and the new-age music listening style where everything is on your fingertips. Not only is the app an amalgamation of two eras, but it also reflects the impressions of the disco movement with the shiny disco balls and the pop art culture.
“Necessary Explosion’s impending vinyl release was the perfect opportunity to experiment with this concept, and to pair the nostalgic pace of the ’70s with new technology and give it a retro-future twist,” says Anita Fontaine, creative director at W+K Amsterdam’s Department of New Realities. “With this experience, you engage at the same passive, chill rate you would looking at a sleeve or lava lamp. It’s the future digital vinyl sleeve.”
In a statement, musician Necessary Explosion described why the project resonated with him: “Vinyl, for me, is the most magical vessel for someone’s music. There’s an incredibly satisfying ritual associated with carefully placing a record on a turntable and, while listening, diving into the liner notes and album artwork that is sort of lost on today’s digital music culture. LAVA is a cool way to update that ritual with technology that makes it more attractive for the mobile generation. That the app still works whether you have the record or not, though, means the artist and the listener can still have a deeper connection, regardless.”
The visuals comprises of explosions, rainbows, skulls, flowers and surf-inspired waves. Check out a cool preview of the app in action:
Credits:
Department of New Realities (W+K Amsterdam)
Executive Creative Director: Mark Bernath
Creative Director: Anita Fontaine, Geoffrey Lillemon
Business Director: Kirk Johnsen
Producer: Dylan Galletly
3-D Animator / Modeler: Thomas de Rijk
Digital Designer: Leeza Pritychenko, Greta Medelyte
The Lodge (W+K Portland)
Producer: Lily Darby
Engineer: Mike Latzoni, Nate Horstmann, Stephen Schieberl
Designer: Jenna Simmons
Music
Artist: Necessary Explosion