the VR space. Many ‘Waves’ feature ‘trips’
that allow two people to momentarily leave
the environment for an intimate 45-second
psychedelic experience purpose-designed by
Oakland digital artist Cabbibo. Participants
can transform into metallic lava – reminis-
cent of Terminator 2 – or enjoy a pulsating
environment of fractals. In another trip, set in
a cutesy Japanese karaoke bar, you’re an angler
fish, and on touching tentacles, balloons fall
and children cheer. ‘When you’re at a music
festival, sometimes you have a connection
with a person you meet in that loud noisy
environment,’ says Arrigo. ‘It feels like you’ve
created your own space within the sprawling,
crazy social mess. A Wave trip reflects that
feeling but in a more direct, visual sense.’
VR’s ability to arouse empathy and
result in a deep social connection was at the
heart of EDM trio Glitch Mob’s VR experi-
ence, ‘See Without Eyes’. Starting in a lonely
teenager’s bedroom, the walls fall away
and you enter his thoughts, culminating in
a journey through a galactic dreamscape
choreographed to a 20-minute mix of the
album. ‘We looked at themes of isolation
versus social interaction,’ says Arrigo. ‘If you
see Glitch Mob live, they have crazy visuals,
but you wouldn’t experience it as a story. »
Ash Koosha was
able to ‘tour’
the US virtually,
despite Donald
Trump’s travel ban
‘See Without Eyes’ starts in a teenager's
bedroom before exploding into a journey
through a galactic dreamscape choreographed
to a 20-minute mix of the album.FRAME LAB 171