Company:
Signal-to-Noise
Year:
2022-2023
Medium:
iOS App/ XR / Sound
Role:
Concept / UI & UX Design/ Unity & AR Development/ 3D Design
Overview
Revolv is an Augmented Reality (AR) app built for iOS that dynamically visualises the sound of your records in real-time. A cyclical soundwave graphic is emitted from the stylus of the record player, following the records circular motion and simultaneously reacting to the real-time audio content. Sonic analysis of the frequency bands (treble, mid, bass etc) and their corresponding volume informs both the colour and movement of these waveforms, bringing the record’s sound to life. Developed from an initial prototype into a finished iOS app, Revolv was published on the App Store.
Concept
Revolv explores the tension between analogue and digital technologies, merging the tactile, mechanical experience of vinyl with the possibilities of augmented reality. By bringing together the temporalities of past media and contemporary innovation, the project reimagines the record player as both a physical artefact and a digital canvas.
The circular motion of the record provides the foundation for a generative visual system, with the stylus acting as the point from which audio-reactive waveforms emerge. By translating changes in frequency and volume into evolving colour and movement, Revolv creates a dynamic visual connection between the physical mechanics of vinyl playback and the sound it produces, bridging the gap between analogue listening and digital expression.
How it works
The project was developed in Unity using AR Foundation and VFX Graph. A custom UI allows users to position AR anchors within the scene, providing control over the placement of digital elements in relation to the physical environment.
The app captures and analyses the real-time audio of the record, translating changes in frequency and volume into dynamic waveform graphics. These visuals respond to the music as it plays, combining real-time audio analysis with generative visual effects to create an immersive augmented reality experience around the record player.
