It seems as if the metaverse is progressively working its way into every aspect of our lives. Whether we’re gamifying our workplaces or investing in crypto, there are endless possibilities for the mingling of you and Web3.0. However, the largest element of the metaverse as it stands today is the promise of Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR & VR respectively), and how these interact in our physical, 3D space. Enter Volta, the music-minded visual arts technology company with their finger, and ear, on the pulse.
Volta is a free, self-service XR creation platform that allows creators to construct and broadcast immersive experiences throughout the metaverse. Its much anticipated showcase event is at The Standard High line on Tuesday 7th June and features Ninja Tune artist, Machinedrum, performing an exclusive, hybrid virtual set wrapped around a live audience which will be live streamed to an online audience who will be able to have an impact on the virtual world in real time.
Volta allows live streaming artists to use any audio source (desktop audio output, midi controllers, metadata, DAWS like Ableton Live or Logic Pro, etc) to automate various visual effects of the world, in sync with their music in real time — the first ever initiative of its kind. They enable musicians, artists and creators to build and perform in 3D, audio reactive worlds for everything from live streams to the LED walls at a live show. They’ve previously worked with huge names like Imogen Heap, The Blessed Madonna, and more!
The launch event on June 7th will break new ground, demonstrating how artists and their audiences, local and global, can make a genuinely unique collaborative performance mixed reality performances, live. At the event, the screens which are wrapped around the audience, will provide a hugely immersive experience in the audio reactive world that has been built, especially for this event that will showcase the potential of Volta’s innovative new technology.
Featured artist Machinedrum is a restless and innovative underground mainstay. He has produced across a dizzying array of genres and has dipped his toe in the XR space with last year’s AV performance crafted over several months with renowned Computation Designer, Daito Manabe.
As a massive fan of Machinedrum’s 2020 masterwork A View of U, and eternally excited about the possibilities of blending the live and virtual concert experience, I cannot wait to see what Volta and Machinedrum will bring to the table, both sonically and visually.
You can find more info on Volta here, and if you wanna indulge in some game-changing drum and bass, you can listen to A View of U by Machinedrum below!
