aaamusic | On 14, Jun 2011

IMOGEN HEAP

“HEAP SONG 2”

The First Audio 3D Single

Following on from Imogen Heap’s ground breaking first song “Lifeline”, from her work in progress 4th solo album, she is about to excite, confound and once again push the boundaries with her next, “Heap Song 2”.

“Lifeline” was created by Imogen is a completely new way. The song / video and artwork was collaborated on and inspired by her fans over a 2 week period with Imogen as the creative ringmaster. Day by day Imogen chose her favourite sounds, images, words and video sent in from around the world and played with, moulded, edited, mixed and produced “Lifeline”. Heapsong1 aka “Lifeline” was then released 2 weeks after the start of the project, with the release party held at her house where all those involved were invited.

“Heap Song 2” continues Imogen’s innovative approach to music and songwriting as she is set to create the first 3D audio song. “Heap Song 2” will be available from 4th July exclusively from imogenheap.com and from all major stores on 17th July. Intrigued?

Imogen has partnered up with Nick Ryan to push the limits of ‘sound’ and ‘song’ to a new place. Nick Ryan is a multi award winning sound designer, composer and audio specialist. He has sound designed and composed extensively for Film, Motion Graphics, Documentary, Interactive Media and the Orchestra and consulted widely on the future of sound and music. Whilst working with the BBC’s ‘Imagineering’ Department as a futurologist in 2004 he won a BAFTA for ‘The Dark House’, a groundbreaking interactive binaural (3D audio) Radio Drama which he co-devised, scored and mixed live on air on BBC Radio 4. Last year Nick created Papa Sangre – the first ever real-time 3D audio game . Papa Sangre is a video game with no video created entirely in sound, for the iphone platform.The game was awarded the ‘Most Innovative Game‘ at the International Mobile Gaming Awards in March.

He and Imogen are excited to explore the idea of using sound to enhance the experience and narrative of a song alongside ‘conventional’ words and music . (cont)
This would be a track where the listener will actually be “inside” the song, as if they were in Imogen’s shoes, which will happen around them in 3D audio

As with “Lifeline” – this track, artwork and video will be created in 2 weeks, again with involvement from her community. However this time Imogen will keep the meaning of this song private, with an aim to enhance the listeners personal connection to the song in filling the gaps she leaves with their own experiences but even before they’ve heard the song. How? Nick will be in constant discussion with Imogen as she writes the music (cont)

and lyrics, then he’ll find and create sounds, atmospheres and acoustic spaces that
depict the inspiration for her song, later to be incorporated into the recording. Fans could expect a tweet from Nick for example like ‘in a tunnel, voices bounce of walls as people discuss the day’ and then hear these recordings, day by day. Like a sonic version of reading a paragraph in a book, where the spaces and faces come alive in your own imagination, taking references from your own experiences. Nick may even call upon Imogen’s community for ideas on locations or to be directly recorded themselves making sounds to recreate these moments. Imogen will be asking them to post what the song means to them, with each person entering having the chance to be in the video, shot in the woods at the bottom of her garden. Imogen’s community will also be invited again to send in photos and images inspired by these recordings for use in “Heap Song 2”s 3dicd packaging. As with ‘lifeline’ those photographers will be credited and paid for their work. All involved in the final release invited (as with Lifeline) to her house for the release party!

Imogen will tweet occasionally to give the title, announce 3diCD updates, comment on Nick’s whereabouts etc. However she has admitted “ “Heap Song 2” is an ever evolving plan, a bit of a mystery even to myself and Nick.’