STG News
GRAMMY, Emmy and ARIA award-winning engineer, producer and songwriter Eric J Dubowsky today launched a groundbreaking new music track engineered to maximise frisson in collaboration with sound experience leader Sonos.
In a post-pandemic world as people seek out awe-inspiring ways to satiate their emotional needs and sense of connection, Sonos is meeting the moment with an immersive listening experience so profound, it can literally give you goosebumps. Inspired by academic research, the song ‘Frisson Trigger’ takes listeners deep into their emotions as it envelops them in a sonic journey showcasing the limitless possibilities of spatial audio innovation.
Frisson, also known as “the chills,” is a psychophysiological response induced by music that evokes a pleasurable sensation resulting in skin tingling, chills, goosebumps and pupil dilation. Eric J has engineered a track that intentionally incorporates specific musical choices scientifically proven to trigger frisson – from unexpected harmonies, chords descending the circle of fifths and melodic appoggiaturas. The track further harnesses the full capabilities of Dolby Atmos and Sonos’ breakthrough spatial audio speaker Sonos Era 300 to create a mesmerising soundscape that wraps the listener in music.
“My life’s work is to get people to emotionally connect with music, so I really dug into the research to explore how I could tap into the extraordinary science behind frisson. The song is loaded with as many universal frisson triggers as possible, but what we’ve found is that listeners’ frisson reactions peak at different points, so it’s entirely personal,” said Eric J Dubowksy.
Dr. Solange Glasser, a music psychologist and lecturer at the University of Melbourne, has researched the value people place on music listening, noting its profound impact on our emotional wellbeing. In one of her most recent studies during the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Glasser and colleagues found 81% of people experienced self-compassion while listening to music – a key practice for improving mental health.
“During the COVID pandemic, music listening became a ‘social surrogate’ fostering shared connection with humanity during isolation. Even in moments of sadness, feeling frisson from music can be pleasurable, due to its cathartic power and communal bond,” said Dr. Solange Glasser. “There is often a misconception that creativity in music is only experienced by the artist, however, there is inherent creativity in listening to music. It sparks feelings of awe, grounding us in the present and helping us reconnect with our emotions – creating a sense of agency and belonging.”
As more people turn to sound as a means of self-care and enjoyment, Sonos is committed to creating sound experiences that are intimate, human and true to the artist’s intent. Giles Martin, VP, Sound Experience at Sonos said, “At Sonos, we are driven and inspired by innovations that can transform the way we listen, helping people feel more from the music they love. When you add spatial audio, it can supercharge that feeling and intimacy you feel with the artist. Our recent Era family launch marked this next evolution in listening with Era 300 being our first-ever smart speaker built for spatial audio – creating a sound experience that places the listener in the heart of their music.”
‘Frisson Trigger’ by Eric J is out now on Apple Music. Best listened to on Sonos’ revolutionary new spatial audio speaker, Era 300.