Virtual auditory reality

This article examines popular music listening in light of recent research auditory perception and spatial experience, record production, virtual reality, while considering parallel developments digital pop production practice. The discussion begins by theories embodiment Brandon LaBelle, Eric Clarke, Salomè Voegelin Linda Salter, examining relations between subjects aural environments, conceptualising as a process environmental ‘inhabiting’, experience the real-time construction ‘reality’. These ideas are discussed relation to on perception, with focus matters sound design, ‘staging’ performances performing bodies, editing methods effects, shifting musical spatiality, singer-persona, audio technologies, listener. Writings space Martin Knakkergaard, Allan Moore, Ragnhild Brøvig-Hanssen & Anne Danielsen, Denis Smalley, Dale Chapman, Kodwo Eshun Holger Schulze discussed, before being related conceptions VR user Jaron Lanier, Rolf Nordahl Niels Nilsson, Mel Slater, Tom Garner Frances Dyson. critical framework informs three short analyses tracks released during last 10 years - Titanium (Guetta Sia 2010), Ultralight Beam (West 2016) 2099 (Charli XCX 2019) presented form autoethnographic ‘listening notes’. Through this personal theory embodied inhabiting simulated narrative space, or story-world, reference ‘aural-dominant realities’ (Salter), ‘sonic possible worlds’ (Voegelin), fictions’ (Eshun), is developed. By study proposes 21st century mode immersive, ‘storyliving’, ‘storydoing’ (Allen Tucker).