First electronic album “specifically written” for Dolby Atmos

By Becky Roberts
published

The ‘3D’ surround-sound format started life in the cinema but is infiltrating the music industry one album at a time.

We have R.E.M.’s Automatic For The People mixed in Atmos, some Blu-ray Audio discs in Atmos and even one of the world’s most famous nightclubs kitted out with an Atmos system.

Now joining the Dolby Atmos march on the music side is Matt Darey’s album Wolf – the first electronic genre release “specifically written and produced” in a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos format.

The idea for the new album reportedly came when Darey – renowned for his development of trance music in the ‘90s – was in the Dolby Atmos studios putting together a DJ mix to utilise the Ministry Of Sound’s 7.1.4 system. The track Wolf involved the specific placing of 60 different elements into ‘3D space’.

The album is available in two versions: a 17-track stereo version, and a 9-track 7.1.4 Atmos mix for those with Atmos speaker packages or soundbars, or even 7.1 and 51 configurations.

The former is free to download from www.mattdarey.com, but anyone after the surround sound release should (as advised on Darey's Facebook page) contact 3d@mattdarey.com.

With Christmas around the corner, don't forget to check out our Christmas Gift Guide 2017, with ideas for music, film and vinyl fans.

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Becky Roberts
Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.