There have been dozens upon dozens of 360-degree music videos circling around since 360-degree videos became a big thing. Yet, the act of interactive music videos—for the most part—has remained stagnant. Until animator Tyler Hurd came along.
an energetic dance party in VR
At Tribeca Film Festival last year, Hurd presented his music video for “Old Friend,” a song by the band “Future Islands.” And now, nearly a year later, Old Friend can grace just about any ol’ VR headset—provided you own an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. The video starts with a conductor, who ushers you away from a monochromatic land to a colorful wondrous world—but only if you dance. Using the HTC Vive and Oculus Touch, Old Friend bids you to dance your way through a psychedelic world by shaking the controllers accordingly. The result: an energetic dance party in VR, with a hyper-colorful, arm-waving environment surrounding you.
Old Friend signifies a step-forward for musical experiences in virtual reality. Ones beyond passive 360-degree videos or mere visualizers (though, like Harmonix Music VR, are calming in their own right). Music videos don’t just have to be visually dazzling like one of Bjork’s many VR-bound ventures, they can be interactive as well.
You can get Old Friend for yourself on Steam for $2.99, compatible with the Oculus Rift (Touch support) and HTC Vive.
