UK - Dolby Laboratories and Ministry of Sound have confirmed a collaboration to bring Dolby Atmos sound technology to dance music.

The Dolby Atmos residency at the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London will launch on 23 January, 2016 with Hospital Records, the first in a series of special events with a lineup of top electronic artists who will "transform their music into a multidimensional, immersive sound experience with Dolby Atmos".

To support these events, Dolby will outfit the venue with its exclusive Dolby Atmos sound system, which combines Dolby Atmos audio processing technology with a network of additional speakers designed to complement the club's existing setup.

With more than 60 speakers, 22 channels, and a bespoke lighting environment that takes advantage of complementary synchronized lighting cues generated from music mixed in Dolby Atmos. Ministry of Sound will immerse visitors in "an unparalleled music experience, delivered through rich, mind-blowing soundscapes".

"We are excited to enable Ministry of Sound, one of the world's most-renowned nightclubs, with our spectacular Dolby Atmos audio technology," said Bob Borchers, chief marketing officer and senior vice president, Dolby Laboratories. "We have seen how Dolby Atmos transforms the cinema and home-theatre, and we are confident that it will leave a lasting impact on the music industry, making live music and clubbing more engaging and immersive."

"The sound system in The Box, the main room at Ministry of Sound, is the best in any nightclub anywhere in the world," said Lohan Presencer, CEO, Ministry of Sound. "For our 25th anniversary next year, we wanted to raise the bar even higher. Dolby Atmos allows our patrons to experience the future of dance music, creating multidimensional soundscapes the likes of which have never been heard before in a nightclub environment. It's simply breathtaking."

The Dolby Atmos residency kicks off on Saturday, 23 January, with London Elektricity, Reso, and TC in The Box, performing specially crafted DJ sets in Dolby Atmos.

"We often get asked to be involved in new technology at Hospital Records, but when the call comes from Dolby, you pay attention. For me, Dolby is cassette recorders from my childhood, it is cinema audio, and Dolby is peerless in the audio world," said Tony Colman of London Elektricity.

"So when Dolby called and said, 'Would you like to put on an event in our brand-new club surround sound format, and would you play a three-hour set?' I naturally got rather excited," Colman continued. "The next day, we were in Dolby's demo cinema in Soho Square listening to the most amazing thing - drum and bass mixed in moving surround sound. How did it sound? How did it feel? My mind was blown. All I can think about is what I'm gonna play, which tracks would sound best in 22-channel surround, and how to mix them. This is the start of a truly new experience in club audio. Bring on next year, and bring on a night like you've never heard before," continued Colman.

The Ministry of Sound Dolby Atmos events will continue throughout 2016 with a series of shows presented by a range of top labels and artists.

(Jim Evans)


Latest Issue. . .