Frisson Trigger

The world is going through an emotional awakening. People are searching for awe-inspiring experiences and music is a powerful vehicle for accessing emotion.

Sometimes, a piece of music connects so deeply that we feel a physical sensation, a “frisson”.

Frisson, also known as aesthetic chills or, is a psychophysiological response to music that induces a pleasurable state resulting in skin tingling or chills, goosebumps, an elevated heart rate and pupil dilation.

Multiple studies have shown a correlation between certain qualities of music and frisson. What if we combined science, art and Sonos spatial audio hardware to create an audio experience, specifically engineered for frisson?

In collaboration with Eric J and academic experts, we explored the science behind the phenomenon of frisson, taking inspiration from anecdotal evidence and research studies to design a recipe from which to create the piece. Frisson is a deeply personal experience and it manifests differently in everyone, so Eric loaded as many of the known triggers into the piece as he could - maximising the chances of it having the desired effect on every listener.

Creating a piece of music with the single-minded goal of eliciting a physical response was an entirely unique experience for Eric. As far as we are aware, it had not been attempted before and there was no guarantee it would work, so the project was a truly innovative leap of faith.

To launch the campaign Amplify designed and produced an event in Sydney that provided media and advocacy guests, including music artists Mallrat, Illy and Montaigne, with an immersive Sonos ‘Frisson Trigger’ listening experience.

The event included a compelling discussion between Eric J, music psychologist Dr. Solange Glasser from University of Melbourne and host Flex Mami, on the science of frisson and the creative process behind ‘Frisson Trigger’.

The event culminated in the premier of ‘Frisson Trigger’ in a purpose-built listening space that featured the ultimate, immersive Sonos spatial audio setup.

A groundbreaking, innovative audio experience that connected with culture and drove conversation about the emotive power of Sonos spatial audio technology in Era 300.

As well as achieving national and international press coverage, ‘Frisson Trigger’ was elevated to a global Sonos platform, leveraged across multiple markets.