Dua Lipa

Challenge:
After successfully mixing Dua Lipa’s single "Physical," ARK360º was tasked with mixing the highly anticipated Future Nostalgia album in Spatial Audio (Dolby Atmos) under a tight deadline. The challenge was clear: we needed to deliver the 360º mixes to coincide with the stereo release, all while ensuring the immersive sound experience met the highest industry standards.

With this demanding timeline, we quickly mobilised a team of expert engineers and relied on our tried-and-tested five-stage formula to ensure that every detail of the album was captured in the Dolby Atmos environment. The success of this project led to further collaboration, including working on Dua Lipa's immersive music video for "Physical."

 

Our Five-Stage Formula for Exceptional Spatial Audio:

 

Stage 1: Sourcing Materials
We began by sourcing all necessary materials from the label. This included ensuring the availability of multitracks, stems, and reference files, all of which were needed to create a precise and authentic spatial mix. Our experience admin team gather everything efficiently, setting the foundation for the next steps.

 

Stage 2: Verifying Stems and Preparing the Mix
The next step was to verify the stems and multitracks, ensuring they were properly organised and ready for the immersive mix. Each track was carefully prepared for the transition into the Spatial Audio environment. This stage involved arranging and importing the audio tracks into the 3d space, considering the nuances of spatial sound placement to create an engaging, multidimensional listening experience.

 

Stage 3: Mixing in the studio on the speaker array
Once the tracks were prepared, our expert engineers took over the mixing process in the our multi speaker environment. The mix involved controlling sound movement, balancing tonal elements, and applying EQ and spatial effects like reverb, delay, and other effects that contribute to a fully immersive auditory experience. We ensured that the album’s intricate details were enhanced by the spatial elements without compromising the original artistic vision.

 

Stage 4: Critical Listening Across Multiple Platforms
To ensure that the spatial mixes would sound exceptional across all playback devices, we conducted extensive critical listening across a variety of platforms. This included high-end speakers, consumer headphones, soundbars, TVs, mobile phones, and laptops. By testing on multiple devices, we ensured that the immersive experience translated consistently across all listening environments, guaranteeing the highest level of auditory quality for every listener.

 

Stage 5: Final Quality Check and Rendering
The final stage involved a meticulous quality check to confirm that all elements met the highest industry standards. Once we were confident that the mixes were perfect, we rendered the final spatial file and prepared it for delivery. The result: a rich, immersive album experience ready for release alongside the stereo version.

 

Outcome:
By following our five-stage formula, we were able to deliver the Future Nostalgia album’s spatial mixes on time, while ensuring they met the highest standards of sound quality. This project not only allowed Dua Lipa’s fans to experience the album in a groundbreaking new way, but it also established ARK360º as a leader in immersive audio production. The success of this project led to continued collaboration with Dua Lipa, including the immersive music video for "Physical."