Steve Roach and Eric Freeman Announce the Launch of iPhone App at Soundquest Fest 2010

Tucson, Arizona, October 23, 2010 – Ambient music pioneer Steve Roach announced the release of Immersion Station, an iPhone App that allows you to create infinite ambient music. Using core loops, drones and sounds from the heart of Steve’s collection, users can sculpt their own never-ending soundscapes for deep listening, meditation, yoga, working at the computer, reading and sleeping.

The App was created in collaboration with computer scientist and software artist Eric Freeman, and offers users an interface in which to create custom soundscapes. Reflective of Steve’s aesthetic, the interface is based on a set of spheres, each representing a loop, that are presented in a pseudo-3D space, allowing the user to control the mix via simple multitouch gestures. The interface is intuitive and easy to use for causal users while satisfying for audio experts and hardcore fans of Steve’s music. The interface also allows users to incubate new mixes automatically by evolving the mix over time. Beta users of the system have called the interface “elegant”, “beautiful” and “satisfying to use.”

This first release of Immersion Station includes five core loops from Steve’s soundworlds that comprise thirty-five minutes of source material. These core loops can be combined into an astronomically large set of mix combinations.

In Steve’s words, “Over the years some of my most beloved soundscapes were born from minimal but potent sources. In this setting, the infinite options come from a limited number of compatible sound sources of different lengths. Combined with endless options of mix levels and source selection, a living ever-changing ‘CD release’ is alive in your hand and in your sonic habitat.”

While Dr. Freeman noted “this app gives me what I’ve wanted for twenty years, a way to endlessly evolve Steve’s material beyond the standard 72 minute CD. Using Immersion Station, I can now create a mix for any situation and play it for very long periods of time while I work, chill, or sleep. It’s also great on the airplane or in a hotel room for controlling my space”.

Immersion Station is available now through the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPod touch (and also runs on iPads). Additional features include:

* Easily create custom soundscapes from Steve Roach’s source loops
* Includes ~80 megabytes of loops custom crafted by Steve Roach
* Includes five custom mixes from Steve Roach
* Each mix provides constantly changing ambient music
* Save your own mixes at any time
* Control the volume or stereo pan of each loop
* Incubate new mixes using the evolve function
* Plays music in the background with iOS 4
* Optimized with HD Images for iPhone 4 Retina display
* CD quality sound
* Supports Apple’s remote interface for controlling playback
* User’s guide provided in the App and online

Recommended for headphones or external speakers.

About Steve Roach:

As a pioneering cornerstone of ambient-atmospheric-electronic music, internationally-renowned artist Steve Roach has dedicated over three decades to exploring myriad soundworlds that connect with a timeless source of inspiration. From the expansive, time-suspending spaces emanating from his base in Arizona to the fire breathing, rhythmic expressions woven from all things electric and organic, Roach has earned his position in the international pantheon of new music artists through a long list of groundbreaking recordings and diverse collaborations. Fueled by his prolific nature the core of this innovative world of sound has been nourished by years of live concerts in many extraordinary worldwide settings, further enhancing the emotive, cinematic soul-stirring depth of his music.

About Eric Freeman:

Formally trained as a computer scientist with a Ph.D. from Yale University, Eric Freeman works at the intersection of algorithms, design, music and education. Professionally he’s driven technology and strategy for some of the world’s best known websites, while as a bestselling author he’s taught over a quarter million readers about software design and web development; as an innovator he’s credited with the seminal work on alternative interfaces to the desktop metaphor, work that Technology Review said “stands out for the boldness of its vision” and MIT granted an award for remarkable innovation. Eric currently lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Contact:
Jenn Dietzen for interviews and inquiries, email contact at immersionstation.com

Application web site: http://www.immersionstation.com
Steve Roach’s site: http://www.steveroach.com
Video trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-T3XApK00
Application purchase: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/immersion-station-infinite/id396383172
Media Kit: http://immersionstation.com/media/presskit.zip (includes graphics, screenshots and factsheet)

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Look for Immersion Station to be unveiled at this event.

More info at: http://www.steveroach.com/Live/2010/Tucson/

New mail sharing functionality added (okay, really this is the last addition).

Various bug fixes around the evolve functionality.

Lots of work around handling pause/playback on different conditions (incoming phone cal
l, unplugging headpones, etc.). All testing in this area is appreciated.

We’re close to having build 1.03 Beta. The beta list almost full, but if interested send a note to eric at mac dot com.

More fixes around the evolve function, which introduce new complexity into some of the
playback states.

User ratings sharing added, this will help us collect ratings outside of when users del
ete the app.

2x iPhone 4 artwork is in.