Headphones are one of the most powerful tools of the modern world. Feeling a bit down on your morning commute? Queue up some Joni Mitchell. Need to get a load of work done? Selected Ambient Works 85-92 by Aphex Twin is the answer. In need of amping yourself up before visiting the in-laws? The Prodigy ought to solve that.
What we’re trying to say is music is immensely powerful, and headphones are the thing that lets you carry it everywhere. They turn sounds into focus, motivation, escapism – whatever the moment calls for.
But what happens when you forget them? When your earbuds die halfway through the day? Or when they vanish into the dark abyss between the sofa cushions? That’s the problem Vollebak have been trying to solve – and the result looks every bit as mental as you’d expect from them.
The London-based experimental clothing company has unveiled the Sonic Jacket – a prototype piece of outerwear fitted with 180 inward-facing speakers designed to fire sound frequencies directly into your body. Yes, you read that correctly.
And the Sonic Jacket looks even madder than it sounds. Luminous yellow wires dangle and stretch across the jacket like a sort of glowing sound spiderweb wrapped over a white shell. It’s guaranteed to turn heads going through airport security – although Vollebak would probably argue that once the vibrations kick in and you drift into a deeply relaxed zen state, you won’t even mind being detained.
The core idea behind the Sonic Jacket is that sound can alter your cognitive state. Different frequencies have been scientifically proven (we’re pretty sure) to produce different states of focus, meditation and relaxation – so instead of calming yourself down by listening to Hall & Oates, you’ll instead turn your entire body into a resonating chamber.
The Sonic Jacket was engineered in partnership with FBFX – the London special effects studio behind films like Gladiator, The Martian and Dune – turning what could have very easily come across as a gimmick into something that feels genuinely credible.
The control unit features a built-in MP3 player loaded with preset frequencies, physical controls and support for up to 1,000 additional sound profiles via Micro SD card, while a companion Bluetooth app is currently in development.
Is it the future of portable audio? We’re not entirely convinced. But as a vision of where wearable technology could be heading – one where your clothing actively alters your mood, focus and state of mind – it’s hard to think of many brands weird enough to attempt it besides Vollebak.
Our only question is: Do you have to wear it topless?
Find out more about the Sonic Jacket at vollebak.com
