November 27 Update: The nomination period is now extended to Friday, December 6 at 5pm PT.
As the end of 2024 approaches, it’s time to look back on fan-favorite releases from last year in surround sound and immersive audio. IAA offered our first Listener’s Choice Awards in 2020 and followed it up with even more successful campaigns in 2021, 2022, and 2023. It that spirit, we’re thrilled to announce its return for music released in 2024!
Now through November 28, we'll be accepting nominations for YOUR PICK of the Best Immersive Audio Album of 2023-24. The release dates for albums to be eligible are between September 16, 2023 and August 30, 2024 (the same as the Recording Academy guidelines).
To acknowledge the difference and impact of different formats in which artists now release their music, we are hosting 2 distinct categories: one for the best immersive audio album you streamed in 2023-24, and one for the best immersive audio album you downloaded or purchased on physical disc.
The deadline for submitting your nomination is Friday, December 6 at 5pm PT. Nominations will be tallied and 5 finalists selected for final round voting shortly thereafter.
We’ve outlined some choices below, for your consideration. Now is the time for fans to speak!
Submit your vote for the nominees of the 2025 IAA’s Listeners’ Choice Award here!
Artist: Bruce Soord
Title: Luminescence (2023)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Bruce Soord
Release Date: 9/22/23
Luminescence features some of Bruce Soord’s most beautiful compositions to date, accentuated by a brilliant six-piece string section recorded at London’s famous RAK studio. Much like 2019’s All This Will Be Yours, this is not a hard-rocking record. Those looking for the bombast of Pineapple Thief songs like “Alone At Sea” or “Tear You Up” won’t find it here.
This Dolby Atmos mix ranks among the most compelling uses of the immersive technology we’ve heard to date. It really does sound like the album was composed with the format in mind, rather than a 'retrofit' done after-the-fact. Soord makes masterful use of the ‘phantom’ spaces between the speakers, creating the eerie impression of being inside a dome-like space where the physical speakers seem to fade into the background.
Read our full review here!
Purchase Luminescence in the IAA Shop!
Artist: Huey Lewis & The News
Title: Sports (1983)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Bob Clearmountain
Release Date: 9/22/23
Bob Clearmountain's new Dolby Atmos mix of Huey Lewis & The News’ 1983 classic Sports brings a fresh and exhilarating new dimension to a classic album that defined an era of feel-good rock. From the thumping intro to "The Heart of Rock & Roll" to the lush harmonies of "If This Is It," each element has more space to shine–giving listeners the sensation of being in the studio with the band.
The Atmos mix makes heavy use of the center speaker, underpinning Lewis' vocals with kick drum, bass guitar, even some lead guitar parts. Johnny Colla's saxophone and Sean Hopper's keyboards often appear beside or directly behind the listener, with the big '80s-era delays and reverbs spread up to the height array.
Artist: Steven Wilson
Title: The Harmony Codex (2023)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Steven Wilson
Release Date: 9/29/23
Perhaps more so than any prior effort, The Harmony Codex makes for a perfect encapsulation of Steven Wilson as a solo artist. All the different facets of his songwriting are present here: everything from the jazz-fusion stylings of 2013’s The Raven That Refused To Sing (“Impossible Tightrope”) to Tangerine Dream-esque ambient soundscapes (“The Harmony Codex”) and the electronic ‘coldness’ of songs like “King Ghost” or “Man Of The People” from 2021’s The Future Bites (“Economies Of Scale”) pops up in some form, yet somehow it all sounds fresh and not reminiscent of past offerings.
The Dolby Atmos mix of The Harmony Codex is such a powerful, expansive listening experience that we can only surmise it was composed and produced with spatial audio in mind. The immersive mixes are so amazing that we haven’t even bothered to listen to the dedicated stereo version, though it’ll be interesting to see how he was able to cram all this information into a traditional two-channel stereo soundstage.
Read our full review here!
Artist: XTC
Title: The Big Express (1984)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Steven Wilson
Release Date: 9/29/23
Whereas 1983’s Mummer leaned further into XTC's more-pastoral acoustic side, 1984's The Big Express–as its title cleverly implies–goes ‘full steam ahead’ with some of the band's most ambitiously-arranged uptempo songs to date. It's something of a transitional work in the group's discography, retaining some of the frenetic quirky energy of past outings while also showcasing the more-mature songwriting and sophisticated production that characterizes much of their later work.
After listening to the new 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes, it becomes abundantly clear that a traditional two-channel stereo soundstage was simply not enough to accurately express the band’s grandiose vision for this album. The Big Express translates so seamlessly into these immersive formats that one could be mistaken for assuming that it was recorded with future multichannel reproduction in mind.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Monkey House
Title: Friday (2019)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: John 'Beetle' Bailey
Release Date: 10/12/23
Nearly four years after the album topped the iTunes Jazz chart and received a Juno Award nomination for Jazz Vocal Album of the Year, engineer John ‘Beetle’ Bailey has undertaken a brand-new remix of Monkey House’s Juno award-nominated Friday in Dolby Atmos. Already a sonic marvel in traditional two-channel stereo, the new immersive mix is a must-hear experience for audiophiles and fans of the band.
“10,000 Hours” kicks the proceedings off with a bang, as the razor-sharp staccato horns pop out of the surround speakers while the rhythm section fills up the front soundstage. Don Breithaupt’s lead vocal appears loudest in the center channel (along with some dry bass and snare drum), with double-tracked and harmony parts attacking from behind.
Read our full review here!
Purchase Friday in the IAA Shop!
Artist: King Crimson
Title: Larks Tongues In Aspic (1973)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Steven Wilson
Release Date: 10/13/23
In what is surely the final word on King Crimson’s 1973 avant-garde epic, the new 2CD/2Blu-Ray deluxe edition contains brand-new stereo, 5.1 & Dolby Atmos remixes from Steven Wilson. Some may recall that Wilson previously remixed this album in stereo & 5.1 for the 2012 CD/DVD-A release, but–as part of the process for creating the Dolby Atmos version included in this new four-disc 50th anniversary release–he’s additionally gone back and created new stereo & 5.1 mixes from scratch.
The most exciting aspect of this new release would have to be the Dolby Atmos mix, which will certainly become my go-to version of this album from now on. The Atmos mix builds upon the strong foundation of the new 5.1, spreading the instrumentation onto an even larger canvas to absolutely stunning effect. The height speakers are active participants throughout the album, spotlighting key musical elements such as Muir’s percussion, Cross’ violin, Wetton’s backing vocals, and even Fripp’s guitar at times.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Title: Mojo (Extra Mojo Version) (2010)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Ryan Ulyate
Release Date: 10/20/23
Mojo was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ twelfth studio album, originally released in June 2010. The band's first airing of new material in nearly a decade was intended as a sort of ‘back to basics’ experiment: an informal blues-based jam session with everyone playing together in the same space and very few overdubs. The album ultimately debuted at #2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and yielded a top-40 single in “I Should Have Known It,” proving that Petty had indeed ‘rediscovered his mojo’ after such a long hiatus from the Heartbreakers.
Ryan Ulyate's Dolby Atmos rendition of the album is very much a ‘listener-in-the-center-of-the-band” experience, with individual guitar and keyboard parts dotted all around the room to stunning effect. “Jefferson Jericho Blues” comes charging right out of the gate with Steve Ferrone’s drum kit wrapping all around the room and Petty’s vocal upfront, while Benmont Tench’s piano pops up from behind and Scott Thurston’s harmonica comes screaming from the top speakers.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Frank Zappa & The Mothers
Title: Over-Nite Sensation (1973)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Karma Auger & Erich Gobel
Release Date: 11/27/23
Nearly one year after the acclaimed Waka/Wazoo reissue hit shelves, The Zappa Family Trust and Universal Music Group joined forces once more to bring fans a similarly-packed 50th anniversary release of 1973’s Over-Nite Sensation. The album is notable for the uncredited appearance of Tina Turner & The Ikettes on backing vocals during several songs, including fan-favorite “Montana.” It was also Frank Zappa's first release to receive a gold certification from the RIAA.
The new Dolby Atmos mix is truly an assault on the senses, with all 11 speakers in a 7.1.4 system getting their due. Frank Zappa’s lead vocal in songs like “Camarillo Brillo” and “Montana” remains to some degree 'omnipresent' (appearing simultaneously in the center channel, front heights, and rears at near-equal level), yet other elements such as keyboards, horns, backing vocals, percussion, and even guitar solos appear completely behind or above the listener.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Peter Gabriel
Title: i/o (2023)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Hans-Martin Buff
Release Date: 12/1/23
i/o, Peter Gabriel’s long-awaited tenth studio album, is a project nearly three decades in the making. Once the recording sessions concluded in Summer 2022, acclaimed mixing engineers Mark 'Spike' Stent (Madonna, Green Day, Foo Fighters) and Tchad Blake (Sheryl Crow, The Black Keys, Suzanne Vega) were each asked to submit a mix. The pros and cons of each rendition continue to be debated within the audiophile community, but both stereo interpretations pale in comparison to the third version: Hans-Martin Buff’s ‘In-Side Mix’ in Dolby Atmos.
The Atmos mix is just as intricate as the music itself, with each song approached in a unique way that brings out the best in the composition. The denser tracks like “The Court” and “Road To Joy” offer the active full-on immersive experience with instruments all around that listeners might expect, while the simpler piano-and-vocal songs like “Playing For Time” and “So Much” fill out the room in a more subtle fashion.
Read our full review here!
Artist: The Pineapple Thief
Title: It Leads To This (2024)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Bruce Soord
Release Date: 2/09/24
Following 2020’s acclaimed Versions Of The Truth, The Pineapple Thief continues to dominate Europe’s experimental rock scene. Recorded between September 2020 and July 2023, It Leads To This is the band’s 14th overall studio outing and fourth to feature Gavin Harrison’s drumming.
Though frontman and songwriter Bruce Soord has mixed the album in both 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos, it’s the Atmos mix that offers the definitive immersive audio experience. Lead vocals seem to hover right in front of your face, suspended between the front, side, and front height speaker pairs. The main guitar throughout “The Frost” floats up in the front heights, while harmony vocals pop out of the rear heights and Steve Kitch’s keyboards swirl around the room.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Paul McCartney & Wings
Title: Band on the Run (1973)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Giles Martin & Steve Orchard
Release Date: 2/11/24
Originally released in November 1973, Band on the Run was Paul McCartney & Wings’ third studio album and McCartney’s fifth overall release since The Beatles disbanded in 1970. The album quickly spawned two hit singles in the title track and “Jet,” ultimately becoming McCartney’s most successful release of the post-Beatles era. Today, many consider the album to be the definitive musical statement of his solo career.
To celebrate Band on the Run’s 50th anniversary, longtime McCartney collaborators Giles Martin and Steve Orchard have created a brand-new Dolby Atmos remix of the album for streaming platforms. Paul McCartney’s acoustic guitar and vocals stay upfront during the second half of the title song (starting at “when the rain exploded with a mighty crash…”), with the side and rear channels engaged primarily for vocal delays and harmonies. The lead guitar fills towards the end appear mostly in the front right speaker, though their delays travel up to the height speakers on the left-hand side of the room.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Al Green
Title: Greatest Hits
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Danny Jones & David Ehninger
Release Date: 2/22/24
Created by Danny Jones and David Ehninger at Across The Road Productions LLC, the new Dolby Atmos mix of Al Green's Greatest Hits album breathes new life into classic tracks like "Call Me" and "Let's Stay Together." Green’s silky voice is given newfound presence and clarity, almost as if he’s performing right in the room with you. The arrangement of his soulful vocals, warm guitar riffs, and the gentle sway of brass and strings envelops the listener in a richly-layered soundscape.
Right from the opening notes of "Tired of Being Alone," the punch in the rhythm section is palpable. Green's vocals are arrayed across all three front speakers, while horns and backing vocals extend from the rear surrounds up into the height array.
Artist: Big Big Train
Title: The Likes of Us (2024)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Bruce Soord
Release Date: 3/01/24
Originally founded by songwriter Greg Spawton in 1990, English progressive rock band Big Big Train have continued to endure more than three decades later. Now signed to InsideOut Music, the band released The Likes Of Us–their 16th(!) studio album, and the first to feature Alberto Bravin’s vocals–on March 1, 2024. The CD/Blu-Ray edition contains 5.1 surround sound & Dolby Atmos mixes from The Pineapple Thief’s Bruce Soord, marking the first occasion that a Big Big Train studio release has been remixed in an immersive format.
Though Bravin and Rob Aubrey did a great job on the stereo mix of The Likes Of Us–it’s a propulsive, dynamic listening experience–Bruce Soord’s Dolby Atmos mix is definitely the best way to experience this amazing new record. Nick D’Virgilio’s drum kit takes up the front, front height, and side surround channels (there’s little-to-no drum sound in the rears or rear heights), forming an upside-down U-shape arc in front of the listener. The snare seems to favor the front heights at times, while the big tom-tom fills extend out towards the side speakers.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Howard Jones
Title: Celebrating Together (The 40th Anniversary EP) (2024)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Bob Clearmountain
Release Date: 3/11/24
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Howard Jones' debut studio recordings, Bob Clearmountain has created amazing new Dolby Atmos of six key tracks from the synth-pop pioneer's vast back-catalog.
“What Is Love?” kicks off with the wind howling from the rear height speakers, while synth horns blare from the sides and the rhythm section comes thundering in from upfront. Once Jones’ vocal enters, different keyboard parts alternate between the rear surrounds. The iconic keyboard intro to “Things Can Only Get Better” fills up the rear surrounds, with programmed drums and horns blasting in from the front stage. The call-and-response backing vocals during the chorus answer from behind, just as we'd hoped.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Spoon
Title: Lucifer on the Sofa (2022)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Jim Eno
Release Date: 3/15/24
Austin-based rock outfit Spoon’s tenth studio album, Lucifer On The Sofa, was originally released through Matador Records in February 2022 to widespread critical acclaim. Rather than relying heavily on overdubbing and editing–as they did for its predecessor, 2017’s Hot Thoughts–the band instead opted to cut much of the album live at drummer Jim Eno’s Public Hi-Fi studio in Austin, Texas. The end result is simultaneously polished and raw, capturing all the unrefined energy of Spoon's live performances and presenting it with the sonic excellence of an expertly-crafted studio production.
Lucifer On The Sofa also marks the band’s inaugural foray into the realm of immersive audio, with drummer Jim Eno overseeing the Dolby Atmos mix. "Held” serves as a powerful opener, setting the tone for the album with its punchy guitars and relentless rhythm. The song actually begins with the sounds of the band tuning up, further immersing the listener in the album’s no-frills live-in-the-studio concept. Britt Daniel’s vocals are almost completely isolated in the center speaker, while Eno’s drums extend from the front channels up into the height array.
Read our full review here!
Purchase Lucifer on the Sofa in the IAA shop!
Artist: Paul Young
Title: No Parlez (1983)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: David Kosten
Release Date: 3/15/24
No Parlez was British blue-eyed soul singer Paul Young’s debut studio album, originally released in July 1983 through CBS records. The album was a massive success in the UK, staying in the top-100 charts for nearly two years. Young would go on to have 14 UK top-40 singles throughout his career, the first of which came from No Parlez: a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home).”
As part of belated celebrations surrounding the album’s 40th anniversary, Demon Music Group and SuperDeluxeEdition.com have joined forces to bring fans a limited-edition Pure Audio Blu-Ray featuring new 5.1 surround sound & Dolby Atmos mixes from producer David Kosten. All speakers in a 7.1.4 setup remain active throughout the proceedings, with the side, rear, and height channels constantly supplied with key instrumentation such as background vocals, synthesizers, and digital percussion.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Gentle Giant
Title: The Missing Piece (1977)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Steven Wilson
Release Date: 3/29/24
Originally released in August 1977 through Capitol Records in the United States and Chrysalis Records in the United Kingdom, The Missing Piece was Gentle Giant’s ninth studio album and now the latest to be reissued in CD/Blu-Ray format part of an acclaimed reissue campaign from the band’s label Alucard Records.
Though The Missing Piece isn’t as densely layered as other Gentle Giant albums like 1975’s Free Hand or 1976’s Interview, the album nonetheless translates nicely to 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos. Steven Wilson's immersive mixes reveal hidden complexities to the production, often separating out ancillary elements such as keyboards, rhythm guitars, percussion, and double-tracked vocals into the additional speakers.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Deep Purple
Title: Machine Head (1972)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Dweezil Zappa
Release Date: 3/29/24
Originally released through Purple Records in March 1972, Machine Head was the third Deep Purple album to feature the band’s acclaimed ‘mark II’ lineup of Ian Gillian (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Jon Lord (organ), Roger Glover (bass), and Ian Paice (drums). As one might expect for a classic rock album of its stature, Machine Head has been reissued countless times in the five decades since its original release. One could be forgiven for thinking there’s little more material from these sessions left in the vaults to mine, but the 50th anniversary box set does actually contain quite a bit of previously-unissued content.
Dweezil Zappa's Dolby Atmos remix certainly offers a unique spin on this legendary material. Elements that were left relatively dry in previous mixes, such as the keyboard solo in "Maybe I'm A Leo" and vocal chorus to "Space Truckin'," have now been treated with additional reverb and delay. Blackmore's rhythm guitar tends to stay mostly in the front left channel, while Lord's organ extends out towards side right. There are even some fun around-the-room swirling pans, like with Glover's bass solo in "Pictures Of Home" and percussion during the breakdown in "Space Truckin'."
Read our full review here!
Artist: Peter Frampton
Title: Frampton Comes Alive! (1976)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Chuck Ainlay
Release Date: 3/29/24
After five decades, Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive! remains one of the top-selling live records of all time. Released by A&M Records in January 1976, the double album reached #1 by the end of month and made Frampton an overnight superstar. Nearly five decades later, longtime collaborator Chuck Ainlay has crafted a brand-new Dolby Atmos mix using the original multitrack recordings.
Ainlay's immersive mix transports the listener to the front row, with the audience's cheers and applause reverberating all around the room. Frampton Comes Alive! in Dolby Atmos reaffirms why this album became a live classic, allowing both longtime fans and new listeners to rediscover the joy and spontaneity that Frampton brought to his unforgettable performances.
Artist: Billy Joel
Title: Turnstiles (1976)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Brad Leigh
Release Date: 4/11/24
Originally released through Columbia Records and Family Productions in May 1976, Turnstiles was Billy Joel’s fourth studio album and the first to feature his live band (including saxophonist Richie Cannata, drummer Liberty DeVitto, and bassist Doug Stegmeyer) rather than session players. Moving from Los Angeles back to his native New York City in 1975 inspired Joel’s songwriting throughout Turnstiles, as heard in the lyrics of tracks like “Say Goodbye To Hollywood” and “New York State Of Mind.”
Nearly five decades later, Turnstiles has been remixed in Dolby Atmos by longtime Joel collaborator and Phil Ramone protégé Brad Leigh. Acoustic guitars fill up the side surrounds for “Say Goodbye To Hollywood,” with the drums thundering across the front stage and orchestra in the rears. Billy Joel’s voice appears in the front ‘phantom’ center, rather than isolated in the center speaker–as was done on Frank Filipetti’s 5.1 surround mixes of The Stranger and 52nd Street. Electric piano fills out the side surrounds for “James,” with backing vocals popping up in the rears to great effect.
Read our full review here!
Artist: The Church
Title: The Hypnogogue (2023)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Darrell Thorp
Release Date: 4/19/24
Released through Communicating Vessels Records in February 2023, The Hypnogogue pays homage to classic art rock concept albums like Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974) and Pink Floyd’s The Wall (1979). The album boasts a dystopia-tinged narrative about Eros Zeta, an aging rock star hailing from the dilapidated near-future world of 2054. He seeks out Sun Kim Jong, an occult Korean scientist with a machine that could supposedly revive his stalled career by “pulling music straight out of dreams.”
The Hypnogogue is also the band’s first album to receive an immersive mix, created by Darrell Thorp and mastered by John Davis at Metropolis Studios in London. The Atmos mix is interesting in that it makes fairly-sporadic use of the center and side surround speakers, but the rear surrounds consistently feature ancillary elements like percussion and backing vocals. The four height speakers, on the other hand, are employed quite aggressively for key instrumentation like acoustic guitars, keyboards, and vocal effects.
Read our full review here!
Purchase The Hypnogogue in the IAA shop!
Artist: Joni Mitchell
Title: The Asylum Albums 1972-75 (Quadio) (2024)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Ken Caillat & Claus Trelby
Release Date: 4/19/24
Joni Mitchell's The Asylum Albums 1972-75 (Quadio) boxed set houses four audio-only Blu-Ray discs–each containing not only the 2022 Dolby Atmos mixes from Ken Caillat and Claus Trelby, but also 192-khz/24-bit digital transfers of the rare 1970s quadraphonic mixes. This is the third ‘Quadio’ series Blu-Ray box set to come from Rhino in recent years, following 2016’s nine-disc Chicago Quadio and 2020’s four-disc Doobie Brothers Quadio.
Overall, for fans of Joni Mitchell’s music and immersive audio, it simply doesn’t get better than this. We'd have been thrilled if the set only included the Dolby Atmos mixes, but the addition of the ‘70s quadraphonic versions (especially the previously-unissued Miles of Aisles) puts it over the top.
Read our full review here!
Artist: The Doors
Title: The Best of The Doors (1985)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Bruce Botnick & John Densmore
Release Date: 4/19/24
Nearly two decades after the release of the band’s career-spanning Perception box set, which contained new stereo and 5.1 mixes of all six studio albums, original producer/engineer Bruce Botnick has remixed The Doors’ catalog once again–this time in Dolby Atmos. Though the full albums unfortunately remain exclusive to streaming services such as Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music, Warner/Rhino have additionally come through with an audio-only Blu-Ray release of The Best Of The Doors (the 1985 double-LP compilation, rather than the 1973 11-track album of the same name).
From an immersive standpoint, unsurprisingly "Riders On The Storm" would have to be the standout track on this compilation. The rain and thunder sound effects are given much more prominence, with the rain taking up residence behind the listener in the rear surrounds and the thunder moving through the height array to spine-tingling effect. Towards the end, some never-before-heard Morrison vocals and finger snaps appear from above as well.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Pearl Jam
Title: Dark Matter (2024)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Josh Evans & Nick Rives
Release Date: 4/19/24
April 2024’s Dark Matter saw Seattle grunge icons Pearl Jam collaborating with producer Andrew Watt (The Rolling Stones, etc), who’d previously worked on frontman Eddie Vedder's last solo album Earthling (2018). The album was mixed in Dolby Atmos by Josh Evans and Nick Rives, the same team that handled the immersive remixes of prior albums Ten (1991), Vs. (1993), No Code (1996), Yield (1998), Lightning Bolt (2013), and Gigaton (2020). Notably, this is the first Pearl Jam Atmos release to receive a physical release on Blu-Ray in addition to streaming.
“Something Special” keeps Matt Cameron’s drums and Eddie Vedder’s instantly-recognizable vocals largely confined to the front stage, with electric rhythm guitars floating in from the side surrounds. Background vocals hover up in the rear heights during the chorus, while Mike McCready’s guitar solos appear suspended between the fronts and front heights.
Artist: A Bad Think
Title: Cottonwood (2024)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Dave Way
Release Date: 5/03/24
Less than a year after the release of A Bad Think's last studio outing Short St. (2023), Marquart has impressively managed to write, record and produce an entirely new 10-track album. Much like the prior four immersive releases, Cottonwood covers a lot of ground genre-wise with elements of country/western, more mainstream ‘feel-good' pop/rock, progressive rock, and various other styles in between.
Whereas legendary mixer Bob Clearmountain sat behind the board for prior records The Savior (2019), Lifelike (2021), X (2022) and Short St. (2023), immersive mixing duties for Cottonwood have instead fallen to longtime Marquart collaborator and four-time Grammy award-winner Dave Way. Right from the first notes of opening track “10K Hours,” it’s clear that Way’s immersive mixing modus operandi is quite different from Clearmountain’s. Drum sound fills up the entire room, with the snare extending upwards from the center speaker into the front heights.
Read our full review here!
Purchase Cottonwood in the IAA shop!
Artist: Richard Houghten
Title: Sampling With Franny (2024)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Jon Niess
Release Date: 5/03/24
Richard Houghten is a multi-instrumentalist, audio collage artist, and recording engineer from Southern California. He releases music under his own name as well as Bloomypetaland (in collaboration with beat maker Brandon Burger) A Cosmic Gift.
Inspired by time spent with his infant daughter, Sampling With Franny is Houghten's third full-length release of 2024 (following Art Life and Moon Rider). Sampling With Franny continues to showcase Houghten's signature downtempo electronic style, layering sparkling acoustic guitar over looped beats. The Dolby Atmos mix was created by Jon Niess at Austin Signal Studios.
Purchase Sampling with Franny in the IAA Shop!
Artist: Jimi Hendrix
Title: First Rays of the New Rising Sun (1997)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Eddie Kramer & Chandler Harrod
Release Date: 5/10/24
In 1997, the Hendrix Estate and MCA Records released First Rays of The New Rising Sun–a freshly-sequenced compilation of 17 songs intended for Jimi Hendrix’s fourth studio album, all recorded between 1968 and 1970. Back in 2022, it was announced that Eddie Kramer had remixed First Rays in 5.1 surround sound for a forthcoming box set entitled Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision. The box set ended up being delayed until October 2024, but a Dolby Atmos mix of the compilation–credited to Kramer and Chandler Harrod–became available to stream on May 10.
“Night Bird Flying” spreads Hendrix’s multi-tracked guitars all throughout the room to spine-tingling effect, with Mitchell’s drum kit upfront nicely counterbalanced by percussion in the rear. Jimi’s vocals appear omnipresent in the middle of the room, while his searing guitar leads wildly swirl all around the listener.
Artist: Weezer
Title: Weezer (Blue Album) (1994)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Brian Malouf
Release Date: 5/10/24
More than three decades after the iconic ’90s alt-rock staple hit shelves, Weezer's iconic self-titled 'blue album' arrives in Dolby Atmos. Known for its crunchy guitar riffs and catchy hooks, the album’s defining tracks like “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So” now expand in all directions–allowing each element to shine with newfound clarity.
The immersive treatment restricts Patrick Wilson's drum kit and Rivers Cuomo’s distinctive vocals the front stage, wrapping the layered guitar parts around the listener. It’s a mix that maintains the rawness and grit of the original, but also reveals subtle details previously hidden in the massive wall of sound.
Artist: Keane
Title: Hopes and Fears (2004)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: David Kosten
Release Date: 5/13/24
In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of UK-based alternative rock band Keane’s debut studio album Hopes and Fears, producer David Kosten (who previously worked with Keane on 2019’s Cause and Effect) created brand-new Dolby Atmos mixes of the original 12-track album and bonus song "Love Actually." Fans may already be familiar with Kosten from his recent work on the Atmos remixes of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells (1973) and Paul Young’s No Parlez (1983).
Kosten’s new immersive interpretation of the album marks a considerable improvement over the 2004 5.1 release. The Atmos mix features far greater separation of the individual instruments, showcasing all kinds of previously-hidden elements like a percussive synthesizer part in the rear height speakers throughout “Somewhere Only We Know” and a distorted electric guitar in the left side channel during “Bend and Break.”
Read our full review here!
Artist: Robin Trower
Title: Bridge of Sighs (1974)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Richard Whittaker
Release Date: 5/17/24
After a five-year stint in the acclaimed UK art-rock band Procol Harum, English guitarist Robin Trower joined forces with drummer Reg Isidore and singing bassist James Dewar to form his own blues-rock power trio. The newly-minted Robin Trower Band debuted on 1973’s Twice Removed From Yesterday, but it was the follow-up release–1974’s Bridge of Sighs–that cemented the group as a force to be reckoned with.
Bridge of Sighs is a relatively-sparse production, but Richard Whittaker’s Dolby Atmos mix manages to add newfound depth and dimension to the classic album without losing the familiar feel of the stereo mix. As one might expect, it’s the songs with more layers–such as the title track, “In This Place,” and “Too Rolling Stoned”–that offer the most satisfying immersive experience.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Crowded House
Title: Gravity Stairs (2024)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Steven Schram
Release Date: 5/31/24
Produced by Steven Schram (Paul Kelly, Midlife) and released through BMG Rights Management on May 31, the Australian rock band’s latest album Gravity Stairs is their second to feature the current lineup of Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom and Neil’s sons Elroy and Liam Finn. Each of the 11 songs are overflowing with layers upon layers of multi-tracked vocals, guitars, keyboards, and percussion, making it a perfect candidate for the immersive format.
“Magic Piano” kicks off with a bit of studio chatter, before a synthesizer line drifting left-to-right overhead announces the arrival of the band. Neil Finn’s vocals and the rhythm section stay largely upfront, while harmonies envelop the listener from the side and rear channels. That said, perhaps the most impressive track from an immersive standpoint would have to be “Black Water, White Circle.” Percussion hovers directly overhead, while different sets of layered background vocals alternate between the side and rear surround speakers.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Prince & The Revolution
Title: Purple Rain (1984)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Chris James
Release Date: 6/21/24
In June 1984, Prince shattered all expectations and made music history when he released the album Purple Rain. The 9-track LP went on to win two Grammy awards and spent 24 weeks at #1 on the Billboard album charts, selling more than 25 million copies worldwide. To celebrate the album's 40th anniversary, former Prince engineer Chris James has meticulously crafted a brand-new Dolby Atmos mix from the original multitrack master tapes.
Prince's voice takes center stage in the immersive mix, enveloped by layers of synthesizers, guitars, percussion, and lush backing vocals. Songs like "When Doves Cry" reveal new details, as every intricacy floats and reverberates in a three-dimensional space.
Artist: Yes
Title: Fragile (1971)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Steven Wilson
Release Date: 6/28/24
Originally released in November 1971, less than a year after its predecessor The Yes Album, Yes’ fourth studio album Fragile proved another massive success for the band. Arguably best remembered for “Roundabout”–one of the group’s most popular and iconic songs–Fragile notably marked the debut of keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced founding member Tony Kaye. Though Steven Wilson previously remixed the album in stereo and 5.1 surround sound in 2015, he's gone back and created a brand-new Dolby Atmos rendition for the 2024 deluxe reissue.
The first reverse swell in “Roundabout” travels from back-to-front just like before, but the second one moves from the rear surrounds up to the front overheads–as if to say ‘that was 5.1, but this is Atmos.’ The rhythm section of Bill Bruford on drums and Chris Squire on bass appears woven into all seven ear-level speakers–though most prominent across the front stage–while Steve Howe’s acoustic guitar stays solidly anchored to the side left channel. Jon Anderson’s lead vocal comes in largely from the center, with it’s double-tracked counterpart now positioned up in the front height speakers.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Madeleine Peyroux
Title: Let's Walk (2024)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Elliot Scheiner
Release Date: 6/28/24
In June 2024, acclaimed jazz singer and songwriter Madeleine Peyroux released Let’s Walk–her ninth studio album and first in nearly six years. The 10-track collection may be her most diverse, intimate, and eclectic work to date, as she shares thoughtful views on both personal and societal concerns. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by multi-Grammy laureate Elliot Scheiner (The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, etc).
“Please Come On Inside” makes full use of the immersive soundstage, with the talkbox in the rear speakers playing off Peyroux’s vocal upfront. Keyboards percolate from the rear left height speaker–along with tambourine largely in the rear right height–while Jon Herington’s guitar takes up residence in the front overheads. The talkbox later moves up to the front stage, ceding its position to the background vocals.
Read our full review here!
Purchase Let’s Walk in Auro-3D and Dolby Atmos in the IAA Shop!
Artist: Loma
Title: How Will I Live Without A Body? (2024)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Steven Wilson
Release Date: 6/28/24
In 2016, musicians Emily Cross, Dan Duszynski, and Jonathan Meiburg came together to form Loma. After an extended hiatus, Loma’s long-awaited third album arrived via Sub Pop Records in June 2024. Equal parts indie rock, ambient, new age, and singer/songwriter, How Will I Live Without A Body? is as haunting as it hopeful–maintaining an almost-hypnotic calm despite the ominous undercurrent in songs like “Arrhythmia” or “I Swallowed A Stone.”
The Dolby Atmos mix is simply astounding, offering a truly immersive listening experience befitting this otherworldly music. It may well be one of the most impressive spatial mixes that Steven Wilson has completed to date, which is no small feat in a catalog chock full of highlights. The creative integration of natural field recordings has become a trademark feature of Loma’s music, and it’s these passages–such as the crashing waves heard at the end of “Broken Doorbell”–that benefit most from the expanded soundstage.
Read our full review here!
Artist: Birdsong At Morning
Title: Annals of My Glass House (2008)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Alan Williams
Release Date: 7/19/24
Originally released in 2009, Annals of My Glass House compiles all four of Boston-based folk trio Birdsong At Morning’s debut EPs: Bound, Heavens, Vigil, and Lumens. The 25-song collection features origin compositions from leader Alan Williams alongside breathtaking acoustic reimaginings of classic songs like Blondie’s “Dreaming,” King Crimson’s “Matte Kudasai,” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Never Make Me Cry.” To celebrate 15 years since the original release of Annals, Williams has remixed all four EPs in high-resolution Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
The Dolby Atmos mixes are up to Williams’ usual high standard, with individual guitar, percussion, and vocal elements scattered all throughout the listening space. The drums sound massive, holographically positioned midway between the front-and-rear soundstages.
Purchase Annals of My Glass House in the IAA shop!
Artist: Chaka Khan
Title: Chaka (1978)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Lewis Hahn
Release Date: 7/22/24
Chaka Khan’s 1978 solo debut album Chaka is a radiant showcase of her dynamic voice and uncontainable energy, setting the stage for a legendary solo career. Anchored by the infectious hit “I’m Every Woman,” the album is a joyful mix of funk, soul, and R&B that celebrates Khan’s powerhouse vocals and charismatic delivery.
A brand-new Dolby Atmos mix of the album became available to stream in July 2024, credited to Lewis Hahn. The immersive presentation spreads much of the orchestration above the listener, with additional elements like rhythm guitars and piano featured in the side or rear surround channels.
Artist: Fish
Title: Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors (1990)
Format: Blu-Ray
Immersive Mix By: Andy Bradfield & Avril Mackintosh
Release Date: 7/29/24
In the Fall of 1988, British neo-progressive rock band Marillion and their charismatic lead singer/songwriter Fish parted ways. Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors, Fish’s debut as a newly-minted solo act, arrived several months later in January 1990. Fast-forward to July 2024 and lavish new deluxe editions of both Vigil and its 1991 follow-up Internal Exile have arrived courtesy of Fish’s own Chocolate Frog Records. The CD/Blu-Ray sets contain brand-new stereo mixes drawn from the original multitrack tapes by Calum Malcolm, as well as 5.1 surround sound & Dolby Atmos versions created by Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh.
The Dolby Atmos mix of Vigil makes full use of a 7.1.4 speaker setup, spreading out the various layers of keyboards, percussion, guitars, and strings out into the side, rear, and height speakers. Core elements like the rhythm section and Fish’s vocal tend to stay mostly locked to the front stage. Unlike prior releases, the lead vocal is panned primarily to the front ‘phantom’ center rather than isolated in the center speaker.
Read our full review here!
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Title: Flight b741 (2024)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Joseph Carra
Release Date: 8/9/24
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s Flight b741 takes listeners on a frenetic, genre-bending journey that embodies the band’s experimental spirit. Known for their ability to blend everything from psychedelia to progressive rock, this album leans heavily into hypnotic rhythms and intricate riffs that create a sense of endless movement and discovery.
Flight b741 was mixed in Dolby Atmos by Joseph Carra at Crystal Mastering, marking the band's inagural foray into the realm of immersive audio. The album sounds absolutely massive in this format, with crunchy guitars and soaring harmony vocals extending from ground level up into the height array.
Artist: Roxy Music
Title: Avalon (1982)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By: Bob Clearmountain and Rhett Davies
Release Date: 8/16/24
Bob Clearmountain and Rhett Davies' brand-new Dolby Atmos remix of Roxy Music's 1982 swan song expands upon the strong foundation of their acclaimed 2003 5.1 surround mix. Using new high-resolution digital transfers of the original multitrack tapes, they've created an immersive mix that bathes listeners inside the album's ethereal soundscapes.
The duo made creative use of the expanded speaker array, spreading elements like Andy Mackay's saxophone and Phil Manzanera's guitar out into the side and rear surround channels while focusing the rhythm section and Bryan Ferry's lead vocals more deliberately in the center speaker. The instrumental "India," previously limited by technical constraints in 5.1, now shines as a full multitrack remix with synthesizers rotating gracefully through the height array.
Read our full review of Avalon here!
Artist: Boris Blank
Title: Resonance (2024)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: David Merkl and Stefan Bock
Release Date: 8/23/24
As a member of the Swiss cult band Yello, Boris Blank has shaped the development of electronic music for over four decades. Even as an established solo artist, the sound visionary has anchored his unchanging DNA in global pop culture–which is still regularly quoted by modern acts today.
With his newly-released third studio album Resonance, Blank continues to defy the laws of space and time with a weightless fusion of ambient, trance and electro! The twelve tracks on Resonance were originally commissioned for the FORTYSEVEN thermal spa near Zurich, designed by Swiss star architect Mario Botta. The album was mixed in Dolby Atmos by David Merkl and Stefan Bock.
Purchase Resonance in the IAA shop!
Artist: Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks
Title: True (2024)
Format: Streaming
Immersive Mix By:
Release Date: 8/23/24
Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks' True (2024) is a heartfelt journey that showcases the legendary Yes vocalist’s unique blend of mystical lyricism and uplifting melodies. Anderson’s voice, still ethereal and powerful after decades in the industry, guides listeners through a rich soundscape of orchestration and layered harmonies.
Sparkling acoustic guitars fill up the entire room for the opening track "True Messenger," while Jon Anderson's vocals protrude from the center speaker out into the side surrounds. Anderson’s ability to evoke spiritual and emotional depth through music remains unmatched, and True offers a deeply moving immersive listening experience that will resonate with longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Artist: Ian Thomas
Title: How We Roll (2024)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Vic Florencia
Release Date: 8/29/24
Best known for his 1973 international hit “Painted Ladies,” Ian Thomas is an award-winning Canadian singer/songwriter and composer that’s been making music for over five decades. How We Roll is Thomas’ fifteenth solo album and first new release in nearly a decade, following 2016’s A Life in Song. Throughout each of the nine tracks, his thoughtful lyrics touch on hot-button issues like climate change, human rights, and religion.
Vic Florencia’s Dolby Atmos mix provides a stellar listening experience on a 7.1.4 setup, with the various layers of guitar, vocal, synthesizer, and percussion dotted all around the room. The title track kicks off with keyboards floating overhead and behind, quickly giving way to electronic percussion in the side surrounds and Thomas’ vocal in the front ‘phantom’ center. Background vocal chants of “this is how we roll” during the chorus hover beside the listener.
Read our full review here!
Purchase How We Roll in the IAA shop!
Artist: David Becker
Title: Gravitationally Bound (2024)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Claus Trelby
Release Date: 7/19/24
For nearly four decades, Grammy and Emmy-nominated guitarist, composer, producer and educator David Becker has continued to define himself as a standout voice in the worlds of jazz and contemporary music. Over the years, Becker has shared the stage with celebrated jazz acts such as Miles Davis, Chick Corea, and Michael Brecker.
His latest studio release, Gravitationally Bound, arrived via ArtistMax in August 2024. The album was recorded and mixed especially for immersive audio by Claus Trelby at Marshmellow Skies LLC and mastered by Michael Romanowski at Coast Mastering.
Purchase Gravitationally Bound in the IAA shop!
Artist: Ray Charles
Title: Genius Loves Company (2004)
Format: Digital Download
Immersive Mix By: Eric Schilling, Michael Romanowski, and Herbert Waltl
Release Date: 8/30/24
Genius Loves Company was soul music pioneer Ray Charles’ final studio album, released posthumously a mere three months after his passing in June 2004. The album proved a massive success, reaching #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and selling over 200,000 copies in its first week. It went on to sweep the 2005 Grammy Awards, with eight wins including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Record of the Year.
The Dolby Atmos mix fully-envelops the listener, often positioning key elements like rhythm guitars, keyboards, organ, background vocals, and orchestration forcefully in the side, rear, and height speakers. The treatment of the vocals is similar to the prior 5.1 release, with Ray Charles’ voice panned halfway to the left (in both the front left and center channels) and his duet partner anchored 50% right-of-center. The center speaker also features bass guitar, as well as other lead instruments like saxophone and electric guitar.
Read our full review here!
Purchase Genius Loves Company in the IAA Shop!
