Dolby Atmos streaming is the gift that keeps on giving, as fans continue to be treated to new immersive mixes of both contemporary and vintage music on a near-weekly basis.
2024 has been absolutely jam-packed with exciting immersive releases, ranging from amazing reinventions of classics from past decades–including iconic titles such as Robin Trower's Bridge of Sighs (1974), Billy Joel's Turnstiles (1976), and Jimi Hendrix's First Rays of The New Rising Sun (1997)–all the way to the latest albums from old stalwarts like Crowded House and Pearl Jam.
In the article below, we cast a spotlight on ten of the best new Atmos tracks that became available to stream throughout September and October 2024.
Roxy Music - "More Than This"
Originally released through Virgin Records in May 1982, Avalon was Roxy Music’s eighth and final studio album. To celebrate Avalon's 20th anniversary in 2002, the original engineering team of producer Rhett Davies and mixer Bob Clearmountain were tasked with creating a 5.1 surround sound mix for the now out-of-print Super Audio CD edition. More than two decades later, they've reconvened to take another crack at the album–this time in Dolby Atmos.
“More Than This” kicks the album off with the iconic guitar phrase spread across the front speakers, with keyboards quickly filling out the back while Manzanera’s guitar in the left side speaker trades off with Mackay’s sax over to the right. Said opening guitar line instead appeared mostly from behind in the old 5.1 mix, along with some tom-tom strikes that now reside upfront with the rest of the drum kit.
Read our full review of Avalon here!
Leprous - “Silently Walking Alone”
Leprous is a Norwegian progressive metal band founded by singer/keyboardist Einar Solberg and guitarist Tor Oddmund Suhrke in 2001. Melodies of Atonement, the group’s eight overall studio release and seventh issued under the InsideOut Music banner, received an amazing Dolby Atmos mix from The Pineapple Thief’s Bruce Soord. The height channels have been treated as near-equal partners in this immersive mix, constantly supplied with a steady diet of lead guitar, harmony vocals, keyboards, and percussion.
“Silently Walking Alone” opens the album with the pulsating bass synth and Baard Kolstad’s drums thundering across the front stage, while ambient reflections of the kit hit off the rear height speakers. Background vocals appear in the side and rear surrounds, along with keyboards from directly behind during the chorus. On a 9.1.4 or 9.1.6 array, the lead vocal interestingly appears predominantly in the front wide and front height speakers.
Read our full review of Melodies of Atonement here!
Ultravox - "One Small Day"
Originally released through Chrysalis Records in April 1984, Lament was Ultravox’s seventh overall studio album and fourth to feature the band’s most successful lineup of singer/guitarist Midge Ure, keyboardist Billy Currie, bassist Chris Cross, and drummer Warren Cann. To celebrate the album’s 40th anniversary in 2024, Steven Wilson was tasked with creating a brand-new Dolby Atmos mix from the original multitrack tapes.
Lament is easily the most sonically-layered of the four Ultravox albums mixed by Wilson thus far and benefits greatly from the enlarged canvas that the immersive format affords. The guitar intro to “One Small Day” appears largely from the left side speaker, quickly giving way to Warren Cann’s thunderous drumming from all around. Keyboards percolate from the rear during the chorus, while vocal echoes swirl overhead.
Read our full review of Lament here!
Ray Charles - "Here We Go Again"
Genius Loves Company was soul music pioneer Ray Charles’ final studio album, released posthumously a mere three months after his passing in June 2004. In 2024, the album celebrates its 20th anniversary with a brand-new Dolby Atmos mix produced by John Burk, mixed by Eric Schilling, Michael Romanowski, and Herbert Waltl, and mastered by Romanowski.
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. “Here We Go Again”–featuring Norah Jones–opens the album with the drums upfront, organ in the rear surrounds, and rhythm guitar pinned to the left side speaker. Additional keyboards appear overhead, playfully circling the height array at the very end.
Read our full review of Genius Loves Company here!
David Gilmour - "Dark and Velvet Nights”
Nearly a decade out from his last studio outing–2015’s Rattle That Lock (which received an incredible 5.1 surround sound mix from longtime collaborator Andy Jackson)–David Gilmour’s long-awaited new album Luck and Strange finally arrived on September 6. Luck and Strange is available in a variety of formats, most notably a Blu-Ray Audio edition containing high-resolution stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes. The immersive mix is also available to stream on Apple Music.
Guitars fade from behind for "Dark and Velvet Nights," giving way to the explosive rhythm section from the front stage. The organ appears mostly from the side right channel, asi Intermittent bursts of percussion pop up from behind to startling effect. David Gilmour's voice emanates primarily from the front 'phantom' center, but his guitar hovers between the front and front height channels.
Pure Reason Revolution - “Dig Till You Die”
Coming Up To Consciousness is Pure Reason Revolution’s sixth studio album and the third of its post-hiatus renaissance, which began with 2020's Eupnea and continued in 2022’s Above Cirrus. Coming Up To Consciousness was mixed in both 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos by The Pineapple Thief’s Bruce Soord. Though his 5.1 mix is included on the CD/DVD set from InsideOut Music, the Atmos version remains exclusive to streaming services.
The Dolby Atmos mix builds upon the strong foundation of the 5.1, spreading the various guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, and vocal harmonies out into the side surround and height array. Jon Courtney's lead vocals in "Dig Till You Die" hover between the fronts and front heights, while Annicke Shireen's contributions appear directly behind the listener from the rear surrounds and rear heights.
New Order - “Blue Monday”
In a surprise announcement several weeks ago, New Order announced that Steven Wilson had recently created new Dolby Atmos mixes of two of the band's classic albums (1981's Movement and 1985's Low-Life) and their landmark 1983 single "Blue Monday"–all overseen by drummer Stephen Morris.
The Atmos mix of “Blue Monday” is truly a showcase for immersive audio. It starts with the thunderous kick drum filling up all seven speakers at ear level, while synthesizers creep in from the rear surrounds and lead guitar extends from the center speaker up into the front heights. Keyboards trade off between the side speakers, as electronic percussion bounces around the height array in spectacular fashion.
Frank Zappa - "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow"
Following last year’s excellent Over-Nite Sensation 50th anniversary edition, 1974’s Apostrophe(‘) is next in-line to receive the deluxe treatment. Fans are again being treated to a hi-res digital transfer of Frank Zappa’s original quadraphonic mix on Blu-Ray disc, as well as brand-new 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes from Karma Auger and Erich Gobels.
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 appears 'omnipresent' in the middle of the room, panned simultaneously to the center channel, front heights, and rears at near-equal level. The layered backing vocals in "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" are spread out all around and above the listener, while the bass guitar remains focused almost entirely to the center speaker.
The Flaming Lips - "It’s Summertime"
The Flaming Lips’ 2002 epic already received a landmark 5.1 surround sound mix from expert mixer Elliot Scheiner, but original producer David Fridmann has revisited the album over two decades later with a brand-new Dolby Atmos mix. The immersive mix has been available to stream on Apple Music for several weeks now, but a Blu-Ray edition is set to hit shelves on November 1st.
As hyperactive as that original 5.1 release was, the Atmos mix takes it to another level. The bass synth throughout "It's Summertime" playfully bounces between the front and rear speakers, while nature sound effects and the cavernous reverb on Wayne Coyne's lead vocal travels up to the height array. Backing vocals appear from directly overhead as well.
Thompson Twins - “Doctor! Doctor!”
To belatedly celebrate the classic album's 40th anniversary, Thompson Twins' 1983 smash Into The Gap has been remixed in Dolby Atmos by expert producer David Kosten. Though the full album won't be released until December 6, two singles–"Doctor! Doctor!" and "Hold Me Now"–are already streaming in Dolby Atmos on Apple Music. Alongside the typical streaming option, an exclusive limited-run Blu-Ray edition is available to purchase from SuperDeluxeEdition.com.
The iconic synth intro to "Doctor! Doctor!" appears centered in the side surround speakers, projecting inside the listener's head. Synth bass underpins Tom Bailey's lead vocal from the center channel, while harmonies from Joe Leeway and Alannah Currie appear primarily from the rear surround channels. The height speakers are active participants as well, supplying additional keyboards and electronic percussion that complete the fully-immersive dome of sound.
