The Dreammachine is open in Edinburgh, which claims to take participants through a technicolour world of light and sound in an immersive, collective experience.
Admission is free for what is said to be a one-in-a-lifetime experience which explores the “extraordinary potential of your own mind”. The event is at Murrayfield Ice Rink until September 25 and tickets are available on the Edinburgh International Festival website.
Organisers say only you will know how you feel because every experience of the Dreammachine is completely personal. You may see patterns and shapes, cities and landscapes, or abstract waves of shifting colours or you may also feel as if you are on a rollercoaster ride or a journey through time and space.
The project, which is on tour throughout Britain, has received critical acclaim. Jonathan Jones of The Guardian newspaper, said: “I just loved it – seeing such majestic beauty and knowing it is all an illusion created by your own brain.”
The project has been created by a team of what are called leading minds in architecture, technology, music, neuroscience and philosophy.
You share your experience with up to 32 people at a time and afterwards you are invited to reflect (picture in the reflect area by Nigel Duncan) on what you saw, what you heard and how you felt, by yourself and with others.
There are two versions, the high sensory which contains fast flashing bright lights and a 360 degree audio and deep listening which is designed to make the experience accessible to those who may have sensitivities to strobe lighting or high sensory environments. This also has a 360 audio experience with a gentle lightscape.
Simon Gage, director and chief executive officer of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, has been through the experience and loved it. He sees potential in this for future science festivals.
Jennifer Crooks, director of Dreammachine, said she does not know how the journey works but Dreammachine is an art work which you experience with your eyes closed.
She added: “It is a immersive journey through sound and light. You come in and sit in a circle, shut your eyes and what you will experience is what happens inside your head.
“All that is happening on the outside is a white light going on and off and this is a phenomena neuroscientists have been looking at for years. They still don’t know why.
“It fits for over 18s and we also have another experience called deep listening so if you don’t fancy the strobe you can come in, shut your eyes and sink into the music which is in 360 degree sound and it is a beautiful, deep listening experience.”
Why did the organisers pick Murrayfield Ice Rink? Jennifer said: “We fell in love with it. It has been closed because of COVID for two years and we were looking for a really special venue, a venue which people are used to coming to.
“It is also exciting to be doing something outside the city centre and but it gave us a brilliant space to play with as we can light it and reimagine it as a space.
“We have been touring across the UK, we opened in London in May and we went to Cardiff shortly after and we are live in Belfast at the moment in a deconsecrated church and we are open in Edinburgh now so we have gone to each capital city.”
She added: “If you have never heard of anything like this before then come in and take part in what is a really beautiful experience.”
Please note, Dreammachine takes between 60 and 90 minutes and you must complete a pre-booking form. The experience is not suitable for those who are pregnant, people with epilepsy or other potential sensitivities to fast flashing lights and loud sounds.
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
