A sculptural series of interactive, slowly rocking benches compose gentle music and encourage synced up choreographies. Conceived to create a ritual around a moment of pause in the urban realm, the artwork stimulates a communal experience in a soothing soundscape.

A first set of Daydreamer was installed in the city of South Bend (US) as part of revitalization efforts to reconnect citizens to their riverfront. The artwork creates a new space for social connection, a suspended collective moment to take in the natural landscape.

When people sit and push the benches to rock or spin, music and light animations are triggered through motion detection, merging analog and digital movements. All the sounds of Daydreamer are recordings of the human voice. The notes that are sung depend on the benches’ position and direction of travel. Volume is dictated by the speed of movement. By mapping multiple musical parameters to different physical states, a strong gestural link is created between the body's movement and music. Each bench occupies a slightly different musical register; soprano, alto, and tenor. Voices sing more complex partitions when benches are moved in synchronicity, encouraging collaboration between players. The ensemble is an evolutive tapestry of tension, release, motion and stillness.