Phobias. Bipolarism. Depression. Addictions. Schizophrenia.

Mental illness affects 25% of the population worldwide. And yet, the stigma and discrimination around it is still prevalent.

So, how do you make it accessible to those who fail to see it as it really is? How do you put a spotlight on it, showing how people with mental disorders deal with them on a daily basis?

From Oct 3rd to Oct 6th 2019, the city of Paris welcomed CHAOS, an immersive experience into the heart of mental issues. The installation, which accommodated up to 50 people at the same time, kicked off in Paris before moving to Lille, Bordeaux, Lyon and other French cities.

The project was ideated and developed by E&H LAB, a French creative agency specialised in corporate social responsibility, and sees yours truly MassiveMusic behind the music composition, production and supervision.

For this incredible experience, we at MassiveMusic were asked to create a track that would do justice to this incredible experience while not taking the audience’s attention away from the final message.

The biggest challenge? Translating mental diseases into sound, while keeping a balance between the invitation to discover and the darkness of mental diseases – no one wants to listen to something too discomforting while immersing themselves in the world of mental illness.

We started looking at ways to connect mental feelings and music and used sound to evoke the same emotions you might have when you have a mental disorder.

The three-minute track we ended up creating starts with a soft, atmospheric tone which transitions into a more electronic piece, with vintage synths and unexpected turns making their appearance along the way.

The final immersive experience is a combination of visuals and music that highlights the different states of emotions related to mental disorders – from calmness and apathy to turmoil and alertness.

The ultimate goal of CHAOS? To push society and government to take care of the issue, providing solutions to help people feel included in companies and society.

Florent Turpin, former Head of Creative Development France at MassiveMusic, comments: “The strong synergy between the visuals and music within CHAOS really takes you to a different dimension.”

Deza Nguembock, Founder & CEO at E&H LAB, adds: “For me, music is the ultimate connection between people and the subconscious. Thus, my encounter with MassiveMusic was a blessing.”