# Year One — Evolving AR Music > Augmented reality music app for spatial album listening and creation. (iPhone/iPad app by TCW.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-one/id1282314928 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [TCW](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193839943) - Category: Music, Entertainment - Price: Free - Rating: 4.30/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 407 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2017-10-08 - Data updated: 2026-06-01 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-one/id1282314928/reviews.md ## What is Year One? Hear different lyrics in the corners of your room; build melodies as you walk around your couch; hear hidden parts and build your own chords just by walking through the space around you. Year One is the first spatial album, utilizing the possibilities of augmented reality technology, by D.C. group and label TCW. Upon launching the Year One app, the different sounds and instruments of the songs will populate and begin moving through the space around you. Your movement, tracked by your smartphone, will affect which sounds you hear and change how individual effects are applied to them, making for a different listening experience each time. This final release of the album contains all eight spatial arrangements from TCW, Wall of Trophies, and N.E. Hertzberg. TCW has released a how-to guide for any musician to build their own similar app independently. Alongside the guide, TCW has begun cataloging spatial composition techniques for other musicians to use and contribute to. This guide and techniques can all be found on tcwav.com. TCW released their first spatial album, Inauguration, in early 2017 using smartphone GPS positional tracking, and released a similar guide for building spatial applications. Contact the group at tcw@tcwav.com Headphones required for proper audio spatialization. ## Key features - Spatial album listening - Augmented reality soundscapes - Interactive music exploration - Build melodies and chords - Dynamic audio effects - Create unique listening experiences ## Recent user reviews (1 of 1) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-one/id1282314928/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Meh.. Spatial but uses a lot of CPU and battery *2020-12-12* This app works but it heats up my iPhone 7 which means it is pretty CPU intensive. On the plus side, the music is great. Uses a lot of battery as well- in the space of ten minutes, it zapped my battery from 100 percent to 89 percent. Could use some optimization. ## Frequently asked questions about Year One ### What is Year One? Year One is an augmented reality music application that allows users to experience music spatially. Different sounds and instruments populate and move through the space around you, with your movement affecting what you hear and how effects are applied. ### How does Year One use augmented reality? Year One utilizes augmented reality to place and move sounds within your physical environment. By tracking your smartphone's position, the app creates an immersive listening experience where your movement directly influences the audio you perceive. ### Are headphones required for Year One? Yes, headphones are required for proper audio spatialization in Year One. This ensures that the intended immersive and directional sound experience is delivered effectively. ### What devices does Year One support? Year One is supported on iPhone and iPad devices. It is designed to leverage the AR capabilities of these platforms for an optimal experience. ### What is the age rating for Year One? Year One has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for a wide audience, including younger users. ### How often is Year One updated? The latest version of Year One is 5.0, which was last updated on July 2, 2025. This suggests a commitment to ongoing development and improvements. ### Does Year One have ads? No, Year One does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and use without any ad interruptions. ### Can I create my own music with Year One? While Year One focuses on experiencing existing spatial albums, the developer TCW provides a how-to guide for musicians to build similar apps independently. They also catalog spatial composition techniques on tcwav.com. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 5.0 — 2025-07-02 A rebuilt audio engine, tighter spatialization, and better memory/battery usage due to a new AR Foundation. ### 4 — 2019-09-05 The final version of Year One features all of the album's eight songs alongside a new sound system, new lighting, improved tracking, new user interface, song selection, and information about each track. ### 3 — 2018-10-30 V3 contains new music from TCW and N.E. Hertzberg. ### 1.21 — 2018-04-28 V2.1: Small update optimizes visuals for scaling to iPhone X and iPads. V2.0: TCW's spatial audio app is updated with a new visual interface, enhanced tracking, and new music from TCW and Washington, DC's Wall of Trophies. ### 1.2 — 2018-04-22 TCW's spatial audio app is updated with a new visual interface, enhanced tracking, and new music from TCW and Washington, DC's Wall of Trophies. ## Apps similar to Year One | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [KAiKU Control](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaiku-control/id1450527844) | — | Free | Music | | [Musical Kittens](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musical-kittens/id1122553343) | 3.7 (3) | Free | Music | | [TN-DR(drum machine)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tn-drdrum-machine/id1050709868) | — | Free | Music | | [TriplexKicker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/triplexkicker/id6459366158) | 3.0 (1) | $3.99 | Music | | [bismark swipestrings](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bismark-swipestrings/id1560987750) | 5.0 (2) | $5.99 | Music | | [Refraktions](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refraktions/id866134037) | 4.5 (28) | $5.99 | Music | ## More apps by TCW - [TCW - Inauguration](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcw-inauguration/id1193839944) - [Spatial Orchestra](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spatial-orchestra/id1441267993) - [Spatial Garden](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spatial-garden/id1533247784) - [Will Copps' Liminal @ Catholic](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/will-copps-liminal-catholic/id6451347561) All apps by TCW: https://appshunter.io/developer/1193839943 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*