Creating a unified sound identity for the National Museum of Denmark’s Media House, ‘Vores Tid,’ was a tremendous honour. The National Museum of Denmark and its divisions constitute a significant part of Denmark’s cultural identity and heritage. The museum offers knowledge to all within Danish society and stands as a cornerstone of a democratic society.

Crafting a sound identity for them was both an exciting and challenging task.

Unified in Sound

The National Museum of Denmark’s media house ‘Vores Tid’ wished to come together under a unified banner.
The challenge was to gather all of ‘Vores Tid’ media components, primarily their renowned series of podcasts, and unite them under one clear identity. This meant bringing together history and adventure-focused content across various formats to create a seamless and consistent experience for audiences.

Imagine a world full of excitement and adventure. From old legends with a touch of magic, to unbelievable quests. Make it all come together and open the door to a world filled with incredible stories. – That was our task.

To solve the task we assembled the following team:

Søren Elsborg – Creative Lead, Composer & Sound Designer

Anton Sherar – Audio Branding Specialist

The Challenge

– was to unify ‘Vores Tid’s diverse podcast series into a cohesive storytelling experience. This meant finding a way to interlace these varied narratives under one overarching theme or narrative umbrella. Additionally, the aim was to infuse these stories with the captivating essence of music, elevating the overall storytelling impact and branding value. It was about weaving a narrative thread that tied their podcasts together while still highlighting the uniqueness of each series.

Infusing the brand of ‘Vores Tid’ with music, will over time drive their storytelling and set them apart, creating a recognizable signature that captivates listeners, old and new.

The Process

At the heart of crafting a personalised expression lies the necessity of knowing and deeply understanding one’s personality.

Therefore, in collaboration with ‘Vores Tid’ we set out to define and reach the core of their brand and identity as a sender, allowing the sound to best reflect them. Through our process, we identified their key attributes and aimed to gain a deeper understanding of their essence.

It was crucial to convey a sense of expertise while also being engaging and captivating. Additionally, being closely associated with the venerable institution, the National Museum of Denmark, credibility was imperative. However, it all hinges on the mantra of using the past to comprehend the present. Therefore, it was essential for the expression to be contemporary without becoming a product of its time, but rather to embody a timeless style.

The groundwork was laid, allowing us to start creating a story portrayed in the music that would embody our insights.

The Music

We delved into various sonic concepts, each intended to narrate a story akin to ‘Vores Tid’ podcast narratives. The goal was to immerse listeners in the story without compelling them to feel a certain way, letting them form their own relationship to the sound, music and story.

To stay aligned with our desired goal we operated on four distinct musical doctrines, each based on the brand’s personality. These four musical doctrines framed the sound concepts, ensuring that the musical outcomes encapsulated the essence of ‘Vores Tid’’s DNA

• Organic and timeless
  • Historical/narrative references presented through sound design, expressions, or instrumentation
• Melodic Progression
  • The melodies should evolve and represent a musical narrative.
• Tension and Release
  • Creating tension and subsequent resolution within the underlying harmonic structure. The fundamentals of the music should be in constant motion.
• Recognizability
  • The music and signature sound should be easily identifiable and complement the aesthetic framework. The listener should be able to hear the signature sound as an intro or outro in their podcast, and recall ‘Vores Tid’ as a sender, only by hearing the sound.

We experimented with various approaches to meet our musical objectives and mirror the brand personality of ‘Vores Tid’.

Our exploration encompassed diverse sound designs integrating historical references, varied instrumentations, and differing energies within the music.

The Solution

Open the door to adventure – Open the door to history and knowledge – Open the door to the universe of ‘Vores Tid’

We crafted a musical piece rooted in a world brimming with stories, intrigues, mysteries, challenges, and resolutions—a realm to unlock, be enchanted by, and relish. A musical composition where the idea is that ‘Vores Tid’ is a space that listeners want to explore and immerse themselves in.

It seemed only natural and fitting to have ‘Vores Tid’s signature sound resemble the resonance of an actual door, accompanied by two harmonics (touching a string slightly, thus creating beautiful overtones) contributing harmoniously and evoking a tactile musical sensation.

We delved into the intricacies of door acoustics, analysing various types of doors, hinges, and materials to capture the perfect resonance. This process included recording different door movements, experimenting with materials to modify the sound’s texture, and refining the acoustic properties to evoke a sense of familiarity and intrigue.

The harmonic groundwork was designed to evoke mystery while allowing room for the listener’s personal interpretation. Orchestrated with organic instruments, the music steadily evolves both harmonically and dynamically over time, offering an immersive and ever-evolving experience. This also serves to mirror the depth of ‘Vores Tid’’s intricate narratives.

The overall musical expression doesn’t belong to any specific era, thus freeing the media house ‘Vores Tid’ from current trends and ensuring a timeless sound identity.