Music Store Browsing Makes a Triumphant Return

Chinese philosopher and politician Confucius once quipped, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.”

His musings are as wise today as they were during his time on Earth from 551 to 479 BC, and Rich Chandler, owner and manager of Sway Array Designs in Anchorage, Alaska, certainly shares the legendary philosopher’s sentiments. 

Utilising the newest technologies and techniques for capturing 3D, motion, and still photos, Sway Array Designs prides itself on producing state-of-the-art photography for industries of all sizes and specialities. One such industry, music, just happens to be a lifelong passion of Chandler’s that he’s intertwining with his professional endeavours. 

Powered by a Matterport Pro1, Sway Array Designs recently took a trip some 350 miles north to Fairbanks to capture and provide Lost & Found Record Shop with an interactive 3D model you must see to believe. If you are of a generation that cherished the hours spent meticulously thumbing through albums and CDs at now-defunct stores like Tower Records, Sway Array Designs — as if by magic — is bringing this real-world experience to online audiences.

What inspired the 3D capture of Lost & Found Record Shop?

I was inspired by the ever-changing selection within this ‘rest stop’ for music, art, and media in a remote Northern City of the US. The cultural variety of buys, sells, and trades invites any online explorer to remember and wonder through sight and sound. 

 What are the must-sees you want visitors to explore, and why?

Viewer favorites are the interactive instruments, stereos, television, and turntables, which become conduits for multiple genres of music, radio theatre broadcasts, and an iconic episode of Soul Train from 1979.

What’s the one thing you want visitors to take away after exploring the record store? 

Music is universal. The sound of uniquely arranged notes with harmony and rhythm makes us feel, move, and imagine, which are all the ingredients needed for communicating and building a better tomorrow.  Explore, listen, remember, and imagine.

What’s the story behind this unique and wonderfully curated shop? 

Lost and Found Records began inside the CoOp Plaza in downtown Fairbanks, Alaska, and eventually moved to a storefront on 2nd Avenue, which locals refer to as “2 Street.” The new increase in retail space and curb exposure provided the full attention it deserves. 

How were you inspired to embed music into the Mattertags? 

The first time I walked through the store, my eyes began reviewing the selection of media as I began replaying songs and videos in my mind. Music is my gravity and has been my lifelong company, which inspired me to create a 3D model of sight and sound that is timeless.  

Anything else you would like to add?

I periodically change the media selections within this model to keep viewers wondering what is next. Feel free to make requests, and I will bring your favorite media to life in this model with you to thank for the share.