HidHud
Rituals in Augmented Reality
Hidhud (n.)
A delayed return of energy in the form of sound, light, or motion. One form echoes into another, creating layered perception and revealing its presence through repetition.
Hidhud is a sound-based performance by Nir Jacob Younessi composed of sound, light, and code. Instructions for a series of rituals are gathered into a newly created 'grimoire' — a living archive of gestures, rhythms, and signals.
The audience gathers — whether one person or hundreds. Rituals are activated by choice; each one generates a unique configuration of sound and code. Participants respond by listening and contributing sound, gradually shaping a collective session.
Each session draws on practices of repetition, prayer, and elemental presence. The space is equipped with self-assembling, contemporary technologies that react and interact with the performers and audience in real time.
Extracts from the process
Candlelight Sensorium
In this session, I worked with fire.
A small flame, flickering in real time, becomes a character
Through a system of light sensors and
code. The candle spoke in values.
The fire’s motion shaped the sound.
Light became the language and the fire- a composer.
Motion
The body is a spell in motion.
In this session, I wore motion sensors
that listened to every shift - a tilt
of the head, a raised hand,
a held breath.
Each movement shaped the soundscape. Small gestures bent the frequencies. A turn of the spine altered the rhythm.
Words
When a word is repeated enough
times, it stops being a word.
It becomes a portal.
In Hidhud, I built a system where
spoken repetition awakens sound.
The AI listens - not to content, but to intention.
Once the word is true, the ritual begins to change.
Collaborate with others
Sometimes, the ritual expands,
joined by other musicians, healers,
and guides.
These sessions become collective
offerings where voices blend,
instruments echo, and intentions
converge.
The ritual grows larger, more unpredictable, more alive.