“This is a tool for absorbing your soul.”
ShiliTV
ShiliTV, based in South Korea, presents a three camera setup of a non-sponsored visit to an ear cleaning salon. Laid on a medical couch, and surrounded on both sides by soft-spoken beauticians in medical garb, the subject of session is brushed with a variety of unique tools – including peacock feathers. The care and precision by which the saloneers work on is enough to lull you into a state of sympathetic softness.
Tags/Triggers: Intentional ASMR, Unintentional ASMR, Task Oriented ASMR, Cleaning, Soft Spoken
Aggressive soundscapes
FredsVoice ASMR
FredsVoice ASMR’s Ultra Fast FAW Barbershop Razor Shave Sounds is one of the most watched videos of the genre of YouTube (23 million views since mid-2020). It’s a thirty minute-long workout – FredsVoice is making sounds quicker than you might expect, lathering a microphone with shaving foam. Then, of course, comes the shave itself. This work is proof that slowness is not necessarily a trigger: aggressive soundscapes are just as enticing.
Tags/Triggers: Intentional ASMR, Fast ASMR, Microphone Sounds
Brushing the lens
Josie B ASMR
In this one hour and twenty minute-long pampering session, Josie B ASMR’s presence films the frame. She sits close to the camera, something commonly seen in one-on-one ASMR works, and speaks softly. The goal is to make the viewer feel safe and seen while, in this particular case, being showered with sounds connected to skin treatments and facial massage. None of the applications of cleanser, foundation, nor eyeshadow are applied to the subject, though – you are the subject, mediated through the lens.
Tags/Triggers: Intentional ASMR, Soft Spoken, Positive Affirmation
Endnote: in a part marketing ploy and part heartfelt attempt to make binaural sound recording on a smartphone more user-friendly, Samsung have published a how-to guide for recording “ASMR videos” on a Galaxy device.