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Employee Spotlight: Orion Dommisse

Hi! My name is Orion and I currently do Audio QA as well as camera, lip sync, and lights authoring on the Rock Band DLC team.

I’ve been at Harmonix for about a year and started out doing QA for Twitch Sings. Before Harmonix worked on the rhythm violence game Thumper as QA and worked as a waitress and bartender at a pizza restaurant.

For the past 15 years, I’ve also been a recording and touring musician. I’ve been writing music and have been playing cello and piano since I was a kid. While I’ve always loved video games, I never considered it as a career path for me until last year when Brian Gibson (art, audio, design for Thumper and former Harmonix dev) recommended I apply for a QA position at Harmonix.

Besides being a rhythm game and VR fanatic, I’m also obsessed with pinball. I live in Providence and often go to Free Play Bar and Arcade which has an absurd number of pinball machines and the chillest vibes of all time. It’s right out of the “San Junipero” episode of Black Mirror. 

Do you play in any bands? If so, tell us about your band! 

I’m in a new cybernetic disco synthwave sci-fi noir music duo called ORION. We’re a new artist on the label Italians Do It Better (Chromatics, Desire) and just released our first single “Time For Crime”. Synthesist John-Paul Sullivan and I record songs together in Providence mixed by label-head Johnny Jewel. The video for “Time For Crime” is directed by the animation duo Robotina and is done in a fresh dot matrix style.

"Time For Crime" is also now available to play in Audica. Speaking of... 

What's your favorite Harmonix game and why? 

My favorite game at Harmonix right now is definitely the fantastic, sci-fi rhythm shooter Audica, which is now in early access. My favorite songs in the game right now are “I Feel Love (Afrojack Remix)” by Donna Summer and “Gold Dust” by DJ Fresh.

One of my favorite things I get to do at Harmonix is play Audica for our mixed reality video shoots to promote new songs and features. I feel very lucky to be at Harmonix at a time when there are so many exciting projects in development. I’m thrilled to have some of my music in the very fun and impressive Dance Central for the Oculus Quest and Rift!

Check out Orion playing "Time For Crime" in Audica: 

What's your go-to Karaoke Jam? 

This has to be “Lovefool” by The Cardigans. It’s unbelievable how good that song is. Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” is another standby.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? 

I’d like to be able to travel through time in some sort of elaborate vehicle with lots of dials and wires.

Any social media handles or links to find you and your work you'd like to share w/ the Harmonix community?

You can follow ORION on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orion_musicofficial/

Listen to “Time For Crime” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/37D73iOPyqDvChxFk17FEb