Part raunchy library, part soundscape playlist and part wellness tool, a new breed of spicy apps is here to light a flame under your libido, and we’re totally here for it.

Have you ever wondered why certain sounds send a shiver down your spine? Or why a whisper in your ear can give you goosebumps? Science has long confirmed that our senses have a powerful effect on our physical and emotional responses. What we see, smell, taste, feel and hear all contribute to our experience of the world around us. And in the bedroom, these reactions are heightened. Using certain songs to help set the mood is a well-worn trick, but now a new genre of sensory seduction is kicking things up a notch, and taking up residency on people’s playlists. 

Enter audio erotica. Otherwise known as auralism, it’s a more immersive experience than a simple sexy playlist. Each track engages the listener’s mind and body through a variety of narrated intimate stories, sounds and music specifically composed to stimulate arousal. 

Unlike traditional visual forms of arousal, with audio erotica you simply press play and listen, allowing your imagination to do the heavy lifting and trigger sexual stimulation. According to clinical sexologist, Dr Jessica Wade, it works by “jump-starting the audio pathways” to elicit a sexual response. “Essentially, it immerses the listener through sounds and silences that form erotic framing, awakening sensations through imagination, arousal and climax,” she explains.

Auralism taps into the brain’s natural inclination for visualisation, addressing the fact that 90 per cent of women use ‘mental framing’ and ‘scenario conjuring’ to climax. In other words, audio erotica is working to shorten the pleasure gap.

“Rather than strictly focusing on physical aspects of arousal and sex, it brings to life the sensory experience,” adds Wade. “There are also emerging platforms that go beyond creating porn-like content, such as sexual wellness apps that are designed to help boost libido and provide education, as well as spicy audio content.”

Auralism also takes the form of spoken words, stories, songs, groans, breaths and erotic ASMR, which uses specific sounds to trigger a tingling sensation that can enhance sexual pleasure and connection. There are even audio erotica apps that allow you to make your own auralism, using voice tracks from your partner. Recording sexy sounds for each other can be a fun and thrilling way to deepen intimacy and keep the spark alive.

Intrigued? Read on for our ultimate guide to the new aural sensation that could be the secret to your best sex ever.

The beginner’s guide to audio erotica

Erotic storytelling

While audio erotica has long existed in niche communities on platforms like Reddit, it’s now gone mainstream. With a focus on sensual narration, this form of steamy sound is all about enhancing personal sexual discovery through audiobook-like storytelling. 

Typically, audio erotica narrates a sexual encounter between two or more characters. Some stories have an extensive narrative build-up, while others dive straight into the action. 

Stories vary in length from brief, 30-second clips to extended sessions lasting over an hour, covering a wide range of scenarios. These include everything from intimate moments between long-term couples to one-night encounters between strangers.

Erotic ASMR

This is a take on ordinary autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), which refers to a tingling sensation, often described as a ‘braingasm’, that some people experience in response to certain auditory stimuli. It uses specific triggers through sounds that can be as simple as applying lotion or two mouths kissing, isolating the audio which causes those aforementioned sensory reactions to help encourage intimacy and ignite pleasure.

Initially, ASMR was not considered sexual, serving instead as a way to create intimate and pleasurable experiences without involving sex. However, the overlap between ASMR and sexual intimacy has led to the rise of erotic ASMR, a subgenre that explicitly combines the two.

This form of ASMR involves playlists that provoke visualisation and challenge traditional understandings of sex by emphasising feelings of closeness and pleasure over physical interactions. Expect to hear lips smacking, sheets tussling and breath-heavy sounds.

Erotic recordings

Erotic voice recordings, or ‘sexting with sound’, involve partners sending each other steamy audio messages to crank up the heat. Think of it as a more intimate version of a love letter, but instead of reading it, you get to be seduced by your partner’s voice.

Voice recordings, especially those from a familiar partner or a significant other, can actually make your heart race, heighten your senses and even trigger the release of feel-good hormones like oxytocin, helping you feel closer and more connected.

In short, these bite-sized bits of audio pleasure are a fun and creative way to spice up your love life. Better yet, they’re a great way to explore your desires in a more personal and intimate way, which can make your relationship – and your pleasure – even stronger. 

Spicy apps to tune into, tonight!

Our pick of the best audio erotica platforms to supercharge your sex life

Melba

Designed specifically for partnered play, Melba is the place for intimate exploration, whether it be testing fantasies or learning new techniques to try together. The Melba voice will guide you through intimate experiences, gesture by gesture, for up to 30 minutes. There’s even a personalised content section where the app provides practical advice from therapists to help you explore intimacy with confidence, as well as fun quizzes to help improve communication with your partner.

Emjoy

Predominately a female sexual wellness app, Emjoy’s main focus is boosting libido and offering education to help busy women connect with their desires. On the app, you get the choice of audio tracks from sexperts which offer helpful tools to boost libido and better understand one’s preferences. While there are some free tracks to find your rhythm, Emjoy is a subscription app with fresh content uploaded regularly. Plus, you can filter by your preferred narrative type, with storylines including threesomes, her-and-her, or him-and-him content. It even has a spiciness scale translated by chilli icons. 

Quinn

“Quinn is an epic audio erotic app with 1000s of steamy clips ranging from 30-second personal uploads to 30-minute narrated stories,” explains Wade, adding the app even has a bank of recordings voiced by sexy-sounding celebs, including Jesse Williams from Grey’s Anatomy and Andrew Scott from Fleabag. For those keen on erotic fiction, Quinn also has a ‘read’ section piled high with saucy short stories for late-night reading. “And if there is a creator you like, you can filter their work, making it easier to find content you vibe with,” adds Wade.

Dipsea

A digital bank of erotic stories, the raunchy tales on Dipsea are all penned by a team of professional writers and cater to the female gaze. New content is released each week, often with a continuation of sexy characters to keep you hooked. Be warned: the steamy storylines and immersive sound design will sweep you off your feet. “Dipsea offers erotic audiobooks, sleep scenes (almost like meditations) and well-educated tracks,” says Wade. “It’s often my go-to for a self-care ritual or high-vibe intense story which is sure to bring multiple Os.”