diff --git a/app/mobile/ios/Databag.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/app/mobile/ios/Databag.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index a1032b72..f897739a 100644
--- a/app/mobile/ios/Databag.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/app/mobile/ios/Databag.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@
 				ASSETCATALOG_COMPILER_APPICON_NAME = AppIcon;
 				ASSETCATALOG_COMPILER_INCLUDE_ALL_APPICON_ASSETS = YES;
 				CLANG_ENABLE_MODULES = YES;
-				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 7;
+				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 8;
 				DEVELOPMENT_TEAM = 3P65PQ7SUR;
 				ENABLE_BITCODE = NO;
 				GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS = (
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@
 				ASSETCATALOG_COMPILER_APPICON_NAME = AppIcon;
 				ASSETCATALOG_COMPILER_INCLUDE_ALL_APPICON_ASSETS = YES;
 				CLANG_ENABLE_MODULES = YES;
-				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 7;
+				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 8;
 				DEVELOPMENT_TEAM = 3P65PQ7SUR;
 				INFOPLIST_FILE = Databag/Info.plist;
 				INFOPLIST_KEY_CFBundleDisplayName = Databag;
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/TopicItem.jsx b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/TopicItem.jsx
index 57d98b29..079228ec 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/TopicItem.jsx
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/TopicItem.jsx
@@ -97,8 +97,7 @@ export function TopicItem({ item, focused, focus, hosting, remove, update, block
           <VideoAsset topicId={item.topicId} asset={asset.item.video} dismiss={actions.hideCarousel} />
         )}
         { asset.item.audio && (
-          <AudioAsset topicId={item.topicId} asset={asset.item.audio} active={state.activeId == asset.dataIndex}
-              setActive={() => actions.setActive(asset.dataIndex)} dismiss={actions.hideCarousel} />
+          <AudioAsset topicId={item.topicId} asset={asset.item.audio} dismiss={actions.hideCarousel} />
         )}
       </View>
     )
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/AudioAsset.jsx b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/AudioAsset.jsx
index 1e4cd4dd..3a45fb58 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/AudioAsset.jsx
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/AudioAsset.jsx
@@ -1,36 +1,38 @@
-import { Text, Image, View, TouchableOpacity } from 'react-native';
+import { Image, View, Text, TouchableOpacity } from 'react-native';
+import { useRef } from 'react';
 import Colors from 'constants/Colors';
+import { Video, AVPlaybackStatus } from 'expo-av';
 import { useAudioAsset } from './useAudioAsset.hook';
+import GestureRecognizer from 'react-native-swipe-gestures';
 import { styles } from './AudioAsset.styled';
-import audio from 'images/audio.png';
 import Icons from '@expo/vector-icons/MaterialCommunityIcons';
+import audio from 'images/audio.png';
 
-export function AudioAsset({ topicId, asset, active, setActive, dismiss }) {
+export function AudioAsset({ topicId, asset, dismiss }) {
 
   const { state, actions } = useAudioAsset(topicId, asset);
 
-  const play = () => {
-    actions.play();
-    setActive();
-  }
+  const player = useRef(null);
 
   return (
-    <View style={styles.background}>
-      <Image source={audio} style={{ width: state.length, height: state.length }} resizeMode={'cover'} />
+    <View style={styles.container}>
+      <Image source={audio} style={{ width: state.width, height: state.height }} resizeMode={'contain'} />
       <Text style={styles.label}>{ asset.label }</Text>
-      { state.playing && active && (
-        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.control} onPress={actions.pause}>
-          <Icons name="stop-circle-outline" size={92} color={Colors.white} />
+      { !state.playing && state.loaded && (
+        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.control} onPress={actions.play}>
+          <Icons name="play-circle-outline" size={92} color={Colors.text} />
         </TouchableOpacity>
       )}
-      { (!state.playing || !active) && (
-        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.control} onPress={play}>
-          <Icons name="play-circle-outline" size={92} color={Colors.white} />
+      { state.playing && state.loaded && (
+        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.control} onPress={actions.pause}>
+          <Icons name="pause-circle-outline" size={92} color={Colors.text} />
         </TouchableOpacity>
       )}
       <TouchableOpacity style={styles.close} onPress={dismiss}>
-        <Icons name="close" size={24} color={Colors.white} />
+        <Icons name="window-close" size={32} color={Colors.text} />
       </TouchableOpacity>
+      <Video ref={player} source={{ uri: state.url }} isLooping={true}
+        shouldPlay={state.playing} onLoad={actions.loaded} style={styles.player} />
     </View>
   );
 }
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/AudioAsset.styled.js b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/AudioAsset.styled.js
index f1c57c96..20df34b6 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/AudioAsset.styled.js
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/AudioAsset.styled.js
@@ -2,13 +2,19 @@ import { StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
 import { Colors } from 'constants/Colors';
 
 export const styles = StyleSheet.create({
-  background: {
-    backgroundColor: Colors.lightgrey,
-    borderRadius: 4,
+  container: {
+    position: 'relative',
+    borderRadius: 8,
+    backgroundColor: Colors.formBackground,
     display: 'flex',
     alignItems: 'center',
     justifyContent: 'center',
   },
+  control: {
+    position: 'absolute',
+    paddingRight: 8,
+    paddingTop: 4,
+  },
   label: {
     position: 'absolute',
     textAlign: 'center',
@@ -18,13 +24,17 @@ export const styles = StyleSheet.create({
     paddingLeft: 20,
     paddingRight: 20,
   },
-  control: {
-    position: 'absolute',
-  },
   close: {
     position: 'absolute',
     top: 0,
     right: 0,
+    paddingTop: 4,
+    paddingBottom: 4,
+    paddingLeft: 8,
+    paddingRight: 8,
+  },
+  player: {
+    display: 'none',
   },
 })
 
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/useAudioAsset.hook.js b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/useAudioAsset.hook.js
index 70dfcb07..079e8766 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/useAudioAsset.hook.js
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/audioAsset/useAudioAsset.hook.js
@@ -2,15 +2,18 @@ import { useState, useRef, useEffect, useContext } from 'react';
 import { ConversationContext } from 'context/ConversationContext';
 import { Image } from 'react-native';
 import { useWindowDimensions } from 'react-native';
-import SoundPlayer from 'react-native-sound-player'
 
 export function useAudioAsset(topicId, asset) {
 
   const [state, setState] = useState({
-    length: null,
+    width: 1,
+    height: 1,
+    url: null,
     playing: false,
+    loaded: false,
   });
 
+  const closing = useRef(null);
   const conversation = useContext(ConversationContext);
   const dimensions = useWindowDimensions();
 
@@ -19,29 +22,36 @@ export function useAudioAsset(topicId, asset) {
   }
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (dimensions.width < dimensions.height) {
-      updateState({ length: 0.8 * dimensions.width });
+    const frameRatio = dimensions.width / dimensions.height;
+    if (frameRatio > 1) {
+      //height constrained
+      const height = 0.9 * dimensions.height;
+      const width = height;
+      updateState({ width, height }); 
     }
     else {
-      updateState({ length: 0.8 * dimensions.height });
+      //width constrained
+      const width = 0.9 * dimensions.width;
+      const height = width;
+      updateState({ width, height });
     }
   }, [dimensions]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const url = conversation.actions.getTopicAssetUrl(topicId, asset.full); 
-    updateState({ url, playing: false });
-    return () => { SoundPlayer.stop() }
+    updateState({ url });
   }, [topicId, conversation, asset]);
 
   const actions = {
     play: () => {
-      SoundPlayer.playUrl(state.url);
       updateState({ playing: true });
     },
     pause: () => {
-      SoundPlayer.stop();
       updateState({ playing: false });
     },
+    loaded: () => {
+      updateState({ loaded: true });
+    }
   };
 
   return { state, actions };
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/ImageAsset.jsx b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/ImageAsset.jsx
index 66359b66..bac84635 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/ImageAsset.jsx
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/ImageAsset.jsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Image, TouchableOpacity } from 'react-native';
+import { View, Image, ActivityIndicator, TouchableOpacity } from 'react-native';
 import { useImageAsset } from './useImageAsset.hook';
 import { styles } from './ImageAsset.styled';
 import Colors from 'constants/Colors';
@@ -7,8 +7,13 @@ export function ImageAsset({ topicId, asset, dismiss }) {
   const { state, actions } = useImageAsset(topicId, asset);
 
   return (
-    <TouchableOpacity activeOpacity={1} onPress={dismiss}>
-      <Image source={{ uri: state.url }} style={{ borderRadius: 4, width: state.imageWidth, height: state.imageHeight }} resizeMode={'cover'} />
+    <TouchableOpacity style={styles.container} activeOpacity={1} onPress={dismiss}>
+      <Image source={{ uri: state.url }} onLoad={actions.loaded} style={{ borderRadius: 4, width: state.imageWidth, height: state.imageHeight }} resizeMode={'cover'} />
+      { !state.loaded && (
+        <View style={styles.loading}>
+          <ActivityIndicator color={Colors.white} size="large" />
+        </View>
+      )}
     </TouchableOpacity>
   );
 }
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/ImageAsset.styled.js b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/ImageAsset.styled.js
index 9c879c72..982a04c1 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/ImageAsset.styled.js
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/ImageAsset.styled.js
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@ import { StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
 import { Colors } from 'constants/Colors';
 
 export const styles = StyleSheet.create({
+  container: {
+    display: 'flex',
+    alignItems: 'center',
+    justifyContent: 'center',
+  },
+  loading: {
+    position: 'absolute',
+  },
   overlay: {
     marginRight: 16,
     position: 'absolute',
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/useImageAsset.hook.js b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/useImageAsset.hook.js
index 7d1f5dab..ffa5eda7 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/useImageAsset.hook.js
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/imageAsset/useImageAsset.hook.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export function useImageAsset(topicId, asset) {
     imageWidth: 1,
     imageHeight: 1,
     url: null,
+    loaded: false,
   });
 
   const conversation = useContext(ConversationContext);
@@ -51,6 +52,9 @@ export function useImageAsset(topicId, asset) {
   }, [topicId, conversation, asset]);
 
   const actions = {
+    loaded: () => {
+      updateState({ loaded: true });
+    }
   };
 
   return { state, actions };
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/VideoAsset.jsx b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/VideoAsset.jsx
index fe4cb8b7..24bbbab3 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/VideoAsset.jsx
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/VideoAsset.jsx
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-import { Image, View, TouchableOpacity } from 'react-native';
+import { ActivityIndicator, Image, View, TouchableOpacity } from 'react-native';
 import Colors from 'constants/Colors';
 import { Video, AVPlaybackStatus } from 'expo-av';
 import { useVideoAsset } from './useVideoAsset.hook';
-import GestureRecognizer from 'react-native-swipe-gestures';
 import { styles } from './VideoAsset.styled';
 import Icons from '@expo/vector-icons/MaterialCommunityIcons';
 
@@ -11,18 +10,36 @@ export function VideoAsset({ topicId, asset, dismiss }) {
   const { state, actions } = useVideoAsset(topicId, asset);
 
   return (
-    <TouchableOpacity activeOpacity={1} onPress={actions.showClose}>
-      { state.url && (
-        <Video source={{ uri: state.url }} style={{ width: state.width, height: state.height }} resizeMode={'cover'} 
-          onReadyForDisplay={(e) => actions.setResolution(e.naturalSize.width, e.naturalSize.height)}
-          useNativeControls={state.controls} resizeMode="contain" />
-      )}
-      { state.closing && (
-        <TouchableOpacity style={styles.close} onPress={dismiss}>
-          <Icons name="close" size={24} color={Colors.white} />
+    <View style={styles.container}>
+      { !state.loaded && (
+        <TouchableOpacity onPress={dismiss}>
+          <ActivityIndicator color={Colors.white} size="large" />
         </TouchableOpacity>
       )}
-    </TouchableOpacity>
+      <TouchableOpacity activeOpacity={1} style={{...styles.container, ...state.display}}  onPress={actions.showControls}>
+        <Video source={{ uri: state.url }} style={{ width: state.width, height: state.height }} resizeMode={'cover'} 
+          onReadyForDisplay={(e) => actions.setResolution(e.naturalSize.width, e.naturalSize.height)}
+          isLooping={true} shouldPlay={state.playing} resizeMode="contain" />
+        { (!state.playing || state.controls) && (
+          <View style={{ ...styles.overlay, width: state.width, height: state.height }} />
+        )}
+        { !state.playing && state.loaded && (
+          <TouchableOpacity style={styles.control} onPress={actions.play}>
+            <Icons name="play-circle-outline" size={92} color={Colors.white} />
+          </TouchableOpacity>
+        )}
+        { state.controls && state.playing && state.loaded && (
+          <TouchableOpacity style={styles.control} onPress={actions.pause}>
+            <Icons name="pause-circle-outline" size={92} color={Colors.white} />
+          </TouchableOpacity>
+        )}
+        { (state.controls || !state.playing) && (
+          <TouchableOpacity style={styles.close} onPress={dismiss}>
+            <Icons name="window-close" size={32} color={Colors.white} />
+          </TouchableOpacity>
+        )}
+      </TouchableOpacity>
+    </View>
   );
 }
   
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/VideoAsset.styled.js b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/VideoAsset.styled.js
index 6b72992f..afe76ca9 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/VideoAsset.styled.js
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/VideoAsset.styled.js
@@ -2,15 +2,28 @@ import { StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
 import { Colors } from 'constants/Colors';
 
 export const styles = StyleSheet.create({
-  close: {
-    backgroundColor: 'rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6)',
+  container: {
+    display: 'flex',
+    alignItems: 'center',
+    justifyContent: 'center',
+  },
+  overlay: {
     position: 'absolute',
-    alignSelf: 'center',
-    justifySelf: 'center',
-    borderBottomLeftRadius: 4,
-    borderBottomRightRadius: 4,
-    paddingLeft: 4,
-    paddingRight: 4,
+    backgroundColor: 'rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4)',
+  },
+  control: {
+    position: 'absolute',
+    paddingRight: 8,
+    paddingTop: 4,
+  },
+  close: {
+    position: 'absolute',
+    top: 0,
+    right: 0,
+    paddingTop: 4,
+    paddingBottom: 4,
+    paddingLeft: 8,
+    paddingRight: 8,
   },
 })
 
diff --git a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/useVideoAsset.hook.js b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/useVideoAsset.hook.js
index c4c42509..832e0fe0 100644
--- a/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/useVideoAsset.hook.js
+++ b/app/mobile/src/session/conversation/topicItem/videoAsset/useVideoAsset.hook.js
@@ -10,13 +10,14 @@ export function useVideoAsset(topicId, asset) {
     frameHeight: 1,
     videoRatio: 1,
     width: 1,
-    weight: 1,
     url: null,
+    playing: false,
+    loaded: false,
     controls: false,
-    closing: false,
+    display: { display: 'none' },
   });
 
-  const closing = useRef(null);
+  const controls = useRef(null);
   const conversation = useContext(ConversationContext);
   const dimensions = useWindowDimensions();
 
@@ -51,13 +52,20 @@ export function useVideoAsset(topicId, asset) {
 
   const actions = {
     setResolution: (width, height) => {
-      updateState({ controls: true, videoRatio: width / height });
+      updateState({ loaded: true, display: {}, videoRatio: width / height });
     },
-    showClose: () => {
-      clearTimeout(closing.current);
-      updateState({ closing: true });
-      closing.current = setTimeout(() => {
-        updateState({ closing: false });
+    play: () => {
+      actions.showControls();
+      updateState({ playing: true });
+    },
+    pause: () => {
+      updateState({ playing: false });
+    },
+    showControls: () => {
+      clearTimeout(controls.current);
+      updateState({ controls: true });
+      controls.current = setTimeout(() => {
+        updateState({ controls: false });
       }, 2000);
     },
   };