A basic headphone jack-to-phono cable that had been languishing in a drawer has transformed my life. It connects my old Apple Touch, also languishing in the drawer since the iPhone usurped it, to the amp under my TV and pumps out streaming radio from around the world via WiFi. My other half's irritating habit of playing an album on loop until I hate the artist and his stinking album is now, temporarily, cured.

Now my only problem is finding music apps worthy of taking up space on my phone alongside Tunedin Radio etc (heard the Michael Jackson channel in their Legends section? It's so 'bad', ie: good). These apps have to be entertaining enough to keep us busy until I find a new one. Leave it for too long and the boyfriend will hammer an old album... again. The good apps must keep coming.

And for that I need recommendations because I trust recommendations from people more than I do recommendations based on algorithms. After all, wasn't it Oprah who taught us that we should "pass it on"? Well check it, O, I'm passing it on.

So, in what might turn into a regular celebration of life-enhancing music apps everyone should know about, and in the hope you recommend something in return, or just think of a name worthy of a regular column, download this one...

Soulwax Radio
Radio Soulwax launched less than a week ago and is a good example of how artists are exploring the possibilities offered by apps, smartphones and tablets. I haven't really kept up with 2 Many DJs since the year 2000/1. I loved them but, being a slut, my attention was short-lived and off I drifted. Now, thanks to their app, we're having a new fling. Like any ex you actually had a good time with, it feels nice to relive it, however briefly. This app also demonstrates how smartphones and tablets, broadband and wifi are letting us experience music in new ways.


According to 2 Many DJs:

"Ok, so it’s a radio station, but not as you know it. For now, it’s a growing collection of 24 one hour-long mixes with visuals that we are sharing with you for free, and hopefully it will become a platform for many more things to come. We call them mixes, but in reality they are more like musical films based on the record sleeves."


According to me:

It is like radio in that you can leave it playing in the background and go, "Oh, I like this one" here and there. It goes one better by having animated visuals that play continuously to the music. Wasn't DAB digital radio supposed to advance radio? This is more like it. While I don't fancy sitting watching the Touch (too busy blogging), they really put some effort into this.

The animations incorporate the record sleeves from the tracks they're playing, all following the theme of the mix you're listening to. I'm currently halfway through their Celestial Voyage mix, described as "the first installment of a trip through the galaxies", all space-related, "usually of the 'disco' kind" (that sold me), and the animation is better than you'd expect, especially for a free app. If I listen to RSWax on a laptop or iPad it'll no doubt look even better. Again, they really put some resources into this. A sl-app on the back to 2 Many DJs! The whole experience is like one of the old compilation albums but tailored to whatever you're in the mood for at that time.

And it's free! Hallelujah, we've come a long way. Next up I'll try the Librarian Girl mix (the best of stock library music) or Introversy (420 of their favourite intros). Maybe Clembastow is listening to the crap-rap-app, Nothing Worse Than A Bad Rap. If Ping was better integrated (and if I actually used it) my phone might tell me. One day, eh?

Til then I'll keep trying out new music apps.

Any recommendations?

And if you can think of a clever name for a regular post that looks at cool new music apps, preferably free ones because then everyone can try them, pass it on. My boyfriend is pushing "Sn-app-y Time". Thanks.


N.B. Thanks to my mate Nick for passing this on to me while I sat on the tram this morning. Bless you too.