DIAL

Physical playing expirience for curating music in digital age

Dial player is a concept that takes on the vinyl record player. Fixated about the possibility to curate music through physical attributes and listen records together in a group was the main driver for looking how to change those emotions and interactions to digital age.

Dial consists three parts: the playing surface, physical playlist representers aka. pebbles, and a cloud service. In the cloud service each pebble will be paired with the music you want to listen. When pebble is situated on the playing surface, music will instantly start. If a second pebble is introduced, the player automatically curates songs from both playlists, prioritising the one closer to the centre of the player. This allows multiple interactions of fine tuned curation to misuse like stealing other ones pebbles. Dial offers social interaction opportunities through both its material form and function as well as through its digital connectivity.

Dial was made in partnership with Sonos, and working prototypes of the player have been exhibited in Sound Object Show in London, UK, as well as in Sonar Festival in Barcelona, Spain.