Product Spotlight // Berlin's Soundmachines Futurize Your Next Party

All photos courtesy of The Project

DJ'ing has come a long way since the days of vinyl. Instead of carrying 100lb crates of records, DJ's are now more likely to come equipped without much more than a laptop. But for those looking for a little nostalgia with their new technology (combined with stunning design we can't peel our eyes off of), Berlin-based studio The Project has designed the turntable alternative: Soundmachines.

What exactly are you looking at up there, you ask? Here's how it all breaks down:

That glass encased tabletop holds three units modeled after traditional record players, but instead of records they play color-coded discs with three different concentric, visual patterns. The play-by-color approach assigns a beat or electronic melody to each color. The thicker the color strip, the longer the sound. The tracks are synced to a sequencer like Ableton Live and play like a neverending record, allowing the DJ to live-create sound patterns and mixes (sign us up, please.)

Soundmachines were actually sponsored by VW for an event promoting the 2012 Beetle. No, that doesn't mean VW is launching a line of cars with visual DJ technology; they essentially just used it to play music at the party. Still, we find it relatively cool that instead of hiring the standard iTunes-wielding "DJ," VW sponsored an offbeat music project from a local design studio.

At this stage in the game, Soundmachines only play electronic music--but anyone who's handy with a sequencer can probably figure out how to sync up some R&B and classic rock for a live mash-up party.

Meanwhile, hit the jump and feast your eyes on the finished product--along with a closer look at the mechanics of the whole thing.

-- Perrin Drumm