A unique app which syncs music with tram stops has officially launched on the Metrolink - specifically on a borough route.
The app, TRAMBIENT, has been created by Manchester music maker and record producer Fritz von Runte, who has been living in Bury and whose career spans 20 years.
Known for his remixes, Fritz has worked with 808 State, Freebass, David Bowie, Pet Shop Boys, Leslie Winer, Dire Straits, Renegade Soundwave and others.
His original music has been released globally, hitting markets like Japan and USA.
The app aims to redefine urban soundscapes by providing a pre-recorded personal soundtrack for the Metrolink network, specifically the journey between Bury and Manchester.
It will play ambient music created by Fritz, which will change depending on the tram stop the user is at.
The app will include calming music for the suburbs and energising music for the city centre.
And it will also transition each track when the stops change, creating a unique mix depending on the journey.
Fritz said: "TRAMBIENT is a love letter to North Manchester.
"By weaving music into the fabric of placemaking, we create deeper connections between people and their surroundings.
"In Tokyo, every train stop has a four-note melody.
"We’ll be having a whole track for each tram stop.
"TRAMBIENT is also a new music format that's dynamic and responsive, syncing its track order and timings to the tram journeys, making every play unique."
Each stop will have its own soundtrack, starting with Bury to Shudehill, with the aim of enhancing the quality of life for people living and commuting to the city.
The mix with the tracks for each Bury line tram stop will be done based on the travel times of the day and with an "element of randomicity", providing potentially 1.7m different versions of the "record".
Fritz moved to Bury in 2021 after living most of his life in South Manchester.
He said: "But my friends didn’t move with me.
"My barber, Tony from Parting of the Waves, didn’t move to Bury.
"My favourite coffee place, my favourite record shops, and even my dry cleaner were all still in South Manchester.
"So I began to use the tram quite a lot, at least twice a week, to continue these relationships.
"It gave me a much bigger perspective of my city and the people of Manchester."
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