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‘A new chapter in the evolution of DJing’- Algoriddim brings a reimagined version of djay to Apple Vision Pro, and all versions of the software can now stream and mix songs from Apple Music. And for most people, the Apple Music integration will be a much bigger deal.

It probably hasn’t escaped your notice that Apple’s Vision Pro “spatial computer” lands today, along with a wide variety of apps. One of these, it turns out, is a reimagined version of Algoriddim’s djay, but perhaps the bigger news is that, in tandem with this announcement, it’s been confirmed that all versions of djay are now getting full compatibility with Apple Music.

“We’re thrilled to introduce djay for Apple Vision Pro. Its innovative spatial interface offers a completely new way to experience music and marks a new chapter in the evolution of DJing”, said Karim Morsy, CEO of Algoriddim. “Integrating Apple Music across the entire djay product line represents a significant milestone in Algoriddim’s mission to make DJing accessible to everyone.”

The reimagined Vision Pro version of djay – already a hit on iOS, Mac, Windows and Android – enables you to mix on a set of virtual 3D turntables, interacting with them by moving the needle around or scratching. You can position yourself in various immersive environments, and there are light shows that respond in time to your performance.

Other features include the ability to preview songs by ‘holding’ your ‘headphones’ to your ear, navigate songs with gaze and pinch gestures, browse playlists with eye movements and mimic the act of pulling a record out of its sleeve and putting it on the turntable.

All clever stuff, we think you’ll agree, but a high price point means that the Vision Pro is likely to remain a niche product for the foreseeable future. As such, the new version of djay may only be of passing interest to you, but if you already use the software on another platform, the Apple Music integration could be a rather big deal.

To confirm, this means that, assuming you’re an Apple Music subscriber, you now have access to more than 100 million songs, plus those that are in your own personal Apple Music (formerly iTunes) library. This is the first time that Apple has opened up its catalogue for DJing purposes, so for Algoriddim, it’s quite a coup.

It also goes some way to filling the void left when Spotify pulled its service from djay (and all other mixing platforms) in 2020, for reasons that were never fully clarified. Since then, djay users have been able to stream songs via Tidal and Soundcloud, but Apple Music – Spotify’s closest rival in terms of market share – is a much bigger fish to net.

A brief test confirms that Apple Music streaming in djay works seamlessly and, even if you’re not much of a DJ, gives you an excellent way of auto-mixing through a playlist at a party. Existing Apple Music subscribers are eligible for an exclusive 2-month free trial of the full djay Pro subscription; for everyone else, the price is $7/£7/€7 a month or $50/£49/€50 a year, though there’s also a free version with a more limited feature set. Find out more on the Algoriddim website.

Two music technology veterans, Svante Stadler and Rikard Jönsson, have announced that they’re launching a new company, Forever 89, and are teasing their first product.

This is currently in beta and very much under wraps at the moment, but a teaser trailer points to it being related to drums and percussion, and we’re told that resynthesis is also “a big part of the core experience”. More broadly, we can expect “a new way to mold, fold, bend, blend, push, pull, make, break, shape and explore.”

Forever 89 arrives with impeccable pedigree. Svante Stadler has previously worked for Teenage Engineering, Reason Studios, Auxy, XLN Audio, Mellotron, and Pacemaker. Some of his product credits include the OP-1, Auxy’s iOS app, and the XO VST/AU.

Rikard Jönsson was, for a time, Ableton’s sole Product Marketing Manager, helping to ensure the success of multiple Ableton Live campaigns. He went on to join Ableton subsidiary Cycling ‘74 as a Product Manager for, its latest product, RNBO, and prior to all of that he spent time at Spotify when it was still a start-up.

Forever 89 is named in homage to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s era that Stadler and Jönsson say was characterised by “groundbreaking innovation”.

“It reflects the rapid transformation of the world during that time,” the duo say of their company moniker, “marked by milestones such as the emergence of the internet, breakthroughs in genetic engineering, the widespread availability of GPS systems, the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, and many other significant events, all taking place during the pivotal years around the transition from the ‘80s to the ‘90s.”

Drawing on the sprit of those times, Stadler and Jönsson say that they now want to support the next generation of musicians. “We want to be a source for both playful exploration and a reliable tool for musical results,” says Jönsson, with Stadler adding that “We both grew up in a time when technological advances made last year’s innovations look outdated. Our vision is to create opportunities for similar progress again.”

Stadler concludes by saying that “We looked at our own needs as musicians and based our first product on that. We want to be a guiding star for modern musical instruments and also believe it’s important to contribute with innovation in our sector.”

Suffice to say, we are very keen to find out more. You can sign up for newsletter updates on the Forever 89 website.