Microsoft, music data firm The Echo Nest and Spotify have teamed up to create Mixshape, a site that employs clever graphics to visualise the highs and lows of a music playlist.
Once you've selected a playlist, either from your own Spotify account or one created automatically, Mixshape will decide which tracks you want to listen to. Users can control the "flow" and the duration of the playlist, after which Mixshape automatically adds, subtracts or rearranges songs to match your preference. An exciting array of shapes are then generated which can be further investigated to reveal more information. Zooming in on each shape brings about specific track information, of which form, feel and tempo are denoted by colour differences.
Whilst it is a collaboration between Microsoft, Spotify and The Echo Nest, the project itself is funded by Microsoft, who have created a touch version optimised for Internet Explorer 10 running on tablet devices. Despite this, Mixshape can be enjoyed in a variety of modern browsers.
Once you've created and analysed your playlist, results can be published to various social networking sites with ease. Whomever you choose to share it with can then access your playlist and the Mixshape visualisation on both desktop and mobile browsers.
The site is launching first to U.K. users, however Mixshape can be enjoyed now from any country in which Spotify is available.
Source: Mixshape | Image via Mixshape
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