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Refract is Swarovski’s inspiring new app that lets you create unique audio visual compositions that you can share, edit and play live.
Swarovski’s first multi- sensory digital experience, Refract was created to bring a ‘new form of digital decadence’ to the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users.
The app was commissioned by Swarovski in a unique collaboration with leading digital artist Marek Bereza and design agency MultiAdaptor.
Immersing fans in a hypnotising audio-visual experience, Refract enables fans to create unique art and sound compositions through a customized pentatonic scale and a multi-touch interface.
Touching the screen allows users to design and manipulate crystal-inspired facets that when created pulse in time with unique sounds. The shape and position of the facet affect its sound and the distance between them affects the tempo of the composition.
With three unique beats exclusively scored by musician and sound artist Bobby Krlic, additional parts of the sound interface can only be unlocked by creating ten facets, sharing compositions with friends online and playing the app for five minutes.
Marek Bereza said of the app, ‘I feel that Refract demonstrates a beautiful digital expression of crystal. I wanted to allow people to create visual paradigms in a myriad of sight and sound.’
The app is the latest innovation the crystal design house has launched, following their 2007 partnership with electronics giant Philips to produce the ‘Active-Crystals’ consumer electronics range.
The selection included six USB Memory keys and four in-ear headphones and in 2008 they included Bluetooth wireless earpieces for the brand, all with some form of Swarovski crystal on them as decoration.
To launch the app, Refract is teaming up with Facebook to host an online competition.
A judging panel consisting of some of the brightest names in music and digital art will choose their Top 10 entries.
The judging panel includes Ghostpoet, the Mercury Prize nominated artist and producer who is one of the most hotly-tipped acts of 2011 and a definite ‘one to watch’, who recently announced a headline show at Liverpool Music Week.
Shane Walter, the founder and director of onedotzero, the moving image and digital arts organisation whose annual festival at the BFI is one of the most important dates in the London cultural calendar
DJ duo Filthy Dukes who are behind the club night KillEmAll at Fabric which champions new music.
Lou Hayter of New Young Pony Club, a member of the electronic band and musician and DJ in her own right.
Feel My Bicep, DJs, producers and club promoters with a cult following and a new night at Plastic People in London.
Facebook fans will then choose the winning design and the lucky winner will receive an iPad2 and a limited edition Swarovski crystal incrusted iPad2 case.
Submissions must be uploaded by 14th October.
Refract will be available free to download from Swarovski’s Facebook page and iTunes from October 3 2011.
Links: iTunes App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/swarovskirefract/
id449941149 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Swarovski