Step aside, iPod: Nicolas Jaar's music-playing "Prism" is here

Just when it seemed the iPod had edged pretty much every other non-vinyl form of music player off the market, American-Chilean innovator Nicolas Jaar throws in one kind-of-wanky, bizarre curveball. When not producing minimal delights like last year’s debut Space is Only Noise and studying at Brown University, the 21-year old (yes, that young) is also busy running label Clown & Sunset and accompanying production house Clown & Sunset Aesthetics. Now, Clown & Sunset has announced that Jaar’s next musical release will come via the mysterious-sounding “Prism”.

So what the heck is the Prism, then? According to Dummy Mag, it’s a palm-sized music-playing cube, preloaded with tracks from Jaar and collaborators. Apparently, the intent of the Prism is to prompt the reconsideration of the relationship between listener and music and “foster intimacy between listeners” – deep, no? To aid said intimacy, the Prism features two headphone slots to enable shared listening experience and just to make it extra cool, a beam of light passes through the empty jack when it’s unplugged. The Prism goes on sale via the CSA website on May 1 for $40 – watch out, Apple.