The Time Keeper

Algorithms to fulfil meaningful moments to come

Is it possible to link a memory of a moment that hasn’t happened yet with a song you don’t know? It is. We did it. With Spotify and Sónar Festival.

The Timekeeper was a groundbreaking machine co-created with Sónar for the 2016 Sónar +D, in collaboration with Matt Ogle and Ajay Kalia, the data analysis team at Spotify.

Based on the users’ Spotify musical preferences, The Timekeeper chose a song curated specifically for them and sent it to a future date of their choice. 

By gathering and analysing the users’ personal data, The Timekeeper blended the participant’s listening habits with their behavioural profile. The profile was then “metaphorically” inserted in a glass marble which was kept inside The Timekeeper until the chosen special moment arrived, in which the machine released the song marble in the machine and digitally sent it via email to its owner. Time and place finally united in a song.

The Time Keeper

How do you feel when an old favourite song of yours comes on the radio?

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Mapping the behaviour of the summer music festival lovers