While djay is rooted in digital music mixing on the Mac then iOS, the new Android version is just as desktop class with high quality music playback and real time analyzing and mixing. Better yet, djay for Android packs in deep Spotify integration from day one–the iOS version first added up Spotify integration earlier this year–which means you have access to over 20 million songs for mixing together and playback.
Spotify music is streamed directly to djay so you don’t even need the Spotify app installed–simply log in through the music selection pane–and performs as if the music was stored locally on your device as long as you’re online. You can pick up a seven day free trial of Spotify Premium for use with djay through the app if you aren’t already a subscriber.
This is a huge feature especially if you don’t typically sync your music library to your device or have storage limitations that prevent syncing huge libraries. If you do save music directly on your device, djay for Android includes fast access to your own music library with the native Android user interface for quickly picking your music and returning to the turntables.
I got the chance to try out djay for Android over the weekend after previously using djay on the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Because djay has a very skeuomorphic look mimicking the look and feel of a physical DJ turntable, djay for Android carriers a similar layout as the version that’s available for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
The app launches in a full screen view pushing the native Android navigation controls and status bar aside using more of your phone or tablet’s display for manipulating music playback and mixing. To access these controls, just swipe down from where the status bar normally would be located or either the right or bottom of your device depending on landscape or portrait orientation.
[youtube http://youtu.be/TQJktyOYVB0]
Once you’re in djay for Android, you can view the turntables side by side in landscape or one at a time in portrait. As with other versions of djay, you can also toggle from the turntable view to a digital waveform view which supports both layouts.
A button to add a track will flash on both turntables. Tapping this will bring up the native Android music browser where you can choose from your own music. As mentioned before, Spotify subscribers can access over 20 million tracks for mixing in djay. The Spotify music browser displays your playlists alongside top charts, songs, a genre browser, and a track match section.
Matching a track is especially useful with djay for Android as the app uses The Echo Nest which Spotify acquired earlier this year. This utilizes track key recognition as well as song duration and beats per minute and as well as looking at the actual song to recommend music that will fit the same context. For anyone taking djay for a test drive on Android, this is the training wheels to make you look like a pro with selecting which tracks to mix.
Just like the iPhone and iPad version of the app, djay for Android packs in a desktop class app on a mobile device. The main view features controls for playback and session recording, crossfading and automixing, setting and jumping to a cue point, key locking and speed changing, syncing tracks together, accessing playback tools and effects, and much more.
During my testing of djay for Android I compared the app’s performance on a mid-range Moto G to that of Apple’s flagship iPhone 6. Both versions of the app offer up impressive real time feedback for mixing the digital record.
In the hands of a serious DJ, Algoriddim’s djay for Android is a powerful tool. Don’t believe me? See for yourself.
[youtube http://youtu.be/OhBJnDUxMEU]
DMC Champion DJ Rasp performs with Algoriddim’s djay 2 for Android using a Reloop Beatpad controller and a Google Nexus 7 tablet.
In the hands of someone like me who enjoys playing music, djay for Android adds a really entertaining tool to the platform. Just turn on the automix feature and let djay do the music selection and fading and you can do the mixing. It’s a really fun app and a must have for music lovers and professional mixers alike on Android.
Check below for djay for Android’s feature highlight:
• Spotify integration • Android Music library integration • Automix • Colored HD Waveforms™ • Live Recording • Sampler with bundled sound packs by Snoop Dogg and other artists • Match: intelligent song recommendation engine powered by The Echo Nest • Pre-cueing with headphones (works with Griffin DJ Cable) • Mixer, Tempo, Pitch-Bend, Filter and EQ controls • Looping & Cue Points • Time-stretching (change tempo without affecting pitch) • Automatic beat & tempo detection • Auto-Gain • Audio FX: Flanger, Phaser, Echo, Gate, Bit Crusher powered by Sugar Bytes • Support for all major audio formats • Support for streaming to Bluetooth devices • Professional MIDI hardware integration (works with Reloop Beatpad) • High quality audio analysis and processing by zplane.development, including élastique efficient V2 and [aufTAKT] • Exclusive WARP FX for users of SONY Xperia devices.
