A Manchester musician Fritz von Runte is aiming to put the city once again on the innovation map of the world with something very different inspired by his daily journey on the tram network.
TRAMBIENT, which is set to launch on 11 October in conjunction with Beyond the Music, is a free app that redefines urban soundscapes, playing ambient music that primes the listener to where they’re going — calming them for the suburbs and energising them for the city.
It will provide a pre-recorded personal soundtrack for the Manchester Metrolink network, specifically the journey between Bury and Manchester. The app will sync music created by Fritz to the tram journey, transitioning each track when the stops change, making a unique mix on every listen.
Fritz said: “TRAMBIENT is a love letter to North Manchester. By weaving music into the fabric of placemaking, we create deeper connections between people and their surroundings. In Tokyo, every train stop has a four-note melody. We’ll be having a whole track for each tram stop. TRAMBIENT is also a new music format that’s dynamic and responsive, syncing its track order and timings to the tram journeys, making every play unique.”
Always a pioneer, Fritz was inspired to create something truly unique that elevates placemaking in his home, that taps into the concept of a truly smart city and reformats the way people think of and use traditional music.
“Fritz has opted to make ambient music for this project, his favourite genre that perfectly suits his beloved Manchester. ‘I believe Manchester is an Ambient City,’ Fritz explains, ‘hence the lyrics to the track I wrote for the Victoria stop, “Victoria Velvet”.'”
Fritz von Runte’s music enhances the identity and character of specific stops along the Bury line, making them more inviting and engaging. The app will provide a soundtrack for each stop in the Manchester tram, starting with Bury to Shudehill, enhancing the quality of life for people living and commuting to the city.
Plus it uses a special algorithm that makes every play a different one for the listener. The mix with the tracks for each Bury line tram stop will be done based on the travel times of the day and with an element of randomicity, providing potentially 1.7 million different versions of the ‘record’.
Fritz moved to Bury in 2021 after living most of his life in South Manchester. Talking about the move he said; “But my friends didn’t move with me. My barber, Tony from Parting of the Waves, didn’t move to Bury. My favourite coffee place, my favourite record shops, and even my dry cleaner were all still in South Manchester. So I began to use the tram quite a lot, at least twice a week, to continue these relationships. It gave me a much bigger perspective of my city and the people of Manchester.”
The app will launch with a preview event on the 6.05pm journey from Bury to Shudehill. Attendance is invite only but those wishing to register an interest can do so at https://von.run/
