Some might say that music is an essential part of the human experience. Therefore, it makes sense to invest in good quality speakers in order to give life to our favourite music. Besides sound quality, a proper speaker must have the appropriate functionality and design before consideration. If you are a fan of karaoke, or you like to read a song’s lyrics while listening, the Lyric Speaker may suit your needs.

Developed by the Japanese company Cotodama, the Lyric Speaker displays lyrics in sync with the music. You just connect your smartphone to the speaker via WiFi, play a song, and the lyrics automatically appear on the transparent screen. Thanks to the partnership between Cotodama and SyncPower Corporation (PetitLyrics), Japan’s largest lyrics database company which stores more than 2 million song lyrics, once the Lyric Speaker recognises a song, it analyses the mood and displays a suitable font and animation style. For instance, a slow ballad love song produces soft fonts and movements; should you choose a up-tempo song, the font and animation style becomes robust and powerful, bringing users an unprecedented audio-visual experience.

The Lyric Speaker supports both iOS and Android operating systems. Since the speaker is Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth, it requires an internet Wi-Fi connection. Additionally, since each Lyric Speaker is handmade in Japan, only 15 units are produced per month, so those looking to purchase a unit may have to wait a while.