Devised by musician Tom Vek, the Sleevenote eschews streaming to make users feel connected again
Remember the days when Walkmans were cool? Now take that, combine it with MP3-driven convenience and a vinyl-like browsing experience, and you have got the Sleevenote (Day One Edition), a new music player by the musician Tom Vek.
Square in shape (87mm x 87mm) and designed to fit the palm of your hand, it only plays the music files you have paid for, eschewing streaming platforms. It’s an ambitious move that feels almost radical, but in this age of Spotify and Tidal, where people are increasingly disconnected from the tactile quality of music, the Sleevenote makes the listening experience special again.
Or at least, it aims to. Being a musician himself, Vek feels that there’s no better time for innovation in the space of personal hi-fi. As a “single-purpose device”, free from the distractions of a smartphone, it encourages mindfulness and a better appreciation for the artist. Currently, it is the only digital platform that supports full sleeve art uploads directly from musicians, allowing them to create exclusive content—whatever they want to engage their fans with—to accompany their releases.
The Sleevenote is still essentially a prototype, made with hand-assembled enclosures and beta software that will rely on user feedback. Available for pre-orders to customers in the UK (£249) and USA (US$349), it needs to sell 100 units by year’s end in order to ship by March 2026. If that target isn’t met, expect to be refunded, and if it is, know that returns aren’t offered. You are after all, buying into a vision, and supporting a future of mindful listening where digital music ownership is special again.
Featured photo by Sleevenote
