AMOS TastySounds AudioLollipop – “Hip Hop Music” (Strawberry Flavor)

Acquired at Treats & Tales in Kincardine Ontario.

For the first time since 2022, I have added a new physical music format to my life.  This isn’t a format that you can play on a disc player, or a turntable, or even on a digital device (unless you download the tracks conventionally, which you can do, but we’re not here to talk about that).  This isn’t a even format that you need any equipment to play.  All you need is…your mouth.

Youtuber Techmoan recently did a video review of the new device.  And it is partially edible!  It’s an audio lollipop you can play through your mouth.

I chose strawberry flavor, which corresponded to “Hip Hop Music”.  You can also choose orange, blueberry, and grape.  There are other versions available as well with a USB port and bluetooth connections, but we’re here to talk about the basic lolli.

With a heart-shaped candy on one end, and a fob shaped like headphones on the other, it was…delicious!

You activate the music by pushing and holding the lone button on the fob on one end.  Then the lolli starts vibrating, but unless it’s in your mouth, you can’t hear anything.  Stick the candy in your mouth and the magic happens!

The lolli works via bone conduction.  There are such things as bone conducting headphones, which I’ve never tried.  Insert candy, press play, and you can hear the music!  It kind of sounds like it’s coming from your mouth, and all around you.  There are multiple short songs on the lolli which I can’t identify.  Techmoan thought it sounded like something Nelly would do.    I’m not familiar enough with hip hop music to know, but it sounded good to my ears.  Err, my mouth.

The benefit here:  You can listen to music without subjecting anyone else to it.  You can listen without earbuds, in case you’re out walking and need to hear your surroundings.  You can push the button again to pause the tunes, and once more to un-pause.

The drawbacks:  The first time I tried it, I got a bit of a headache.  From the vibrations, presumably.  The second time, it tickled my mouth a bit.  While you can hear the music and the lyrics, it does sound muffled.  As if the music was coming from a club next door.

Another warning:  The box and instructions tell you to put earbuds in your ears.  There are no earbuds, and don’t attempt to put the candy in your ears!

It would be cool if future versions of the candy allowed you to upload your own mp3 files into the lolli.  It would be fun to play Kiss’s “Lick It Up” while sucking on the strawberry.

A novelty item, but a fun one.  For the die-hard music fan in your life who collects odd items and curios.  Now I can say I own another physical music format!