Music Ally

For several years now a new wave of music fans have grown accustomed to remixing tracks. From the early days of companies like UK firm Umyx (now called Gomyx) which launched in 2004; through artists campaigns like Radiohead’s Reckoner stems remixing campaign; to the raft of iPhone apps offering remixable tracks, the idea of fans interacting with music is becoming increasingly mainstream. We asked Albin Serviant, CEO of French firm MXP4, for his view on how this trend is likely to evolve.

The following is taken from a recent issue of the Music Ally Report. For details on how to sign up for a free trial, click here

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At the end of 2009, MXP4 interviewed up-and-coming artrockers Pony Pony Run Run as part of the lead up to their first MXP4 release. Their lead singer made an interesting point when talking about why the band has been engaging more and more with new technology and social media: “the CD is frozen”. (more…)

If you’re punting a new digital music format, what better way to promote it than with a prize-winner? So MXP4 has announced that it’s launching an interactive single from Speech Debelle, who won this week’s UK Mercury Music Prize. And it’s also got singles from nominees Bat for Lashes and La Roux to boot.

Fans will be able to monkey around with Debelle’s ‘Better Days’ track from tomorrow on the MXP4 website, while La Roux’s ‘Bulletproof’ and Bat for Lashes’ ‘Daniel’ are already available. “In the same way that The Mercury Prize recognises new music talent in the form of the best album from Britain or Ireland, the adoption of our technology by these artists is recognition of the emergence of interactive music,” says MXP4 CEO Albin Serviant.

The company says its technology will work with Apple’s new iTunes LP digital album format too (although calling it Cocktail in the press release doesn’t hint at a super-close working relationship, if we’re honest).

When you’re trying to punt a new music format, you need some decent showcases. French firm MXP4 has started that process, signing up Basement Jaxx to promote its new Raindrops single using MXP4’s interactive single widget, which lets fans twiddle about with the different remixes of the song.

Meanwhile, ex-Eurythmic Dave Stewart is using the technology to provide multiple mixes of his old band’s Sweet Dreams, as well as his new protege Cindy Gomez’s single Again and Again.

“MXP4 have created a cool way to pack a load of information into a fun to use widget which is so easy to play and share,” says Stewart.