A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya: $5.5M for Music Apps Without Generative AI

Key Takeaways

1A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya raised $5.5 million in pre-seed funding from several investors

2The startup offers interactive mini-music apps and an iOS application called bop

3A multiplayer mode and a sandbox music mixer are planned for this year

Why it matters : The company chooses to limit the use of AI to infrastructure, focusing on human interaction in music creation.

A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya is developing a series of tools to play with music without relying on AI-generated songs. The startup, led by Máuhan M Zonoozy, a former Spotify employee, has raised $5.5 million and is already distributing mini-apps and an iOS application. A sandbox mixer is announced for this year, while a multiplayer mode is in the works.

A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya is preparing a multiplayer mode and a sandbox mixer

The startup is working on a multiplayer version of its iOS application to allow users to remix songs together. It also plans to launch a musical sandbox mixer this year, which will offer the ability to manipulate various elements of music creation, including the creation of instruments. Its most ambitious iOS app, bop, is already available: it allows users to arrange instruments and effects in a grid, adjust the tempo, add unique effects, and export mixes to TikTok or Instagram.

Five interactive mini-apps already published in "single" format

The startup's experiences are published as "singles" within an album, all focused on interaction to create or modify sounds. Speed Surfer is a Chrome extension that adjusts the speed and filter of the sound played in the browser. Usersound allows users to create an audio username where each letter corresponds to a note. Stacks, a stem player, enables the creation of mixes through a 3x3 grid. In Drops, users position plates so that marbles hit them and produce musical notes. Sampler uses YouTube videos to generate musical samplers, relying on the rhythms of various segments of the songs.

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AI for infrastructure, not for generating songs, according to the CEO

Máuhan M Zonoozy indicates that he chose not to integrate AI into every part of the applications. He remains open to using AI to build products and strengthen infrastructure. According to him, the future of music is not limited to AI-generated songs, and while AI makes content more abundant, taste, human perspective, interaction, and participation become even more important. This stance contrasts with other startups that focus on musical composition through generative AI prompts.

$5.5 million in pre-seed funding and a former Spotify executive at the helm

A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya raised $5.5 million in a pre-seed funding round, with participation from Mantis VC, SV Angel, Boxgroup, Quiet Capital, ERA, Common Metal, Gold House, Liquid 2 Ventures, Breakers VC, and Systemic Ventures. Dawn Ostroff, who was responsible for content and advertising at Spotify, has joined the company as an advisor. The startup is led by Máuhan M Zonoozy, a former head of innovation at Spotify, who left the company in 2024. He had previously founded Bubbl, a video clipping and remix startup acquired by Cricket Media. Zonoozy explains that he wants to return to creating personal projects and believes that streaming has primarily solved access to music, while usage remains focused on consumption. Observing gaming practices, filters, and creation tools among young people, he sees an opportunity to empower users with sound experimentation applications.