New Technology Enhances Digital Music Experience for Listeners; Heightens Marketability of Music for Artists

London, September 8, 2008 – Musinaut, a Paris-based company, today unveiled MXP4, a revolutionary new digital audio format that transforms an artist’s recorded music into an interactive, multi-sensory experience that can be creatively varied and individually adapted for greater personal listener enjoyment.

Musinaut’s MXP4 technology enables amateur and professional musicians and record labels to provide listeners with more enriching and engaging content – that includes an original song along with multiple versions of the composition, graphics and text/communications (lyrics, insights into the artist or why they created the song and its versions, or even upcoming tour dates and new album release dates), in a single download.

The MXP4 (Multiplied Experience Platform in 4D) product suite is currently made up of two components: the MXP4Creator, which is available for artists and musicians, and the MXP4Player, which is designed for use by listeners.

The MXP4Creator (ERP £279) allows musicians to explore infinite and unconventional ways to arrange and present compositions in diverse styles. Each MXP4 file contains the original song and any number of musical variations, or “skins,” created by the artist. For example, an artist can add acoustic, dub and acappella flavours of their latest single.

With the MXP4Player, playback can occur automatically or interactively. Music fans can personalise their listening experience by configuring music selections to fit their own mood, or they can select “auto mode” to let the technology choose for them. When the various skins of a track are dynamically remixed, the listener experiences an element of surprise akin to a live performance.

Music fans can listen to MXP4 files using the free-to-download MXP4Player available at www.mxp4.com.

The introduction of MXP4 coincides with the ever-increasing popularity of digital music – both from the standpoint of consumer purchasing patterns, as well as the use of digital technologies by artists in multiple musical categories. The following statistics reflect major industry trends:

• Digital music sales now accounts for 15 percent of the global music market. (Source: IFPI Digital Music Report, 2008)
• By 2012, over half of the global music industry revenues will come from digital music. (Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2008)
• Overall digital track sales grew 45% in 2007 to a year-end sales total of 844 million tracks. (Source: Nielsen Soundscan, 2008)
• Through the first three months of 2008, digital track sales increased at a rate of 29% over the same period last year. At this rate, digital track sales are on pace to break 1 billion by the end of 2008. (Source: Nielsen Soundscan, 2008)
• Sales of CDs in the US fell by 20% from 2006 to 2007. (Source: Nielsen Soundscan, 2008)

“The music industry is looking for new and creative ways to present their artists and increase revenue,” said Trish Thomson, Chief Executive Officer of Musinaut. “MXP4 technology now gives artists and the industry a new and innovative way to offer richer musical content to consumers. Currently, recorded music is static and two-dimensional. MXP4 technology makes it far more exciting and dynamic by giving it extra dimensions, enabling artists to be more expressive and providing listeners with a more interesting and interactive experience.”

Over the past few months a number of bands, producers and DJs across the United States and Europe have been beta testing the editing tool, MXP4Creator, and many are already embracing it. For example, electro-pop artist songwriter Margaux has completed her forthcoming ‘Spookydubois at Corfe Castle’ album, using MXP4 technology:

“MXP4 technology is such a powerful format and a breath of fresh air for the digital music industry,” Margaux said. It’s given me the freedom to go beyond musical boundaries and opens up an endless amount of new possibilities. As an artist, songwriting was becoming formulaic and boring, but by using MXP4 technology I can now be surprised by my own music.

“My forthcoming album is a ‘musical movie’ as MXP4 technology enabled me to tell a story,” Margaux added. “I could change the atmosphere and style of a song and also add text and photos. The fact that fans can participate in how they listen to the album is also very exciting for me. I can’t imagine making music any other way now.”