A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya is a startup from a former Spotify leader for making music apps

A Vinyl Bar in Shibuya, a startup founded by former Spotify head of innovation Máuhan M. Zonoozy, is releasing a series of apps designed to let users interact with sound and music. The company has secured $5.5 million in a pre-seed funding round backed by investors including Mantis VC, SV Angel, BoxGroup, and former Spotify executive Dawn Ostroff, who serves as an advisor. Zonoozy, who departed Spotify in 2024, aims to shift the focus of music interaction from passive consumption to active creation. The startup releases its experiments like "singles" in an album, with each app focusing on modifying sound elements. Notable tools include "Speed Surfer," a Chrome extension that adjusts audio speed and filters, "Usersound," which allows users to create audio-based usernames, and "Stacks," a grid-based stem player for creating mixes.