Ex-Spotify exec's startup bets on playful music apps without AI
A startup founded by a former Spotify innovation lead has raised $5.5 million to release a series of small music apps that let users manipulate sounds without AI prompts. The apps include a Chrome extension that changes audio speed and filters, a website that turns YouTube videos into samplers, and an iOS app for mixing tracks on a grid. The founder says the goal is to let people play with music the way they already play with culture through games and filters.
The pre-seed round includes participation from Mantis VC, SV Angel, Boxgroup, Quiet Capital, and several other funds, with former Spotify chief content officer Dawn Ostroff joining as an advisor. Zonoozy previously founded Bubbl, a video clipping and remixing startup that Cricket Media acquired, before leading innovation at Spotify until 2024.
The company's current slate spans browser and mobile: Speed Surfer adjusts audio speed and filters in Chrome, Usersound turns letters into musical notes, Stacks lets users toggle bars in a 3x3 grid, Drops uses marble deflection to generate notes, and Sampler converts YouTube videos into beat-based samplers. The flagship iOS app, bop, allows grid-based mixing with export to TikTok and Instagram, with a multiplayer version in development.
This approach could shift how casual listeners engage with music, positioning sound manipulation as a playful activity similar to gaming or photo filters rather than a technical skill. If successful, it may counterbalance AI-driven music generation by emphasizing hands-on participation and human taste. Younger audiences accustomed to interactive culture could become more active music creators, though the niche apps may struggle to reach mainstream adoption beyond early adopters.