QUICK HITS: Secretly adds labels • Feedfm + Cynite • Image-Line buys MSXII • Bella Figura funding • Kobalt
Secretly Distribution is adding Jazz Is Dead and Linear Labs to its growing independent record label distribution roster.
The two labels were co-founded by producer-composer Adrian Younge (Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang, The American Negro, Black Dynamite), A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Andrew Lojero and Adam Block and include releases from Ghostface Killah, Lonnie Liston Smith, Roy Ayers, The Delfonics and more.
Secretly Distribution is currently nominated for Distributor of The Year at the 2024 Libera Awards.
• Feed.fm has partnered with Cyanite for AI-based tagging and music search, to enhance music discoverability on its platform.
Feed.fm’s Unified Music System powers nearly one billion global song plays per year for leading apps and connected devices. With this new partnership, Feed.fm will use Cyanite’s technology to enhance the metadata and improve compliance for its recommendation engine.
• Image-Line has acquired MSXII Sound Design, a manufacturer of sample packs and sonic tools. Starting today, MSX’s over 200 GB library of professional-grade samples will become available to FL Studio users through FL Cloud.
All MSX material is recorded with state-of-the-art equipment such as SSL EQs and preamps and Neve channel strips for instrument tracking.
• Bella Figura Music (“BFM”), the London-based music company, has announced the successful closing of a “significant equity funding round” to expand its portfolio of music catalogs.
The round was led by private equity firm Freshstream along with the Canadian pension fund OPTrust, a strategic family office, and a leading Dutch private equity investor.
In the last six months, BFM has expanded its portfolio to include the music catalogs of Jeff Silverman (Aloe Blacc, Adele, Lee Fields, Truth & Soul) and Adrian Wright (The Human League). This builds upon the company’s existing catalogs, including David Gray’s record label IHT, R3HAB’s pre-2022 recordings catalog and Guy Chambers’ publishing catalog, which includes iconic Robbie Williams hits such as ‘Angels,’ ‘Feel’ and ‘Let Me Entertain You.’
• Kobalt has signed Australian singer/songwriter Kita Alexander to a worldwide publishing deal. The signing follows the release of Alexander’s highly debut album YOUNG IN LOVE last month via Warner Music Australia.
Bruce Houghton
