Mixify’s Unity Digital Music Festival Celebrates Launch With Crystal Method, 3LAU, Djs From Mars

Beginning Wednesday, November 14 and continuing through Friday, November 16, Mixify presents the Unity Digital Music Festival. This three day free online EDM party features djs from around the world and celebrates the public launch of Mixify. Featuring dj listening rooms, Mixify provides a platform for both new and established djs to hold events and build their fanbase.

Mixify's Unity Digital Music Festival kicks off tomorrow onsite at 11 am EST as a "worldwide digital music festival" representing 5 continents and over 30 djs. The lineup includes The Crystal Method, 3LAU, Djs From Mars and Adrian Lux. In addition, three Mixify "community" djs won a spot on the bill by attracting the most fans to their listening room: Stalkerloo and Basik Hertz from the U.S. and Loud Assassins from Canada.

Presenting partners include a variety of dj and electronic music blogs and sites from Electro Italia to Fist In The Air to Run The Trap. A festival poster, lineup with schedule and list of presenting partners with links to their sites can be found here.

In many respects the Unity Digital Music Festival represents not only a launch party for the Mixify dj platform but also its development to date. Mixify launched in public beta in July with a focus on connecting international EDM djs with a global audience via listening rooms. Mixify supports both emerging and established djs. In addition, Mixify is building in connection with established members of the EDM community represented in this case by the presenting partners.

DJ guydtcom Entertains a Sparse Crowd in the Wee Hours

By now the concept of the dj listening room has been well-established most notably through the rise and fall of Turntable.fm. Mixify builds on a similar approach to previous efforts with a stage for the dj and icons for the audience as seen above. Public and private chat options are available and the basic service is free to both djs and listeners.

A nice addition to the basic listening room is a selection of ever-changing visuals behind the djs. CEO and founder David Moricca was kind enough to demo the site while we discussed the project. I have to admit the graphic background constantly transforming in time with the music kept drawing me in despite my interest in learning more about the context for what was being demoed.

The shows themselves are not archived but djs have the option to record the audio and make the mixes available to listeners. They can also prerecord shows though currently 85% are livestreamed.

As you can see from the above screenshot (click on image for larger version), djs can promote themselves in the area that can be described as the front of the stage. Listeners have multiple clickable options including becoming a fan of a dj on Mixify, following on Twitter or Liking on Facebook without leaving the show. In addition, djs can include links out to their sites and social networks which open in a separate window.

Currently djs have a selection of 5 choices of background art with more coming in the future. Future plans also include a wider range of customization options for premium subscriptions and sponsors will ultimately be able to bring in their own visual show. That's just one example of how a tiered system of free accounts, premium accounts and sponsorships will allow for all to participate while offering extras to monetize and support the service.

Additional special touches include playlists that can currently pull data from Traktor and a limited range of software and hardware with more to come. Analytics include such features as not only how many people hit the "HYPE IT" button during the show but at what point in the show the button was hit.

Charts currently reflect the number of fans djs have gotten on the site. Future plans will include other measures of popularity such as which mixes are most popular among listeners. Speaking of mixes, there is also a basic Mixer on the site as an optional tool for djs.

Mixify is also working with labels and festivals to develop the site as a marketing platform. Ultimately this could mean a rev share with djs from sponsorships. Other options for monetization may one day include ticket sales to events and the option for labels to sell tracks.

Speaking with David Moricca I was impressed by the well thought out details and overall plan from the current freemium offering to the longer term vision. In particular his commitment to succeeding by being part of the community rather than simply trying to syphon off some of the funds and energy that are currently flowing into the EDM space was evident in both his approach and perspective.

In many ways Mixify represents the next wave of dj listening room platforms given that fans and djs are now aware of the concept. Though Mixify is open to a wide range of djs, its emphasis on EDM gives it a fresh opportunity as a rising wave of attention and energy is being focused on electronic dance music.

Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (Twitter/App.net) blogs about music crowdfunding at Crowdfunding For Musicians (@CrowdfundingM). To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.