New app Lume is aiming to put the album at the heart of music.

Instead of focusing on songs, playlists and subscriptions, it allows users to buy a digital box set, including a core album, bonus audio, video, artwork and photography, with the majority (80%) of the revenue going to the artists and their partners.

“Streaming services have been a great deal for consumers, but for many artists and serious music fans, they have distorted listening and made music into just another form of social content,” says Lume co-founder Duncan Greive.

Greive’s co-CEO Tim Harper adds: “Our aim is to put the album back at the heart of music, where it belongs.”

Co-founders Greive (founder of The Spinoff and Daylight) and Harper (founder of creative studio Glorious) are joined by fandom expert Sacha Judd and Justin Warren, formerly of Universal Music New Zealand.

The app’s investors also include Ella Yelich O’Connor (Lorde), Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie, Letterboxd co-founder Karl von Randow and Previously Unavailable’s James Hurman.

More than a playlist

“Lume allows an album to be more than just a playlist – recapturing something we had lost in the online age,” says von Randow. “The Lume team has such incredible understanding of music, the music industry, and our connection to it; we are so proud to support them to bring Lume to life.”

The strategy is to launch in Aotearoa this June, with a curated selection of classic and contemporary albums, all with extra, often exclusive bonus audio, video and imagery.

Lume will feature both emerging and established artists, from household names like Tiki Taane, Fur Patrol and Shapeshifter to some of the country’s newest talent, including Womb, Lontalius, Dick Move and Geneva AM, winner of best independent debut at last month’s Taite Music Prize.

“When you make an album, there are a lot of pieces that are created but aren’t used,” says Geneva AM. “Little relics from the process that you have to shave away in order to create the product. Sharing them on social media, it doesn’t feel like something that I want to relinquish in that way. Putting everything together into a very careful and well considered package, for an intentional audience, is very appealing to me. I really like the concept behind the platform.”

Novel features

Lume contains a number of novel features, from nesting multiple versions – live, demo or acoustic – of a song, to the ability to add music as an album cycle progresses. The service is eligible for inclusion in the Official Aotearoa Music Charts, with one Lume the equivalent of a vinyl or CD sale, and has established working relationships with key labels and distributors including Flying Nun and Lil Chief.

Building something which works hand-in-hand with artists and rightsholders is key for the founders.

“I watched firsthand as streaming took over the music industry, creating huge opportunities but also real challenges both creatively and economically,” says Warren.

For Judd, it’s about the chance to give audiences something new and deeper: “We want to give fans access to a level and quality of content, all in one place, which is unimaginable on streaming platforms, and a way to directly support their favourite artists.”

Initially available solely in Aotearoa and Australia, Lume is planning a rapid global expansion, and already in discussions with labels, managers and distributors in the US and UK.

Lume was designed and built in-house, with design, UX and brand direction from partner Daylight.