SEEVL:FOR MUSIC lovers there is something satisfying about discovering a new band or artist. Helping in the process are internet-based music search and discovery services and there are a number on the market. However Alexandre Passant, co-founder of new Irish company, seevl, says his company's recently-launched search product is a cut above the rest.

In a nutshell the seevl product is better at digging out more detailed and less obvious connections between artists. This means it can offer users suggestions about new music options that would not necessarily spring to mind. The product is aimed at consumers, music services providers (such as Eircom Music) and resellers, and has been given the thumbs up by the influential Semantic Web community.

“Most of the technological advantage of our product resides in the way we process the data and how we deliver it in existing apps. However we have not patented the technology,” Passant says. “We believe much more in creating a great user experience in order to drive a large user base. Our product has three distinguishing features: search, discovery and explanations and our advanced search capability allows users to search for the exact music they’re in the mood for. They can match up to 10 criteria (genre, label, location) to identify what they want and learn about the connections that link artists. Our product explains the relationships between artists . . . so listeners learn more about the music they love.

Seevl is a spin-out from Digital Enterprise Research Institute at NUI Galway and was set up with assistance from Enterprise Ireland. The company’s product is split between free web applications and upcoming premium applications and integration for music resellers. “Online music discovery is all about social discovery. Yet, this approach has limitations as users often end up listening to the same music,” Passant says. “With the growing number of music applications and services, there will be a need for music services to invest in recommendations. Our approach provides this and enables new ways of discovering music online in the applications that people use every day.”