The Irish start-up CrowdSound.co, has enabled Cork singer-songwriter Colm Fitzpatrick to raise enough money to record five songs for his If EP.

Colm raised 30% more than the original target with six days to spare. 150 people pledged donations for the project, which will be recorded over the summer.

Crowdsound.co allows musicians to set up a profile about themselves with links to their music, a biography and the amount of money they need to raise to have a successful project. The artist will then create rewards which are earned by fans who contribute to the project.

“In the last decade the music industry is undergoing one of the largest transitions since the invention of the jukebox," said CrowdSound.co founder, Joel Carey. "Streaming of music, illegal downloading and the decline of the record labels has left unsigned musicians struggling to raise money for the creation and completion of Albums and musical Projects. Crowdsound offers a solution to this problem by connecting the musician to the musical community at large and ensures that they keep their financial and creative freedom.”