The company, which was established in 1978, was sold to EMI eight years ago and represents artists including Depeche Mode, Moby, Goldfrapp, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Erasure and Richard Hawley.

The new label will operate under the trademark Mute, which it will license from EMI, and tap into the major's Label Services division for sales, distribution, synch and licensing and merchandising in the US, UK, Canada and Ireland.

Miller will continue to head the company with EMI taking ...