Welcome to my third column for www.beatfactor.net containing more updates, industry news and general info?..
As we hit the autumn, plenty of new records will be hitting the shelves after labels held their releases back from summer release. There has been some excellent music about recently, with material from Quivver, Within Records & Thomas Penton in particular hitting the mark for me. By all accounts it has been a bad few months for sales, which is disappointing considering there is genuine feeling that some of the music being released by progressive artists/labels is the strongest for a while. The music industry in its current format is enigmatic, with the best laid plans and music not guaranteed success, exposure and sales. It all means an uncertain future for niche music markets such as ours, even major labels are folding, and big name artists released from contracts. For those working full time in the industry, there is the choice between moving to the latest ?cool? genre in the hope of a quick buck, or sticking to their guns whilst taking the hits for the music they love. There is a feeling that everything has gone full circle and back the old rave days. What is for certain is that there are more people into dance music than there was then, and it is justifiable as an industry on its own. Another twist is the recent increase in dance tracks in the charts i.e. Lola?s Theme and Flashdance. How does that fit into the current doom and gloom analysis of dance music? Answer on an email to ?
sourceofgravity@manx.net !
Anyway some news from my part of the world???the last few months have been pretty hectic here, planning releases for the end of 2004, doing my weekly radio show, getting some production work done and arranging Source of Gravity events/launch parties. Launch party wise we hit Middlesbrough Arena for an event for Future Sound of Gravity Volume 2 with the Riff Raff boys at the end of July. That was followed two more events lined up in for the fortnight after that. First up was an event for the imminent launch of Midnight Blue ? Blessed on Source of Gravity Records. The party took place at Fat Cat Caf? in Manchester this Saturday the 18th September. A top line up of progressive talent was on show with Alexander Church (Midnight Blue), Maurice, Weekend World, Ollie Sterio and Tangled?s Marcus Graham. Pre-match included a mad dash from Liverpool airport to Manchester, as well as the obligatory PH Factor interview for Energy FM in the back of a cab!!! The following week, back in the Isle of Man, Steve McGrath (Lynx) and Chris Sterio we launched Lynx?s Effected EP which was released on Gravitation on the 27th September. The event took place at the Lounge, Douglas on the 25th September. Free back catalogue was available at both events, and mixes from the night were played on my Energy FM show on the 1st October. Future events include a launch party for Orchid?s Everlasting EP on Gravitation at Fat Cat Caf? in Manchester on the 30th October, with Source of Gravity DJs, Orchid & Nachose plus Marcus Graham and Craig Stafford. Also we will be doing some Future Funk events at the Lounge in Douglas (IoM) to coincide with releases on Gravitation and Source of Gravity Digital?.the two dates penned in are 6th November and 4th December.
In the virtual world of digital labels and production things have also been rather busy. I am starting an exclusively digital record label, imaginatively called Source of Gravity Digital!!!! Releases will every two months, with 4 track EPs from a mixture of existing Source of Gravity artists and some of the hottest new talent. I have currently 5 sites to host and sell the tracks, and it is going to be an interesting few months in the world of Source of Gravity Digital. We will also be making available selected back catalogue releases as well as unleashing some digitally exclusive remixes. The first release is Lynx?s Digital EP which will available on www.edmdigital.com first with many more sites to follow. We have built a page on www.sourceofgravity.com for the digital label ? please check that out for the latest info. Production wise I have been working on material with Lynx (Steve McGrath). We have completed a remix for Pangea Recordings of Alex Stealthy ? Being, as well as collaborating with Section 75 whilst we were in Middlesbrough on a track called ?Illusion? ? remixes are forthcoming from Lynx, Section 75, Nicholas Bennison and Everydaydowners!! Lynx and Section 75 mixes are nearing completion, with Bennison and Everydaydowners mix due for completion in the next couple of months. Talking of remixes, I have been trying to get some remixes sorted out of a track called ?Database? that I?ve done. Smight has completed his mix, and several more mixes are on the way with Perc, Section 75, Paul Lancaster and Joshua Thomas in line to tweak things. That will leave me with plenty of mixes for the vinyl release and some exclusive mixes for Source of Gravity Digital. Once all that has been sorted I have lined up another Shanghai Corporation collaboration with Jools of Katakana, and in November Sterio & McGrath are commencing work on their remix for Propulsion Records?.go go go!
That?s it from me until next time - check out my chart, release info and the tunes that are hitting the spot for me at the moment!!!
Until next time see ya!
Forthcoming Source of Gravity/Gravitation Releases
Source of Gravity Records
Midnight Blue ? Moonshine ? Original/Jay Welsh/Blind Faith mixes ? Source019 ? Out 4th October 2004
Gravitation Records
Orchid ? Effected EP ? Grav017 ? Out 1st November
Source of Gravity Digital
Lynx ? Digital EP ? SofGDigi001 - Out October 2004
3 Records of the Month
Quivver ? These Are The Days ? Boz Boz
?John Graham has consistently been at the forefront of progressive music since the mid 1990?s, and he shows his quality with this chilled vocal number??
Tony Estrada ? Black Derby (Thomas Penton remix) (Pure Substance Records)
?Penton hits his straps again, rock hard and full of energy, Pure Substance continue their good start?.?
Weekend World ? Slo Mo (Midnight Recordings)
?Weekend World hits back with this excellent track, more pumping than normal from Midnight, but still as smooth as ever?.?
E-mail to a friend