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  • The story of The Jewel

    The story of The Jewel

    GELBISON FRONT MAN EDO KAHN AND SYDNEY ELECTRONIC PRODUCER SOLON COLLABORATE TO BRING TO LIFE POSTHUMOUS SINGLE ‘THE JEWEL’ BY EDO’S LATE WIFE VAANI

    Stream on Soundcloud here

    Donate to download here

    All proceeds from the track go to the charity

    ‘A Sound Life’ which Edo & VAANI founded

    In January 2015, VAANI was working on a debut album of songs which integrated her singer/songwriter talent with her spirituality. In the course of touring the conscious-living festival circuit, she crossed paths with English electronic musician SOLON, who was DJing and curating yoga events on the East coast. Together they collaborated to finish and release VAANI’s debut single ‘The First Ray’. Less than nine months later, she tragically passed away from cancer, leaving a treasure trove of unfinished songs in the memory bytes of her laptop.

    Before he left for India to process the loss, her husband Edo shared some of VAANI’s unfinished tracks with SOLON , who picked up the rough-hewn draft that was ‘The Jewel’ and turned it into the track that’s just been released: a song of lush organic instrumentation, a bed of sampled beats, a celebratory vibe and above all VAANI’s voice radiating from front and centre.

    “VAANI’s message in the song is simple”, says SOLON. “At the heart of all of us lies something unique, something special, something that each of us has to share. Life is about finding it and realising it. Jo embodied this approach to life. She spent her last six years sharing what she had to share – with no doubt, no hesitation – just full commitment. “The Jewel” captures that spirit in which she lived. She was and continues to be an inspiration.”

    vaani-picture1Jo (VAANI) & Edo

    Talking to 301, Matt Singmin (A.k.a. SOLON) shared his involvement in this amazing project.

    Tell us the story behind ‘The Jewel’

    Early in 2015 I worked with singer-songwriter called Jo Mall-Kahn (a.k.a. VAANI) to produce an electronic remix of her debut release ‘The First Ray’ – turning what was an acoustic ballad with a Norah Jones style, into a darker/sparser neo-soul track inspired by Portishead / James Blake / Nicolas Jaar.

    Tragically a few months later she was diagnosed with cancer, and within 2-3 months she’d passed away. It was a real shock to everyone – she was young and living super healthy, and also devoting her life to helping others through the charity that she co-founded ‘A Sound Life’. It was just one of those things that doesn’t make any kind of sense.

    After the funeral, Jo’s husband Edo (lead singer of Gelbison) left me with the files for some of her unfinished tracks, one of which was the rough cut of ‘The Jewel’. When I heard it, I instantly knew that it was a magic song and that I could do something with it and help bring it to life. So while Edo spent a few months in India processing the loss of his wife, I got to work remixing the track and by the time he got back we had a version of the track ready for final tweaks.

    vaani-3-picture3

    Edo Kahn and SOLON working to bring “The Jewel” to life

    How does the original mix of ‘The Jewel’ compare with the remix you worked on?

    The original mix had a more of a world music vibe – lots of Indian / ethnic style drums and densely packed with organic instrumentation. The first step I took was to strip all the instrumentation back so that Jo’s vocal could have more space to come through. The only instruments which remained from the original mix were the harp and piano, but I ended up re-recording the piano to make it better fit with the new online mix. The original arrangement was longer with extended choruses to reflect the way in which Edo & Jo would perform live, with the call and response sections that are the hallmark of devotional music (a.k.a. kirtan). I cut these back to give the track a more traditional song structure and to ensure that every section of the song kept pulling the listener in. In terms of the sound, a strong influence was a track called ‘Sapphire’ by Bonobo from his latest album ‘The North Borders’ – solid and snappy beats, a tight groove, delicate organic instrumentation and the way that every sound has its own place, were all things that were inspired by ‘Sapphire’ and that I worked to bring to the ‘The Jewel’ remix.

    How did you go mastering with Ben Feggans?

    It was a fantastic session. I always prefer to attend mastering sessions and have an input into the final eq, compression and loudness decisions. Ben is really receptive to feedback and takes the time to understand the vision for the track. We spent a lot of time listening to two reference tracks – ‘Sapphire’ by Bonobo and an early Coldplay track called  ‘Warning Sign’. I talked about the elements of those tracks that I was inspired by and looking to capture – and he totally got what I was after.

    He enhanced the low end with the API EQ and added some top end sheen with the Sontec. The Knif Pure-Mu took care of compression and tucked the kick drum under the rest of the track – solid and thick but not detracting from the rest of the instrumentation. One of the most surprising aspects to the session was the impact that the Analog to Digital converters had on the track. We listened to two options: the Prism AD2 and the Lavry Gold. I was shocked at how much of a difference there was. While I have no doubt that Prism is extremely accurate, the Lavry Gold sounded deeper, had better separation and gave the track the kind of sound that you hear on so many world-class records – a kind of high-end richness. I was really happy with the results.

    A Sound Life sounds like a fantastic organisation with some high profile supporters in the music industry – tell us more.

    All proceeds from ‘The Jewel’ are going to A Sound Life, the charity set up by Edo and Jo to help bring music and yoga to those in need (e.g. people in hospitals, aged-care, mental health and disability facilities). We managed to raise over $4000 in the first week from “donations for download” which was really encouraging for the charity as well as for the music.

    The organisation has managed to create a wonderful community of musicians and yoga teachers, and with Edo’s network through his past life in Gelbison, a number of fairly high profile muso’s have come on board – Sally Seltman was at Sydney Children’s Hospital last week with Edo, and Ben Lee has been volunteering for them for some time now. If you are a musican and want to make the day of somebody less fortunate than you by just turning up and doing what you do, check out http://asoundlife.org/give/

    ———————————————

    The Jewel (SOLON Remix) is out now and available to download at:

    http://asoundlife.org/vaani-the-jewel

    Links

    www.solonmusic.com

    www.vaanimusic.com

  • Ditto Music and the I Am Indie Competition

    In April we launched our I Am Indie competition and we’re very happy to say that we have since been swamped with an amazing amount of unreal applicants. We’ve been well and truly blown away by all the high quality of entrants! (Well done guys) In order to provide such an amazing prize package we teamed up with our buddies at Ditto Music for everything that happens once you leave our studio (including a World Wide distribution package, Social media Starter marketing kit and a one-on-one consultation). For the benefit of those who want to know a little more about the team behind Ditto and what they do, we caught up with the manager of the Australian office, Sarah, to get the scoop and how they are enabling artists to release their music worldwide!

    The Melbourne Ditto team: Anthony Barton, Sarah Hamilton & Vader Fame

    Photo credit – Elleni Toumpas

    What is your role at Ditto and what do you guys do?

    As mentioned I am the manager of the Australian office – we are based in a fantastic music hub filled with other music companies in Collingwood, Melbourne. We are an international company with headquarters in Liverpool in the UK, and offices in London, Nashville and San Diego. We have a small but wonderful team here in Oz. I do a range of different things from helping artists and labels with questions they have, to project managing international and local release campaigns, to organising partnerships with other companies in the music industry, to pitching for coverage with Spotify and the other stores, to educating artists on how they can best get their music heard. It’s a mixed bag and I absolutely love it – the digital world is always changing and never boring.

    How do you help artists realise their dreams?

    In 2016, independent artists have access to a lot of the same opportunities that major label artists have. This is both exciting and challenging – exciting because you can get added to a Spotify playlist next to Sia and get a million plays in a week, and your career has taken off. (just one example of many). You can crack the ARIA charts and iTunes charts as an independent artist, and still own 100% of your music. You can control and create and experiment with your own music and get it out there.

    Simultaneously, it’s challenging because every artist has access to these opportunities. To be successful as a musician you need to make the music you want to make, decide on your priorities and pathways, educate yourself and continue learning and get a team of professionals around you who also believe in what you’re doing. It’s not easy but it’s more attainable than ever, and people will always love music – that will never change.

    What is the biggest challenges you think artist face?

    This relates to what I said above but expanding on that, it’s being heard above the noise of all of the other bands out there! There are millions of songs, thousands of blogs, social media is constantly in our faces (if we choose for it to be) so things are fragmented, and it’s hard to cut through it all.

    Also the obvious challenge for most bands is a lack of funds. People just don’t buy music like they used to – sales are still just going down further. Streaming and paid subscriptions are on the rise but there is still an enormous gap and artists usually have to support their music careers with a second job.

    Artists have to figure out where to prioritise their funds, and it’s tricky. I would love to see artists supported financially so that they can do what they do best – make music.

    What specific services do you offer and what excites you about your role and working with artists?

    Our services include digital distribution to online stores like Spotify, iTunes, Apple music, Shazam etc, and setting up of VEVO channels for artists and labels. We can help with release strategy, pre-orders on iTunes, We also offer services like publicity, social media campaigns, pitching for playlists, and will soon be launching our record label in a box product here in Oz which means that people have access to everything they need to start their own label. It’s launched in the UK and US and it’s so exciting seeing the labels that are being set up – really cool to see. (https://www.dittomusic.com/record–label-in-a-box)

    The thing that excites me about working with artists is just listening to all of the amazing and unique music that we have coming through. It’s astounding the talent that is out there!

    I also just love talking to people who are passionate and excited themselves. Musicians are just generally interesting and hard-working people who have stuck at something and made their vision a reality. I love talking with people about what they’re doing and their vision – it never gets old and I don’t think it ever will.

    How did you got involved in the I Am Indie competition with 301?

    We’ve always been a fan of Studios 301 and the name is synonymous with a top-class recording studio in Australia. A heap of Ditto artists from Sydney have recorded at Studios 301, and after meeting with Lynley (Studios 301 Mastering Manager) at BigSound last year I was keen to work with Studios 301 in some way. When the guys approached me with the idea of the ‘I am Indie’ competition there was no question.

    We love being able to offer a great package to artists in Oz and help them achieve their goals.

    Can’t wait to hear the winner!

    For more information and to enter the I Am Indie competition – Please click below.

    S301-MusicCompetition_poster81

  • Engineer feature – Antonia Gauci

    Engineer feature – Antonia Gauci

    With mixing skills that have recently been referred to as taking the track to “boss level bad assery”, 301 Assistant Engineer Antonia Gauci has her sights set firmly on making her mark in the music industry. Having already worked with some impressive names including Alison Wonderland, Cold Chisel, DMA’s, Sticky Fingers and Will.i.Am, it’s Antonia’s most recent work on TINKER’s debut which has been turning heads.
    We caught up with the budding Engineer, Producer, Mixer and Songwriter to talk about the buzz on her most recent work and what’s next…

     

    Triple J music director Richard Kingsmill recently gave the TINKER song you mixed “Fill The Field” some massive support. How does that make you feel and how did that project come about?

    TINKER is a friend of mine, and ex 301 intern Chris Bristow. Chris and I met at a rehearsal space a few years ago and he’s been sending me music and demos ever since. While in Peru I was sent one titled “Slither”. I thought the first batch were still pretty raw so I told him to send me more stuff. A month later he sent through another version which he’d fleshed out and we co-wrote the topline going back and forth via the internet. 12 weeks later it was mixed, mastered and all ready to go. Seeing such a positive response for three unknown people who just made a track is kinda surreal. We didn’t expect to see this big of a support so early, especially from the J’s, so hopefully things continue to be a steady rise for TINKER.

    What are some of the projects you’ve got on the horizon?

    I’m currently working on a few different things…  There’s another lot of TINKER tracks to finish off – recording, mixing, plus a remix. Anatole is working away on his debut LP recorded a string quartet and piano for a few tracks that may end up on it. I’ve been helping Giselle Rosselli with her vocal tracking, she’s an unbelievable singer and songwriter. A debut single from Las Vagueness is due super soon which I engineered, produced & mixed. Plus an EP to finish off with him. Dylan Adams and I just tracked a rekkid for Oslow over the Easter long weekend which is red hot. Oh, and I’ve been involved in some writing with Halite and Top8Drama. They’re all pretty deluxe projects!

    Seems like there’s plenty of releases pending. How do you get involved in these cool projects and how can people find you?<

    I’m fortunate to be friends (or a relative) with these uber talented people, so the projects have come about via friendship, word of mouth, meeting people in sessions, FBi Radio, or simply by approaching artists I want to work with. Projects come through the 301, but I can be reached through my online presence through Instagram, Facebook or my website, antoniagauci.com

    What is your role at 301 and how did you get here?

    I’m an Engineer/Assistant Engineer. I plug in all the gear you desire and help you run the spaceship for your recording and online mixing projects.  I’m also working my way up through the ranks, taking the lead on more of my own creative projects – engineering, producing, mixing and co-writing.

     

    I first came to 301 through Eric J, who I met when interning/ assisting at BigJesusBurger (RIP).

    I got to know the team while working on the first 2 seasons of The Voice, and after freelancing and assisting at the majority of Sydney’s major studios (for the most part of 2 years), I was offered some casual work at 301. I was assisting casually until I was there all the time, and in 2014 I became a full time part of the team.

    What gets you excited in the studio?

    I find tracking to be exhilarating, especially if it’s vocals, guitars or synths, when we’re filling out the bare bones of the song. I also like experimenting with sounds. I reverse, pitch up and down, reverb and delay the bits and pieces and then repeat the process. If I can make something sound weird or learn something new then I’m super excited! And when I’m really into it I get this nervous energy and will dance in the control room.

    How does working at 301 fit into your life and activities outside of 301?

    301 does take up most of my time (being full time) but they’re flexible and understanding when it comes to my touring/show playing, writing, DJ-ing, radio presenting, ridiculous commitments.
    I like to create everyday if I can. 301 are generally the ones who tell me I should be taking 1 or 3 days off.

     

    For more information or for bookings please contact:
    Abbey Smith
    Studio Manager

     

    Links:

    Antonia Tinker2

    Antonia Tinker3

    Antonia Tinker4
  • Mansionair – Working on new music & recording at 301

    Mansionair – Working on new music & recording at 301

    At Studios 301 we’re no stranger to having our production suites occupied by some of Australia’s best artists, producers and songwriters. One of our most recent tenants were the incredibly talented guys from Mansionair. Forming in January 2014, the band have gained quite a following in a short time. Their first single, ‘Hold Me Down’ has amassed a phenomenal 10 million+ views on YouTube, 2 million+ plays on Soundcloud, and peaked at #1 on Hype Machine upon release. After playing shows around the globe, headlining festivals, and selling out their own multi-date tour, the boys are back in the studio working on their debut album. We had a chat and laughs over some beers, and have put together for you the highlights in PG form.

    You guys have a history with recording at Studios 301, can you tell us a bit about it?

    We’ve been in and out of 301 since the start of our band. At the beginning of 2014 we moved into one of the production rooms (Studio 7) and began working together for the first time since we wrote ‘Hold Me Down’. We spent most days harvesting sounds we liked and developing who we wanted to be as a band. In there we wrote and mixed ‘Second Night’ and built our live show from the ground up which we debuted at Bigsound 2014. Following that we went in to Studio 5 and worked on a bunch of new live songs for some NYE festivals and also our first headline show. Over summer of 2015 we took some time off and jumped into Studio 8 for two weeks to touch up some songs for SXSW. Following this we returned to track our last two singles with Tony Buchan (‘Pick Me Up’ & ‘Speak Easy’), and finally earlier this year, we moved into studio 11.

    What have you been working on this time around?

    This time round we spent two months working on a bunch of new songs for our debut record and also touching up our live show.

    How is the general vibe and experience working out of Studios 301?

    301 is not like anywhere else we’ve worked. One thing we’ve always loved is the community. Everyone in the studio is such great company and everyone’s working on something different so it’s always refreshing to be around. We’ve made so many great friends with both other musicians and the 301 staff. Alex and Lach have become semi-professional ping pong players and Jack’s spent many sunny afternoons workshopping lyrics in the courtyard.

    Finally, what’s on the horizon for you guys?

    Over the next month we will have finished writing our album. We’re in the middle of deciding what tracks we want to include and also what tracks we feel are missing. We’ve got this massive bank of songs that we’re sifting through, 90% of them were written at 301. We’re looking forward to going on the road with The Rubens in June and then following that there will be plans to tour the album.

    We can’t wait to hear new music from the guys, but in the meantime, we’ll leave you with their triple j Like A Version which is one of our all time favourites!

    Here are some post from the Mansionair guys at Studios 301.

    Pic 1

    Meant to be writing an album…..

    A video posted by Mansionair (@mansionairmusic) on

    Pic2

    Album is well under underway! (lyrics are taking a different turn)?? A photo posted by Mansionair (@mansionairmusic) on

    Pic 3

    shoutout to @rufussounds for making us feel at home in our @studios301 production room. Could this be our new logo?

    A photo posted by Mansionair (@mansionairmusic) on

    Pic 4

    Easter fun times. Spent the holidays writing. Gonna go sleep now 🙂 ????? A photo posted by Mansionair (@mansionairmusic) on

  • Internships @ Studios 301

    Internships @ Studios 301

    Hi there!

    My name is Stefan du Randt and I facilitate the Studios 301 internship program. In 2015 I moved to Sydney from South Africa, where I was working as the engineer for Grammy award winning producer Darryl Torr in his Johannesburg studio.

    It was a dream of mine to come to Australia and work at Studios 301… and in late 2015 this became a reality as I was offered the position as General Assistant and Internship Manager after completing the internship program. My experience of the internship was overwhelmingly positive and I really enjoyed learning from the team at 301.

    Recently we’ve had some really awesome interns coming through. Some highlights have been – Dylan, who assisted at none other than Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Los Angeles (the one with the Neve 8068 in Sound City…!) before making the move to intern at 301, Francis who was recommended by Birds of Tokyo and he’s absolutely killing it, and a whole bunch of interns with different backgrounds including Elise, Zach, Nick, Jules, Brendan and plenty more to name everyone. (Sorry if I missed you we love you all!)

    We’re looking for more exceptional interns, so if you think you’ve got what it takes, send me an email: interns@studios301.com

    Include a cover letter detailing why you think you’re the one for the job plus your CV.

    Follow Studios301 on Instagram and check for the #301InternLife hashtag for regular updates on the internship program.

    https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/301internlife/

     

    Pic 1

     

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    Console maintenance. 🙂 #neve #analog #studioswag #301InternLife A photo posted by Stefan Du Randt (@stefandurandt) on

    Pic 3

     

    The art of multitasking #301internlife @arlene_elise

    A photo posted by @studios301 on

     

    Pic 4

     

    Tape echo done right! #analog #tape #ssl @mrdanfrizza doing his magic in 301 studio 2. #301InternLife A video posted by Stefan Du Randt (@stefandurandt) on

    Pic 5

     

     

     

    Pic 6

     

    Our senior engineer Simon Todkillin it… Photo cred: @dylan_smithy #301internlife A photo posted by @studios301 on

     

     

  • Mastering Malaysia’s #1 Girl Group: De Fam

    Mastering Malaysia’s #1 Girl Group: De Fam

    At Studios 301, we pride ourselves on working with the best up-and-coming talent both locally and from around the world. Our latest international success story comes via our mastering department in the form of Malaysian super girl group, De Fam.

    Signed to Tune Studios and Universal Music Group Malaysia, De Fam’s debut single #SUPERGIRLS, mastered by 301’s Leon Zervos, has skyrocketed the three dancers-turned-pop singers into stardom and on to become Malaysia’s #1 girl group.

    Along the way, De Fam have collected some pretty impressive accolades including:

    • #1 Shazamed song in Malaysia
    • #1 across Malaysian radio stations
    • Over 2.5 million views on Youtube
    • Song of the year & best breakthrough act at the Hitz FM met 10 Awards

     

    So what’s next for the trio?

    With the release of their second single “With You”, also mastered by Leon, De Fam are ready to bring their sound back into the spotlight, and on to the world stage.

     

    Head A&R of Tune Studios and Da Fam producer Bryan B had this to say about the project,

    “We’re trying to redefine the sound here in South East Asia at Tune Studios, and with the help of Studios 301, we’re able to compete in the international market with our products. I’ve been sending my tracks to Leon for mastering for over 4 years now, and every time it comes back great.”

     

    Watch & listen to Da Fam’s debut single #SUPERGIRLS here:

     

    De Fam Ft. Brandon Beal – With You

     

    Leon Zervos is a 4x Grammy and ARIA award winning mastering engineer, having worked on albums totaling over 100 million sales. Spending much of his 30+ year career in New York City, Leon has mastered for Maroon 5, Rihanna, Ne-yo, Pitbull, Pink and many more.

     

    Socials:

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialdefam
    Label Facebook: www.facebook.com/TUNEstudios

     

  • Tips on How to Deliver Your Track For Mixdown – By Jack Pres

    Tips on How to Deliver Your Track For Mixdown – By Jack Pres

     

    Whenever I’m working on a mix for a new client a question that frequently gets asked is “What is the best way to deliver the files for mixdown?”. Although there are no hard and fast rules, (always make sure you touch base with your mix engineer as everyone has their own personal preferences) here are some tips, from questions that I get asked, that will help prepare your track for mixdown.

    Can I just send you my session file?

    I always request the audio stems. (Individual bounce files of each element of the mix) Even if I am working in the same DAW as the client this is always my preference. In my experience working with session files can become too problematic.

    1. There is a strong possibility of missing plugins/audio files
    2. In most cases it can be difficult to navigate someone else’s session.

    I prefer to start a clean session every time. This way I know exactly what is going on and can use my workflow to get my maximum results.

    What sample rate/ bit depth do you want?

    Another big question I hear is in regards to sample rate and bit depth. My preference for this is to have the files delivered at the same sample rate and bit depth as your original project. This way there is as little conversion as possible. Any necessary conversion can be left up to the mastering engineer. Sample rate/ bit depth is definitely is something you should check with your mix engineer first, because everyone has a different opinion and personal preference.

    How do I export stems?

    When exporting your stems always make sure that you are exporting your stereo tracks as stereo files, and mono tracks as mono files. I know this may sound simple but this is the correct way to export stems and you mix engineer will love you for it. Additionally, also be careful of your export settings and be sure not to add any normalisation or dithering. If you are not sure how to do this, I recommend doing some research or googling about the export window of your DAW and you’ll find the answers you need.

    Should I leave on my effects?

    Possibly the most important question I get is “Do I leave my effects on or turn them off?”. Because I work predominantly on electronic music this is particularly important as the effects can be integral to the sound of a track.

    My general rule for this is as follows:

    • If the effect added is a part of the sound i.e. a filter sweep, phaser, sidechain or things just sound wrong without it, then leave it on.
    • If the effect is not integral i.e. some subtle EQ or compression, then bypass it.

    If you are using auxiliary sends for reverbs or delays etc. bounce each auxiliary to it’s own stem.

    I request all vocal parts to be completely raw and effect free unless there is a vocal chop/ filter effect that is key to the track.

    I will then request both a set of stems with full effects and a set of stems completely dry. I want both because this way I can start my mix as close to your original production as possible and then swap out stems if any of the effects are causing issues for the online mix. I also generally request midi stems of lead, pad and bass parts so they can be easily swapped out or layered if necessary.

    BPM

    Finally make sure you include the BPM and key of the track somewhere with your stems. This is a small thing but will help immensely and take the guesswork out on my side. (and will show your mix engineer you care.)

    Blog by Jack Prest, Producer/ Engineer at Studios 301

    For enquiries or bookings with Jack please contact:

    Studio Manager Abbey Smith

    Email: abbey@studios301.com

    Phone: 02 9698 5888

    More Jack Prest blog posts

    https://studios301.com/news/its-a-producer-focus/

    https://studios301.com/blog/jack-prest-analog-v-digital-1/

    https://studios301.com/blog/jack-prest-analog-v-digital-2/

     

     

  • It’s a producer focus

    It’s a producer focus

    Meet our resident Electronic Music Producer and Engineer Jack Prest

    With a background as a DJ, Artist and Sound Designer, Jack’s been working as an engineering and producer at Studios 301 for the past 5 years. Recently He’s been increasingly moving towards the role of a finisher. A producer who enters the artists process at varying stages of development (sometimes near complete, sometimes early demos) and takes it to a finished product. This process includes everything from reworking/writing lyrics and top-lines, adjusting arrangements, tracking new parts, working production and a the final mixdown ready for master.

     We sat down with Jack for a quick chat about his role as a producer and what he’s been working on lately.

    What do you think your main role as a producer is?

    As a producer my main role is realising the vision each individual has for their work. Finding what makes it original and bringing that to the fore while also making it work sonically in the best way possible for the particular style. 

    Can you take us through your process of working with artists?

    First step is to listen to some demos. For me I need to be able to hear an end goal from the demo or it’s not something I can work on. Then generally a chat either via phone or in the studio to discuss the work with the artist, what they are tying to achieve? where they want it to go? and why they are making it? Once we have established that we both feel like working together can be beneficial then generally we book in a production/mix session to complete one track. If everything works out well then we chat about moving on to bigger projects like an EP or an album. 

     How does working on other artist’s projects differ from working on your own? (If it does at all)

    It’s definitely a different process. With my own work I can be completely self driven and make whatever I’m feeling. Working on other people’s records, the most important consideration is what they want to create with their art. I could take their tune and turn it into something completely different but if they don’t feel a sense of ownership and expression with the end result there there is not much point in making it.

     What excited you most about the process?

    I have to say the moment of completion. When someone has brought you something they have been struggling with or something they can’t fully realise and you are listening back in the studio and everyone has big smiles cause it sounds awesome. That just makes me happy.

    What are some projects to look out for you have been working on?

    Currently I’m working on the new Jonti record which I’m really excited about, I’ve also done some great stuff with two young up and coming producers Daily Holla, EP recently released on German Label Emprise Records, and Jerome Blaze. Both are major talents and expecting big things for them in 2016. I’m really vibing working with new artists, it gives us a great opportunity to sculpt a sound and build something together.

     What’s it like working at Studios 301?

    One of the great things about being at 301 is working with an amazing crew. I’ve had some great success working recently with Simon Cohen, where I take care of the production and Simon steps in to cut vocals. Working with our assistants Owen and Antonia is so valuable, their knowledge of the studios and the gear means I can focus on the sounds and the big picture and know everything will run smoothly. I’ve been writing some stuff with Antonia and keen to do more of that, she’s got some great ideas. I’d also have to mention the mastering team, I really don’t go anywhere else, Ben Feggans does a lot of my stuff, but Steve, Leon and Andrew are all jedi’s and dependent on who’s right for the project I 100% trust these guys to get the final stage right.

    For more information or to enquire about booking with Jack please get in touch.

  • December – January Release Highlights

    December – January Release Highlights

     

    Dec releases

    December

     

    • A.D.K.O.B ‘Glue’ single – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Art vs Science ‘Off the Edge of the Earth and into Forever, Forever’ vinyl album – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Ginny Blackmore ‘Over The Moon’ album – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Troye Sivan ‘Blue Neighbourhood’ album – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • X-Factor finalists Matt & Jess and Louise Adams both released their self-titled debut albums – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Daily Holla ‘Progress’ EP – Co-produced and mixed by Jack Prest, Mastered by Leon Zervos

     

    Jan releases

    January

    • DMA’s ‘Too Soon’ single – Antonia Gauci Assistant Engineer
    • We Lost The Sea ‘Departure Songs’ album – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Paces ‘1993 (No Chill) feat. Jess Kent’ single – Vocal Recording by Simon Cohen
    • The Jezebels ‘Synthia’ album – Produced by Lachlan Mitchell (Studio 3)
    • Matt Corby’s ‘Knife Edge’ single – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Georgia Mulligan ‘Worst part’ single – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • The Whole of the Moon ‘Celtic Woman’ album – Mastered Leon Zervos
    • Stay In, Do Nothing ‘Horror My Friend’ album – Mastered by Steve Smart
    • Gideon ‘Talk Talk’ single – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • The show “Chypher” (A raw celebration of hip-hop culture) premiered at Sydney Festival in January. Sound design and composing was done by Jack Prest
    • Congrats to Steve Smart who Mastered the motion picture soundtrack for Hindi film Salt Bridge in which 7 songs were shortlisted for nominations at this year’s Academy Awards.

     

  • Justin Bieber and Studios 301’s Simon Cohen Create a Global Number One!

    Justin Bieber and Studios 301’s Simon Cohen Create a Global Number One!

    When you see Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran’s name together you know that whatever it’s tied to is going to be big, and that’s definitely the vibe attached to arguably the biggest song in the world right now. On November 9, 2015 Justin Bieber released the ode to his ex- titled “Love Yourself”. The track co-written with Sheeran and producer Benny Blanco has received massive acclaim globally, but what you might not know is that the vocals were recorded right here in Australia, by our very own Vocal Producer Simon Cohen.

    Here’s what’s gone down since the release:

    • “Love Yourself” has gone #1 on official charts globally including the USA, UK, Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand.
    • It’s sold over 1.1 million copies in the USA alone.
    • It’s equalled John Lennon’s UK chart record, by being 1 of Bieber’s singles to occupy the entire top three in the UK charts. ‘
    • Remember Craig David? (Yep that guy who was only too happy to “fill you in” wanted to know “what your flavour was”? Well he got in on the action, covering the song for BBC 1Xtra Live Lounge – adding his own spin on it of course), a move that has seen his career reignited and his own album “Born to do It” from August 2000 back in the UK charts.
    • It’s the first ARIA #1 Single of 2016, and Justin’s longest running Australian single to date.

    Pretty cool huh? So where do we come in on this? Great question. As mentioned, Simon Cohen our very own engineer at 301 Studios, not only has worked with Bieb’s in the past, but was hand picked to work on this project! Simon was Justin’s go to recording engineer on his recent trip to Australia in September, and well as they say “the rest is history”. So what’s it like to work with JB? How did this all come about? Well we managed to steal a few minutes of Simon’s time for a quick Q & A, so all you Belieber’s out there could get the 411.

    When you were working on the track did you think it was a hit?

    SC: They had told me that Ed Sheeran had co-written it, so I had high expectations of the songwriting. I got the files before I flew down to Melbourne so I had heard it a couple of times and I was singing it to myself as I was flying down thinking, “this is a great song!”.  You always hope that people can hear what you hear in a song, and in this case the overwhelming fan reaction has been amazing.

    It’s a point that I have spoken to a lot of people about recently. I think we are kind of going back to this amazing place where, because the playing field is leveled production wise, it’s back to who has the best idea, the strongest song. This is the perfect example as it’s literally a guitar and a vocal. Its the skeleton of a song in its purest form and it’s the one that’s connected with everyone.

    Is this the biggest single you have worked on?

    SC: Yes, I think its going to be hard to find anything that compares to this one. A lot of the work I have done with big name artists has been great but nothing has been as big as this single. Particularly when working with touring artists a lot if their main singles may already be done. In other cases, it might be months before anything eventuates from something you worked on and then you’re like “Oh great, that song finally came out!”.

    What was it like engineering a Justin Bieber session? What was the setup?

    SC: Justin works pretty fast, so as an engineer you have to get your settings as quickly as you can and it’s all about capturing that amazing performance. He has one of those very finished voices to start with, so I imagine he would sound phenomenal on just about any mic you put in front of him. But in this case it was an LA type set up, a Telefunken ELA M 251 going into a NEVE Pre and a Tube Tech CL1B Compressor. One of my favourite mics into one of my favourite pres, into one of my favourite compressors. You can’t go wrong with that chain.

    This is the second time you’ve worked with Justin now. How was working with him the first time around?

    SC: That was in 2014 here at Studios 301 and then they flew me to Perth too. It was all a bit up in the air, because after last time we worked together he went on a bit of a hiatus. We’d worked on a bunch of songs over a couple of different days, and the next thing I had heard, he wasn’t doing music anymore. Hopefully not because of me! (laughs)

    Being a big part of such a big record. Does it change anything or the direction of where you’re headed?

    SC: I think it just affirms what I have been doing and it definitely feels like I’m on the right path. Obviously number one in so many countries is a bit of a tough one to beat. Lol we’ll see.

    When did it hit you, that this was actually quite massive and was something big?

    SC: Probably when I started getting texts from people with screen shots of it already charting in the US even before it was released as a single. You always hope when you do a one off some with someone, that it will become their hit single. It just continued to chart and chart without any official release. It was awesome. It’s cool to hear the track playing and people know the words. You can smile knowing you were involved in that. Very humbling though. A lot of my friends seemed to be listening to it over summer! Some have even done their own covers on YouTube and I was like “Did you know I worked on that track?” I was met with a lot of “What? No Way?”. All good feedback too.

    So let’s talk about covers of tracks then, what do you think about Craig David jumping on this and covering the track? Have you heard it?

    SC: Haha, what a career move huh. I have to say, now that Craig David has been linked to me in some small way I think I can die a happy man. Career goals met!!

    So what’s next for Simon Cohen? 

    SC:  Hopefully just moving on to more really great records, and helping people fulfil their dreams. Hopefully soon, it might be time for a “Thundamentals” record – I’d love to be involved in that, but hey who knows. I’ve got a good feeling 2016 is going to be a big year for music. Let’s hope so!

    For studios enquiries or to book Simon Cohen please contact us.

    Listen here:

  • Mastering Focus – Ben Feggans

    Mastering Focus – Ben Feggans

    In recent years, Ben Feggans’ passion for independent music has established him as one of the most sought after mastering engineers in the country. Carving out a niche for indie dance, electronic and hip hop,  Ben has mastered numerous releases for artists such as Rüfüs (“Blue EP”), Ngaiire, Willow Beats, The Kite String Tangle and Dustin Tebbutt, Miami Horror,Tuka, and 360.

    Ben worked closely with the Australian record label Future Classic since its humble beginnings in 2005, propelling Australian artists including Hayden James, New Navy, Flight Facilities, Flume and Mitzi to international acclaim.

    We caught up with Ben to talk all things mastering.

    You’ve managed to carve out a niche around the Indie/Dance, Electronic, Dub and Hip-hop sound. How did that come about?

    BF: It just kind of evolved that way! I have a real passion for electronic and acoustic music, and initially worked with many electronic music artists as a mix engineer before mastering. I think you have to understand what the music is about when working on it, and the artists get that.

    What’s your definition of mastering?

    BF: Mastering is “the presentation of a mix”. It’s like framing a picture, you don’t want to upset the balance of the painting, just enhance what is already there.

    What makes your approach unique?

    BF: I’m quite technical so I use a combination of analogue and digital processing that is extremely well matched sonically and electronically. It’s mostly a simple chain but the right chain that works together as a whole. My approach is “less is more”.

    How does your process differ from other mastering Engineers?

    BF: My process is probably similar to other engineers. I give the entire track a good listen before making any changes, just to get a feel for what the artist is trying to achieve in their overall sound, then make a decision on the sound balance and processing. Different styles of music have a certain focus in terms of frequency balance, impact and dynamics. From experience, you tend to know which areas are the best to enhance for overall enjoyment to the listener. It’s also important that the style of music is mastered for the target medium it will be played on.

    What excites you about the future of music?

    BF: I have worked with labels such as Future Classic for over 10 years and enjoy the direction that indie/dance music has taken in Australia. Artists such as RUFUS and Ngaiire are pushing the boundaries with songs that are radio and dance floor friendly. I hope that there is more of a cross over sound in the future.

    If you could have made one key piece of equipment you use, what would that be?

    BF: The Duntech Sovereign speakers are essential. In terms of gear I’d like a Knif Soma EQ to match by Knif Vari-mu compressor. Mastering equipment is so expensive in Australia – maybe Studios 301 can buy me one?

    Do you have an tips or advice for people mixing or getting songs together for mastering?

    BF: Listen to your online mix on a variety of playback systems. Level match and compare with commercial tracks, and ensure there are no frequencies (especially sub frequencies) that are out of control but you just can’t hear it due to your room or speakers. A spectrum analyser and RMS metering definitely can assist this. Leave a few dB of headroom when bouncing audio for mastering. Most importantly, be satisfied with your mixes and remember it takes years to sound like a pro!

    What’s the most important aspect in the mastering process?

    BF: The room, monitoring and experience. You can’t master a record without the knowledge that your room and monitoring are accurately telling you what is going on.

    Check out Ben’s blog posts here:

    https://studios301.com/blog/ben-feggans-on-loudness-part-1/

    https://studios301.com/blog/ben-feggans-on-loudness-part-2/

    https://studios301.com/blog/dangerous-bax-vs-uad/

    And his posts on Gearslutz https://www.gearslutz.com/board/members/15707-ben-f/

    For mastering enquiries or to book Ben Feggans please contact

    Mastering Manager

    Lynley White-Smith (02) 9698 5888

    lynley@studios301.com

  • Is It A Banger? – Winner Announcement

    Is It A Banger? – Winner Announcement

    After listening to each and every single song uploaded, we’re excited to reveal the winner of our Is It A Banger? Electronic Music Competition.

    Let us tell you, it was a very difficult call. The overwhelming number of entrants and the consistently strong production was mind-blowing. We had every type of banger you can think of including Trap, Deep House, G-House, Big Room, Nu-disco, Jungle, Electro-pop, Tribal, Future, and everything in between.

    We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who entered, and we’re looking forward to working with you in the future. There were so many standouts but after dwindling down the shortlist, we are very proud to be able to announce our winner.

    Without further ado, congratulations to Sydney electronic duo POLARHEART, who took out the competition with their track Dystopia.

    Polarheart now receive 2 days studio time at Studios 301, mastering by 301 engineer Ben Feggans, an exclusive introduction to 120 Publishing (Ministry of sound Australia), and a studio collaboration session with hitmaker Chris Arnott.

    Here’s what Chris Arnott had this to say of the winners, “I was really taken by Polarheart’s songwriting, tasteful production and beautiful vocal delivery. Really looking forward to spending some time in the studio with them.”

    A big thanks once again to all of the amazing electronic music makers who entered. The future is looking very bright.

    Banger!

  • Triple j Hottest 100

    Triple j Hottest 100

    Another Australia day, another triple j Hottest 100 done and dusted. In what has become a national pastime, Studios 301 along with the rest of the worlds J’s listeners tuned in to hear where our favourite tracks would land in the countdown.

    This marks the third year in a row that an Australian artist has taken out the coveted #1 position, with local band The Rubens in the #1 spot for Hoops.

    As a dedicated supporter of homegrown talent, Studios 301 would like to extend a massive congratulations to The Rubens, and all of the Australian artists featuring in the Hottest 100 this year. (You can check the full list here: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/15/countdown/)

    We’d also like to give a special shout out to those artists we’ve worked with recently and our 301 engineers who’ve contributed to their songs that made the list, including;

    Dynamite {Ft. Allday}- Asta – Vocals recorded by Simon Cohen
    Monday – Matt Corby – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    Foolish – Alpine – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    Run – Alison Wonderland – Mastered by Sameer Sengupta
    Once – Ngaiire – Mastered by Ben Feggans
    Suddenly – British India – Mastered by Steve Smart

    Last but definitely not least, a huge congrats to all the bands who’ve made magic sounds out of one or more of our studios or production suites including, The Rubens, RÜFÜS, Flight Facilities, What So Not, Chvrches, Hermitude, Meg Mac, Birds of Tokyo, Alpine and Tuka.

    Links:

  • Meet Chris Arnott – Is It A Banger?

    Meet Chris Arnott – Is It A Banger?

    Meet Chris Arnott. producer, DJ, singer-songwriter, multi-Instrumentalist, wine connoisseur, musical genius, and all round top guy. In the last 3 years alone Chris has had 17 Aria Club Chart Top 10's, and even more releases locally and worldwide. In addition to this, Chris releases as a producer, a topline vocalist, and features on various releases under different aliases including deep house cool, Friendless. Chris often lends his production and songwriting expertise to other DJ’s and artists, he’s just that in demand. Currently, Chris is featuring as part of our Electronic music competition, Is it a banger?, whereby you get a chance to win a one-on-one collaboration session with Chris here at Studios 301, and make some badass music together. To give you a chance to get better acquainted, we sat down with Chris and talked music, among other things. --- Studios 301: Doing our research, we found you were in a rock band when you were 15 signed to Festival/Mushroom Records. How did you get into dance music? Chris Arnott: I was drunk and fell into it. Like a well. You’ve had a fair amount of Top ten ARIA Singles. What’s your favourite? Chris Arnott: It'd have to be my first one because I felt like I had really really achieved something, it was a pivotal point in my career and a great motivator. Studios 301: What’s the best thing about being a producer? Chris Arnott: Being able to create something so complex and beautiful from scratch. Studios 301: What are you working on right now? Chris Arnott: SO MANY THINGS!! My 2 main project plus tonnes of work with other artists. The last thing I bounced out was a G-House banger. Studios 301: How do you know if you’ve made a hit/banger? Chris Arnott: You always get a good gut feeling when everything falls into place musically. In all honesty, one rarely knows when something will resonate with a large audience, you just have to create the art that you want to make and hope that people enjoy it. Studios 301: What’s your favourite thing about collaborating? Chris Arnott: I try and collaborate as much as possible, working with other artists is so inspiring and one of the most enjoyable things about making music!! Studios 301: Who are your favourite collaborators? Anyone with great ideas and a true love for music. Studios 301: Are you looking forward to collaborating with the winner of “Is it a banger?” Hell yeah!! --- For your chance to work with Chris enter the Is It a Banger? For more info on Chris Arnott & Friendless, check out the below links: BOOKINGS : pat.ward@ministryofsound.com.au

  • 120 Publishing – Is It A Banger?

    120 Publishing – Is It A Banger?

    Studios 301 in conjunction with 120 Publishing recently rolled out a competition, ‘Is It A Banger?’, specifically targeting electronic music makers and writers. As part of the prize you win a chance to record at Studios 301, partake in a collaboration session with electronic hitmaker Chris Arnott, and receive an exclusive introduction to Ministry of Sound Australia’s 120 Publishing.

    120 currently represent some of Australia’s biggest electronic artists including Savage, Sam La More, Tom Piper, Chris Arnott, Joel Fletcher, Chardy, SCNDL, Angger Dimas, Seany B, Bass Kleph, as well as looking after the publishing for Vicious Vinyl, Central Station, Toolroom, Sirup and others. As a publisher they create and facilitate writing collaborations and features, as well as find opportunities for placements in film, gaming, TV and more.

    To find out more we recently caught up with 120 Publishing General Manager, Karen Hamilton for a quick chat about ‘Is it a banger?’, their catalogue, and what they look for in a songwriter.

    Studios 301: Are you excited about the Is it a banger comp with 301?

    Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing): Definitely!  We spend a ridiculous amount of time searching for new talent who can bring something different to the table and there are some insanely talented unsigned artists out there who just need that first break.  Hopefully for a lucky few this will be the break they need. The chance to work with someone as talented as Chris Arnott is a pretty big deal – I don’t think people realise just how in demand he is as both a producer and topliner/vocalist around the world.  I can’t wait to hear what comes out of the collaboration.  There are also many female producers out there who seem put off by what looks like a male dominated scene so I really hope some of those girls who are reading this submit something for the competition and show us their amazing talent.

    Studios 301: What’s the biggest tune that you have in the catalogue?

    Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing): It’s hard to say what the biggest tune is because this can change in the blink of an eye with the next chart!  Our most recognisable [tune] is probably DON’T HOLD BACK by The Potbelleez which was not only a huge hit but has been used in the Jeep TV campaign for the last couple of years.  CHANGES by Faul & Wad vs Pnau (which samples the song Baby by Pnau) was a massive hit in Europe and was used in the Mercedes C-Class TV campaign Worldwide.  BIGGIE BOUNCE by Diplo feat Angger Dimas and Travis Porter has so far been our biggest hit in the US – it has also featured in a couple of movies and was used in a TV campaign for Fiat across the US.  Our biggest local hits have probably been FREAKS feat. SAVAGE BY Timmy Trumpet & Savage which went 5 x Platinum, and SWING by Joel Fletcher featuring Savage which went 4 x Platinum and won the APRA Award in 2015 for Dance Work Of The Year.

    Studios 301: What’s the song/artist that you are most proud to have in the catalogue.

    Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing): We are proud of all of our writers and their complete dedication to bettering their craft.  Their enthusiasm, no bullshit attitude and talent floors me and I do realise how blessed I am every day to represent such an awesome bunch of people.  However we are also really fortunate to represent 2 of the biggest classic dance songs of all time – WHERE LOVE LIVES by Alison Limerick which was written and produced by Lars ‘Lati’ Kronlund, and 1998 by Binary Finary which was written and produced by Matt Laws.  So if I have to choose it would definitely be one of those 2 amazing tracks.  Both are instantly recognisable around the world and have earned their place as classics that people will still be listening to for years to come.  Watching the Armin Only Live clip of 1998 from back in 2008 (10 years after the original was released!) still makes me smile like nothing else can – an amazing song will always defy all barriers of time and genre.

    Studios 301: Is dance music the main focus?

    Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing): From the outside it probably looks that way but really our writers are all talented across multiple genres – it just so happens that they are also really great at writing or producing dance music.  You might be surprised to know that some of our biggest dance writers also write a mean country song and have had success around the world with Pop, RnB, rap and even JPop and KPop.   Most of our vocal tracks and toplines start out as an acapella with just piano or guitar so they can actually be interpreted into any genre.  A lot of our writers and producers are also multi-instrumentalists and have come from a band background so I still get new rock songs delivered from time to time that I pitch out to other artists.

    Studios 301: What do you look for in a potential signing?

    Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing): We are always looking for what we call career songwriters – the ones that show talent across multiple genres and who want this to be their ‘day job’ for the rest of their lives, long after the path of their artist career has changed.  Some of our writers want to eventually score films, some want to write straight up pop songs, some want to ghost produce.  Because this industry can be competitive and sometimes quite brutal it’s really important that a writer can focus on the future and the long haul as overnight success only happens for a small amount of people.  What we hope is that everyone we work with will still be with us in 20 years time even if it is working in a completely different genre to where they started.

    When we do sign someone we all have to agree that we love the music and feel that we can bring something positive to their career as it is a really hard slog and we have to be as dedicated to it as you are.  It is also really important that we all LIKE each other as it’s a bit like a marriage – there are going to be some shitty times and some arguments along the way along with some amazing times and hopefully a heap of success, and liking and respecting each other is the key to a strong team being there for the long haul.  However sometimes we aren’t the right people for a particular writer to work with and that’s OK.  This is a very personal business so just because we don’t get your music the way you feel we should doesn’t mean you aren’t talented and there isn’t another publisher out there who would do anything for the chance to work with you.

    To enter the Is It a Banger? Electronic Music Competition click below

    THIS COMPETITION HAS PASSED

    For more on 120 Publishing/ Ministry of Sound Australia

    Links:

    The Potbelleez – Don’t Hold Back

    Faul & Wad Ad vs. Pnau – Changes

    Joel Fletcher & Savage – Swing

    Diplo – Biggie Bounce (feat. Angger Dimas & Travis Porter)

    Timmy Trumpet & Savage – Freaks

  • 120 Publishing

    120 Publishing

    Collab Bro – 120 Publishing Writing Camp

    In a first this year, the team at 120 Publishing rallied their electronic music troops at Studios 301 to hold their own boutique writing camp, “Collab Bro”. Curated by Simon Lewicki, (GT) their arsenal included DJs, producers, artists and topliners from 120 Publishing, Ministry Of Sound, Etcetc Music, Central Station, Vicious, Nun Said Agency, and with EMC and Stereosonic in town, included some major names and major vibes. After having the privilege of sitting in on the listening party, we can confidently say that the results were phenomenal.

    Come back anytime for a collab bro…

  • October and November Release Recap

    October and November Release Recap

    OCTOBER

    • Triple J Unearthed Winner Jess Kent “Get Down” Single. Vocal recorded by Simon Cohen in Studio 6
    • Matt Corby “Monday” single Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Jenny Broke The Window ‘Skinny Dip’ Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • The Bennies “Party Machine” single Mastered by Steve Smart

    NOVEMBER

    • Our amazing tenants RUFUS released their album “Innerbloom” Produced in studio 7
    • The Jezabels “Come Alive” [Independent] Produced Lachlan Mitchell – Attic Studios
    • Wild Honey “Eye To Eye” Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Aussie rock legends Cold Chisel “The Perfect Crime” Album Recorded in Studio 1. Assistant Engineer, Antonia Gauci
    • Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” from the #1 Billboard Album Purpose. Vocal recording by Simon Cohen
    • 1 Million Women – An Anthem From Women For Climate Action & Hope. (Featuring Super quartet of Australian singers Deni Hines, Melinda Schneider, Wendy Matthews, and Ursula Yovich) Assistant Engineer, Owen Butcher
    • The Plastics “Walking The Cow”. Part of the Converse Rubber Tracks project. Assistant Engineer, Owen Butcher

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  • 50 Songs in 5 Days recap

    50 Songs in 5 Days recap

    The studios have been abuzz over the last couple of months with November 16th– 20th seeing Studios 301 host the coveted week-long “50 Songs in 5 Days” writing camp. In its fourth year, the camp run by Specific Music and APRA, had over 100 top local and international songwriters, producers and artists come together to collaborate and form future songwriting partnerships. The Aim: to create 50 market-ready pop songs in just five days, a goal that was well surpassed and almost doubled.

    A big high-five to everyone who worked on and participated in the camp this year, we’re looking forward to hearing all the hits!