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Features
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A new Outbreak: the digital label with a difference
Reported by K8-e
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Submitted 31-10-07 20:56
Ian Jay and Dave Leigh perhaps better know to Harderfaster regulars as HiFreak1c and Aftershok are embarking on a project which will see a new label contributing all profits to charity. A laudable endeavour but can it be done properly? What kind of quality can you expect? Who is actually providing the tracks? We sent K8-e to investigate...
In fact Outbreak digital will feature prominent artists in the scene from the likes of Technikal and MDA & Spherical through to Riggsy, Michael Dow and Clewz with new up and coming talent too. If charity begins at home perhaps it could start with a download to your PC? But what about the rest? I put some questions to Ian and Jay ahead of the launch to find out more.
Hiya guys, welcome to Harderfaster, how you doing?
Ian: Yeah good thanks, just finished a long shift working over night, but all good thanks. Hope you’re well too?
Dave: Hey, I’m not so bad, nightmares at work right now but apart from that everything’s good!
Back to basics before we start on the label, can you want to introduce yourselves for those who don’t know who you are and tell us about how you got into the scene?
I: Wow where do I start?! I've been DJing for about 7 years now at many events around England. I got into the production side of things about three years ago where I started collaborating with producers like Greg Brookman, Scott Fo-Shaw, Jamie Taylor, Spherical and good old Aftershok, who I knew from the word go, they all become good friends and still are. With releases on major labels like Oblivion, Presence and Bosh under my belt, I knew it was time to start producing on my own.
I have a few tunes out now and more due like United on Digital Assault made with friend Bonzo, Buzzin with Darrell White on Presence Hard plus Stronger with Jay AK. There’s also tracks forthcoming with Acute and Amp Attack (who in my eyes is keeping the hard house sound alive). We have a release due out on a major record label cant say to much but keep an eye out start of next year it’s a monster of a track. I'm working on remixes for a few other labels too, so I’m a busy lad.
Ian Jay aka HiFreak1c
D: I produce under the guise Aftershok (I know, I know same as the drink, but that’s not where it originated from, although I do love the aftershock!) I’ve been about a few years now and learnt the trade from possibly the best teacher available, Mr Technikal, whom I went to school with (and now despise for becoming so good!). People may have heard (and possible liked I hope!) some of my music on labels such as Addiction, Nukleuz and Impact. Last year I was finishing Uni which I miss very much – but it also meant my production output was pretty low. There’s a lot to come from me in the near future however with releases and remixes on labels such as Oblivion, Nukleuz, Presence and of course Outbreak.
Dave Leigh aka Aftershok
You are about to embark on an interesting project together, setting up a “digital label with a difference”, a label that will be contributing money to charity. Where did the idea for this come from?
I: Yes, I still can’t believe how much support we are receiving from producers willing to do remix and original works for us, there are no words in the world to say how much it means to Dave and myself and just how grateful we are. My Nan died of Parkinson’s a few years back and we were very close. I’ve always wanted to do something for her and I think this is one great way to doing it. A very good mate of mine also discovered he had Cancer at the start of this year and it opened my eyes so much. He fought a hard battle has come out on the other side and is now recovering; I take my hat off to him. A lot of producers involved also have personal connections to the charities we are supporting. We all agree that this is a great way to help out some really worthy causes.
Which charities have you chosen to support with the label, are there any personal reasons behind the choices?
D: We hope to support a new charity every few releases. All the charities we aim to support have been chosen because of personal reasons of those involved or because of the great work they are currently doing. Below is a list of some of the charities we hope to support in the coming months and, hopefully, years.
Cancer Research - www.cancerresearchuk.org
The Parkinson's Institute - www.parkinsons.org.uk
Childline - www.childline.org.uk
Whizz-Kidz - www.whizz-kidz.org.uk
NSPCC - www.nspcc.org.uk
Great Ormond Street - www.gosh.org
WWF - www.panda.org
The Childrens Hospice - www.childhospice.org.uk
Downs Syndrome Association - www.downs-syndrome.org.uk
Spina Bifida/Hydrocephalus - www.asbah.org
Cystic fibrosis - www.cftrust.org.uk
You have quite a few charities on the list, will they receive money from each release or be rotated?
I: Charities will be supported on a three release basis and then rotated for a new one, so on.
Running a digital label gives you fewer overheads than a vinyl outfit. Will all money made from each release be going to charity?
D: Every penny the label makes will go to charity. Ian and I take no money at all and as with most digital labels we offer our artists a 50/50 royalty split. Most of them have decided to match us and are giving everything they make to the charity we are supporting and that’s great news as it means everything goes to charity.
How will the charity donations be recorded and how can people up to date with the progress you are making?
I: Dave is a man of many talents and as well as a fantastic producer he is also the great coder of coders. He is going to put together sales and money raised counters on our web site (which is coming soon). There will also be specific artist pages telling our producers how much they are individually contributing; Dave is very clever like that!
D: You're too nice! But yeah, lots of info available for all to see and hopefully also contribute!!
Times are notoriously difficult for the hard dance scene with record sales at an all time low while the digital market is still finding its feet. What goals are you setting the label and will you be complementing your efforts with other activity to maximise the contribution to charity?
D: Before we look to the future we want to get the label established – and with our line up of tracks and remixers this will hopefully be the case! We really do have some awesome stuff lined up in the next few months.
I: There are obviously lots of ideas for the future – the website will also have a massive impact but I think we will keep that quiet for now! Watch this space.
In an era of digital labels springing up daily what will make “Outbreak” stand out?
I: We have some major producers involved contributing with original tunes and remixes to make this label as exciting as possible.
We will be releasing tracks every month from different producers coupled with an awesome remix from an established well-known producer.
D: The quality of the music will hopefully make us stand out – time will obviously tell!
Dave Leigh
You’ve got some tasty producers lined up for the label Riggsy, Tom Parr, Scott Fo-Shaw and Jamie Taylor being some of my personal favourites. And you’ve got some Harderfaster regulars in the form of MDA & Spherical, SQ, Ben Bennett and Olly Perris. Give us the full low down on who’s involved, what genres you will be covering and your initial release scheduled?
I: Where to start!? There are so many producers involved. We are looking for some very interesting tunes to put out, the releases we have signed so far should make a big impact - Outbreak will defiantly be a label to lookout for.
We don’t want to give too much away but expect the first couple of releases to feature some really exciting names – Aftershok, Iridium, Viv D, Nathan Mcclymont, MDA and Spherical, Micky D, and Adrenaline Dept who will hopefully kick off the Outbreak era with a bang. In the future there will also be some exciting tracks and remixes from some of the producers in the list below!
D: Exciting times!
Producers involved are:
On the Hard Trance side:
Adrenaline Dept, SQ, Alf Bamford (Technikal), MDA & Spherical, Idriuimm, Charlie G, Carl Nicholson, Olly Perris, Amp Attack, Scott Fo-Shaw, Ben Bennett, Edwin Van Cleef, Jody 6, Andrew Dring, jFrantik, Luke Warner, IDENTIKAL, Tronical-X, Nathan McClymont, Daniel Overton.
Trance:
Michael Dow, Firestorm, Static Blue, NuSense, Acute, Tenthu, Probspot, NorthStar, Michael Angelo & Jim, Viv D, Stuart Heasty, Alan Marcero,
Techno:
Daniel D, Edwin Van Cleef, Steve Payne, Jamie Taylor
Hard Dance:
Riggsy, Tom Parr, Frank Farrell, Darrell White, Audio Headz, Bonzo
House:
Chris Hoff, Clewz, Deadbeat
Can I say sorry if I’ve missed anybody off it? But we are getting emails in all the time with new producers wanting to do original tracks and remixes so if we missed you off sorry!
The tracks will be available to buy in most download stores.
You are covering quite a lot of styles there, how do you plan to maintain a consistent quality?
D: Ian and I have identical but also hugely differing tastes, if that makes any sense!
I: It doesn’t, but I think what Dave’s trying to say is that combined we have a good idea of the tracks we want to feature of the label and have expertise between us of many differing styles. Dave’s usually a lot quicker to shoot down a potential track – things have to be perfect to get past him!
Ian Jay
D: They do! That’s what I meant by the way!
Lol. Ok! So how can people get involved?
D: The easiest way to get involved is obviously to buy our tracks – they will be available from all the usual outlets. If there are any producers out there who want to get involved – either with original work on the remix side of things then drop us a line at outbreak@aftershok.co.uk or PM Ian – he’s always happy to have a chat!
I: Haha, yeah I am love chatting. So drop me a PM.
Also can we say thank you to people for taking time to read this and we hope that you support us by buying our tracks and helping us raise as much money for as many great causes as possible. Take Care!
Photos copyright Ian Jay & Dave Leigh, not to be reproduced without permission
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Other Features By K8-e:
The One and Only Eddie Halliwell
PunchFunk & Geushky Presents "Let's Make Rave" with Ian Void & Chris Vaux
Cream @ Amnesia - Ibiza 2010 - Reviewed
Pure Gold: Interview with Will Gold
Turning the Corner - Interview with IAMX
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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