Library music and its makers have always sat in the shadow of the commercial music industry. But music created for use in TV, advertising, radio and film has captured the imagination of obsessive vinyl archivists and obscure record hoarders alike. Flip a library record over and you might find a set of adjectives for each track in the sleeve notes – ‘nebulous, strange,’ ‘tense, violent motion’ – perfect fodder for hip-hop producers and beatmakers. And as hideouts for both session musicians and well-known players working anonymously, library records have always afforded the chance to experiment with ideas.
Now, in the spirit of pioneering library music manufacturers and archives like De Wolfe, KPM and Bruton, Red Bull Music Academy has commissioned a series of library music vinyl releases by alumni of its annual workshop and event series. The first in the series, Red Bull Music Academy Library Series Vol. 1, presents a selection of tracks by producer, performer and award-winning film composer from New Zealand, @graysongilmour.
A participant at the 2011 edition of the Academy in Madrid, Grayson Gilmour’s unique combination of baroque pop, electronics, and new wave sounds reflects a cinematic and beatmaker’s sensibility in equal measure. His latest album, Otherness – which was accompanied by immersive 360° videos and a web platform for listeners to create their own Otherness loops – was released this year on Flying Nun.
Red Bull Music Academy Library Series Vol. 1 also includes a remix by fellow Academy graduate @pauljebanasam, a Bristol-based producer and Subtext label regular best known for his highly conceptual riffs on drone, noise and ambient music, who also creates music for films and trailers.
In addition to being housed in Red Bull Media House’s production music library, a limited number of 12”s will be distributed to select record stores throughout Europe via Glasgow’s Rubadub. The record was mastered at Calyx and manufactured via Handle With Care. Red Bull Music Academy’s own Max Berz designed the sleeve.
An extended Library Music Marathon on Red Bull Radio will air on Sunday, October 8 in support of the release:
- 10-12am CET/4-6am EST - Sound Obsession: Library Music 1969-1975
- 12-2pm CET/6-8am EST - Sound Obsession: Library Music 1974-1985
- 2-3pm CET/8-9am EST - Madlib presents Tomorrow’s New Big Band
- 3-5pm CET/9-11am EST - Extrafly: Ultimate Italian Breaks and Beats
Tune in at http://redbullradio.com.
