Brand new slipmats

We've finally got round to putting out a series of slipmats. There are four designs to choose from and all of our slipmats are of superior quality with a glazed bottom so that it is extra slippery.

Buy here: http://www.fentplates.co.uk/apps/webstore/

We have a problem

Although there is continuous talk of record sales increasing, where some statisticians boasted a 101% increase from 2012 into 2013, where there was an increase of 780,000 records sold over the entire duration of the year, these figures are not applicable to underground music.

These figures only represent the Rock & Pop following which has always been consistent where the fan base have maintained a loyal purchasing pattern.  The underground music scene, especially the electronic music scene, has barely contributed to the increase in vinyl sales around the world.

At a time where we are hearing of labels moving away from vinyl, shop after shop closing their doors and distributors and pressing plants shutting up shop, there is a problem.

At the end of summer in 2013, Chemical Records had to call in the administrators where they tried to salvage the business, but on the 26th of March 2014, they closed their doors permanently. Chemical Records was one of the biggest vinyl vendors in the UK and arguably in Europe. They catered for all sorts of genres and without them, record labels will struggle to move their units.

Over the last five years the number of pressing plants that have closed have risen. This has resulted in pressing vinyl becoming an increasingly expensive venture which has a knock on effect on whether it is worth the hassle.

ST Holdings announced on the 6th of May that they are cutting back the amount of labels that they distribute and manage. This leaves a large number of labels now without a distribution system and they will most probably begin to consider whether manufacturing and distributing vinyl is worth doing.

ST Holdings most definitely made the right decision to cut back so they can cultivate manageable growth as they did in 1998. By reducing on warehouse costs with stock that isn't moving they can focus their time on pushing the small selection of labels that they have decided to keep on.

In this circle, the labels can't be blamed because it is much more lucrative to stick to digital only releases as they are catering to their own demand, stores cannot sell enough vinyl to stay open, demand is decreasing where labels are only pressing 200 copies so vinyl pressing prices are increasing and distributors are either not taking on labels or taking larger percentages on distribution costs. In this vicious circle, nobody can be blamed.

It is the state of the music scene and the choice is left to the people. It is up to the people whether they want to save vinyl or not. If everyone purchased more records, labels would have more capital to press more music, which would result in shops selling more units to stay open and distributors being able to get the records in stores worldwide, so the power is truthfully in the people.

In 1977 a British band called 'Scritti Politti' was formed where they released a vinyl called 'Skank Block Bologna' in 1978. They were one of the first bands to take control into their own hands and truthfully push the 'do it yourself' mentality. They started a revolution where artists knew they didn't need to be signed to a major label to press their own music to vinyl and thousands of people followed.

It is time to support the independents, it is time to stop spending money on overpriced coffee at cafes and invest in the future of the music scene. If demand continues to slip away, thousands of labels will fall to the side and countless amounts of music will not be pressed onto a timeless format.

We have a problem and only you can fix it.


Http://Fentplates.co.uk

FPL007 - Sorrow - Hieroglyphics EP

Audio:

Buy Vinyl:

http://www.fentplates.co.uk/apps/webstore/products/show/4640501

Fent Plates Evolution Volume 4 - Free Download

Download here: Sendspace Download Link

1. Avondlicht - Embrace

2. dfaultuzer - Better Off

3. Farz & Seldom - Visions

4. Lupus - La Movida (Prod. Demain)

5. Nymbus - Drift (Feat. Nori)

6. SCDD_ALTA - Somethang

7. Skywide - Floral Avenue

8. Tor - Loop Theory 

FPL006 - Demain - Everywhere Video teaser

To announce our next release we have placed a smooth little video created by Kasper Laier Plougmand on Youtube. The song in the video is entitled "Strange Fruits" and is one of the tracks on the CD.

FPL006 - Demain - Everywhere

6 Track CD & Digital Release

Tracklisting:

Demain - Everywhere Feat. Capucine
Demain - Strange Fruits (Audio in this video)
Demain - Deep Cover
Demain - Everywhere Feat. Capucine  (Lex Remix)
Demain - Everywhere Feat. Capucine  (J-One Remix)
Demain - Deep Cover (VVV Remix)

Release Date: 16/09/2013

Purchase CD: http://www.fentplates.co.uk/apps/webstore/products/show/4113775


Artwork & Video Visuals created by Kasper Laier Plougmand


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Review: Sorrow - Dreamstone

When we were sent  "Dreamstone" by Sorrow, I was more excited about the vinyl than any other. I have never seen such a beautifully pressed 12". The producer based in Bristol comes through will this collection of music however with such an amazing exterior package, I was hoping the music would hold up too.

Elixir: With a subtle piano, a rolling drum pattern and a warm attenuating sub bass, Sorrow starts the album setting the tone with a cultural exploration of the sound of  "Sorrow".  Soft pieces of distortion dip in and out of the mix adding to the entire texture of the song. Overall, a brilliant start to the album and a beautiful way to end a song. 9/10

Moodswing: Beginning  with the soft sound of birds chirping, this song has some similar resembling parts to "Elxir". I personally prefer the swing in the drums and the use of the vocals panning in and out, but there are elements of this song that are drawn out especially before the breakdown. The switch on the second drop makes the entire song a little bit more minimal which is nice but doesn't add anything to improving my opinion 7/10

Dreamstone Feat. Coma: Coma opens "Dreamstone" which rolls into a softly clapped drum loop with strings panning in and out. Smooth and to the point, this is what a dream would sound like. 9/10

Dalliance Feat. Coma: Bringing the tempo way down to about 120, this song has a beautiful roll. With Coma's voice chiming in and out. This is very similar to Moodswing or Elixir and the only factor that makes it different is the BPM switch. I prefer this to Moodswing, but there is some repetitive aspects to the song. 8/10

Embrace: With a beautiful guitar to open the song, I was sad to not see it used as much as a prominent sound in developing the main body of the track. I like the enclosing sounds that pulsate throughout the mix which ties in beautifully with the name of the song. I like the vocal use in the second drop and the general texture of the track. 8/10

Maelys: Bringing the tempo down but instead with a four by four sequence creates a perfect melody to just bop your head to the beat. There is an obvious "feel good" theme in this song and the entire nature of of the track is uplifting. One of my favourite songs on the whole album. 10/10

Supernova: Coming through with that darker "Burial-esque" vibe. This feels more at home with Sorrow's roots in terms of the flow of the drum pattern, the moving bassline and small cuts that give a hint to Sorrow's Grime background. 8/10

Flowerchild: Another Garage beauty, but this is a little happier than "Supernova". The second drop of this song pulls a rolling bassline melody which is catchy and would do justice on any dance floor. 9/10

Shadowed Doubt: Although this may have elements that I enjoyed, I found it to be quite similar in terms of sound and structure to "Elixir" and "Moodswing". The subtle eastern flutes gave the entire song a different feel, but there were too many similarities for my liking. 6/10

Gallows Hill: This is a better version of "Shadowed Doubt" with a dub influenced bass melody accompanied with a swinging drum pattern. The eastern spacious feel gives the entire mix an "airy" notion and I could easily listen to this on loop whilst at work. The entire way in which it is constructed  reduces the amount of switches or sudden sounds so that the entire song is much more progressive. 8/10

Intruder: On a completely different vibe to the entirety of the album, this Grime sounding track is pushing boundaries for the genre in terms of composition and production quality. This is what I would call "educated Grime". I like how Sorrow concludes the album with "Intruder" as it is the most uplifting track. 10/10


Overall: 8.8


This début album from Sorrow is a well crafted piece of art. The entire album is well composed with a darker start to begin with and then showcasing Sorrow's main talents in jumping between genres and delivering an incredible selection of tracks. There were several tracks that were similar to others on the album, but they all had their own unique style. Monotreme Records have also bundled an amazing package with one of the best records I have ever seen. If someone were to ask me about a good introductory album as to what defines the deeper or more intelligent aspect to Dance, I would give them Dreamstone.

Purchase: Monotreme Records / Redeye

If you enjoyed this review and would like to suggest to us what we should review next then please email us, alternatively, if you are an artist or a label that would like us to review your album then get in touch.

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FPL006

To follow the Arcane EP by Asa that came out on 12" we thought there was no better time than now to introduce a fresh new face onto the scene. We have always been a label that will support the underdog and push artists that make incredible music even though they may not have a substantial following. Our main goal has always been to expose the artist enough so that a bigger label can pick them up.

FPL006 will feature three originals from this new artist accompanied by three remixes. We have always pushed physical retail and this release will be made available in a deluxe Digipack CD. This will be sold at the same price as the digital which will be £4.50.

More information will come out soon.

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The problems Artists are facing

We're going to be using this Blog to write about different problems, issues and other thought provoking articles on topics related to the music industry. A lot of artists entering into the world of music, irrespective as to what genre it is, are facing a saturated marketplace.

We have been monitoring and talking with a selection of artists over the last nine months, in seeing how they develop by using different marketing techniques to expose their music to as many different demographics as possible. In this series we'll look into smaller topics that are always debated between musicians.

When starting up every producer or musician knows that you need material. Once you have your single, or EP, what do you do with it?

We have spoken with a variety of artists and labels and some said that Soundcloud may not be the best place in the world to upload music. Music uploaded to Soundcloud that isn't signed may have just lost its appeal to be signed as it's not exclusive any more. We found this is only applicable to established artists and most labels tend not to sign music that has been up for a few months as music is far too disposable in the current market. 

As a new Artist, treat Soundcloud as your public CV. Only put up the best of the best to ensure that your best foot is always going forward. People are easily prejudice and if an Artist put up a string of below average productions, then Artists run the risk of being associated with that a year later when they have improved their musicality and production.

We have noticed that a lot of producers create music without a goal, continuing to populate their Soundcloud with music that are clips but also remain unsigned. It isn't crucial to be signed but if an artist has a track they want to upload, they should do so claiming it will be part of an EP or part of a project. While finishing the EP or putting the package together an Artist could state that it is forthcoming. Whether this is by giving it away or being sold on Bandcamp, it is up to you. That topic is for our next post.

For now, we ring the same clichés, quality over quantity and so on. But those clichés are more important now than ever where music is something people can obtain for free, music is disposable and everyday hundreds of new Artists are born.

We'll be posting up part two next week.

As for Fent Plates, we have a few new updates with our new website launching in the next few days and we're just finishing off FPL006 which is going to be a CD EP release accompanied with a music video and full merchandising package. We will also be kicking off our mix series on our Mixcloud so make sure you keep your eyes on that.

Http://Fentplates.co.uk

Piracy Of Digital Music And A Possible Solution

Our 10th digital release is approaching in about two weeks by Fused Forces and reflecting over what we have had out so far, from minimal and plain odd to deep, and chilled going all the way over to eyes down and broody, we have had a lot of material out in only five months of being a label.

With running a label comes the obvious problems of piracy and copyright infringement and I have decided to explain our recent action with a general point of view of the underground music industry with direct respect to the Dubstep scene.

Most of you will have or most of you know about ripping full tracks off YouTube or even downloading Torrents. These two factors are the two main downfalls that would affect the sales of music with the effects of it being positively exponential. All it takes is one person to upload the full track to YouTube for people to start ripping the music directly from the page and it then only takes one other person to put into a Dubstep pack or whatever respective pack and then the ball starts rolling. The larger amount of people that download the pack results in a larger amount of people that could even use P2P networking or even use standard file sharing hosts to spread the music.

There is a level at which you can prevent the exposure and free download of your own music and sometimes it can only take a polite email for the person responsible in uploading your music or the person who owns the file sharing site to take down the link.

Most of the time, the rate at which it is being illegally downloaded and uploaded, it is near enough impossible to prevent people from getting it removed and to be quite honest, if someone wants the track bad enough, there is always a way of getting it.

Recently we made a deal with a channel on YouTube called "DubstepTunez" that would be our exclusive host for all of our releases. We have our own channel but barely use it and we feel that Youtube is an incredible marketing tool and by using a host this would result in the channel already having roughly 40,000 subscribers and a huge database to send promo out to. This also means our music can reach 40,000 people that may have not heard of the label or heard of the artists that we have signed. The obvious downside is that people can now readily rip the music illegally as the channel only hosts full tracks.

Within a day Bosporus received over 7,000 plays and 3 other channels were already hosting Bosporus & Gloss The Doors. I personally emailed all of the other channels and said that they could keep their videos up under two conditions. The first one is that they prove they purchased the music legally and the second condition is that they merely mention in the description that it can be purchased from iTunes and any other various stores. All three channels replied back saying that they would remove the video immediately.

There were two solutions that we came up with. The first one is to give the music away for free and to earn money through licensing and physical releases of the music such as putting the music onto compilation CD's and retailing them, but all digital downloads would be completely free for consumers.

The main problem is that if the consumer doesn't part with any form of money in exchange for the music they will feel no need what so ever to listen to it properly and remember the label. It is similar to the people that stand in the streets and hand out free newspapers. Most of the time you might hold onto it and it'll end up in the bin, but what if it cost 20p? It might only be 20p, but you have had to go to a store or some guy in the street has offered you the newspaper for this price, you'll put it in your bag, suitcase or under the arm and take it home with you if you don't have the time to read it there and then. Because you have parted with a minute amount of money, there is an underlying need to keep the physical item.This same analogy shows how giving away music for free devalues the songs and the artist.

The second option would be to make the value of the music so low that it almost rallies downloading it for free. Personally, I would never spend £6.99 for an album on iTunes, I'd rather walk into HMV and get the CD, as then I have a physical object in exchange for my hard earned money. If the same album were on iTunes for say £2/£3 I would contemplate buying through iTunes rather than getting the CD. 

I think you get what I mean.

We did a small trial through March where we put 7 releases together which consisted of music from Box Mouse, Kochari, Blind Prophet, Twitch, Seizure, Gnome & A-list. The pack contained 16 tracks and it retailed at £3.99, this means each song is roughly 25 pence.

The sales for this pack of music were more than the entire revenue produced from iTunes, Juno, Amazon, Play & more. The small trial proved to be successful which has resulted in us creating a Bandcamp where all of our releases are at 40p. Paypal takes about half of that, but never the less, we hope these prices are competitive and will make people think twice when looking to illegally download our music.

All releases will go up on Bandcamp approximately 2 months after the actual release date, so everyone that has bought from a premium or normal digital store such as iTunes will have it exclusively for this period of time.

All in all, we have a lot to learn and there are many more things we can all do to support the underground Dubstep music scene.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Official Fent Plates Bandcamp