2017 Blog
Meet the 2018 Flash Funding for Vinyl Winners!
Last Friday Key Production with PRS Foundation, Metropolis Studios and Music Glue, hosted a Flash Funding for Vinyl panel at The Great Escape to choose 4 lucky winners of 500 records, mastering of 4 tracks and release support.
Joining us to evaluate the artists' submissions were Julie Weir (Music For Nations/Sony), Nadia Khan (CTRL Management, Lethal Bizzle, Lady Lykez, Laughta), Nadine Shah (Artist) and Damian Morgan (Artist Manager for the Orielles, Booking Agent representing members of Happy Mondays, The Smiths, Oasis and The Specials).
The panellists watched a shortlist of 10 video submissions where the artists explained to us why they were ready to have a vinyl release at this point in their career.
As there were some indecision at the end due to the high quality of the contestants, Karen, our MD, intervened during the panel and kindly decided to offer vinyl manufacturing to 5 artists instead of the usual 4 :)
We'd like to thank everyone that came along, the amazing panellists, The Great Escape, PRS Foundation, Music Glue and Metropolis for making this great initiative possible!
You can watch a recording of the panel here and keep reading to get to know the winning artists! Congratulation!
Annabel Allum
Guildford-based Annabel Allum launches into 2018 with new single Beat the Birds. By turns invigoratingly caustic and charmingly lackadaisical, Annabel’s first release since the acclaimed ‘All That For What’ EP came out last year is further evidence of her ability to marry folk-style storytelling with snarling fuzzy indie. Supporting the iconic Beth Ditto across her UK/EU tour at the back end of last year, as well as sharing the stage with Nadine Shah, Blaenavon and more.
With acoustic demos synced to the upcoming feature film Spaceship (BFI, BBC, SXSW) and acting in the movie itself, it is clear that the artistic value of Annabel Allum is not limited to just one medium. Her original look and self-styling has also gained Annabel a lot of attention on social media, with an ever growing Instagram following she has received endorsements from Bastian Classics, Cheap Monday & various indie clothing brands for her to represent online.
Releasing her debut single Tricks in July 2016, Annabel Allum received multiple spot plays on BBC Radio 6 Music from the likes of Tom Robinson and Melita Dennett, as well as gaining support from DIY Magazine, The 405, and longtime fans The Line Of Best Fit and Gold Flake Paint. After selling out her single launch and debut London headline show at 229, Annabel's live credibility only increases.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Queen Zee And The Sasstones
Deemed "an unavoidably loud force for good" by Clash, Liverpool Queercore outfit Queen Zee burst forth from Merseyside in 2016 and gained popularity for their dangerous live show, political nature, and DIY approach.
They've been described as 'neu-punk' with a sound that is a clash of polar opposite genres as they combine the fun of pop music with the attitude, mentality and reputation of punk.
Zee's songs are written from experience and tackle a lot of topics as sort of anti-love songs, homophobia, transphobia, feminism, "Subjects worth getting angry about" as Zee said in an interview to Skiddle last year.
They try to not be one-dimensional, not just a political band and not just a party band, but to cover a spectrum.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Sabiyha
Sabiyha, a London based singer-songwriter with the ability to captivate and silence an audience with her compelling vocals and powerful songs. Combining her love of poetry with her songwriting abilities, Sabiyha explores love, loss, cultural identity and the art of storytelling in her music.
Whilst her sound resonates with the past, as she pulls on her blues, jazz and folk influences, she brings it forward to the present with her unique, contemporary edge and versatility.
Inspired by an array of strong female artists such as Bat for Lashes, Mitski, Joan Baez and Ella Fitzgerald, Sabiyha aspires to follow suit and grow as an engaging and influential female singer-songwriter.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
PARA ALTA
Para Alta grew up together in the small seaside town of Hartlepool. Friends from an early age they played together through their teens, learning their instruments and the craft of songwriting, dreaming of spending their adult lives playing in a rock and roll band.
School came and went, the line-up went through a few changes as did the band name, but by late 2016 Para Alta had found their formation. Steel cheekboned Jonny Bee (guitar/vocals), likely lad Luke Cowley (guitar), international man of ink Sonny Williamson (bass), and iron-fisted grafter Tommy Sotheran (drums).
Already selling out shows in the North-East, the band set their sights on London, moving into a shared house together and surviving a robbery and a near limb-losing spider attack.
Their shimmering indie rock draws comparisons to the likes of Gengahr and Blossoms and inspiration from the bleak but beautiful coastline of their adolescent home, as well as all the dramas and heartbreak that come with life in a small town.
Contrasting their raw rhythm section with brash but dreamy guitars, they reflect the clashing ideologies of their romanticist nature with their tumultuous teenage years, while singer Jonny Bee’s lyrics and infectious melodies make their songs instantly inviting.
Having released several singles through Kissability (THUMPERS, Circa Waves, Courtney Barnett) and with a fierce live show, these four Northern lads are gearing up for more dream-making in the years that will surely follow.
Mina Rose
Born and raised in South East London, the streets, avenues, and tower blocks, it's this landscape that forms the background to her work. Juggling music with her interests in design and vintage fashion, Mina Rose is ready to deliver dubbed out new pop gem 'Lemons And Limes'.
She explains: "'Lemons And Limes' is about feeling that we are moving away from the inclusion that Smiley Culture was talking about in tracks like 'Cockney Translation'... I feel that there are forgotten people and creations that have come from the heart of London that people are now unaware of which can remind us of the beauty of a multicultural society."
[Source: Clash Music]