6 year update:
Intro
My name's Alex and I produce deep, electronic music. It has been described as cinematic, vast, epic, emotional and many other things. Musically it sits somewhere between dub, drum & bass, ambient, dub-techno, downtempo, chill out, post dubstep, deep techno and bass.
I have spent around 10 years making and releasing music. First under the alias DFRNT, and now under the name Stillhead. As DFRNT, there were 4 albums, 20 or so EPs, stacks of remixes and compilation appearances alongside my Echodub and Cut labels
In 2013, I decided that I wanted to make a shift in my production work. I wanted to focus less on releasing in quantity, and focus more on releasing quality. Tracks that I could stand behind for years, and tracks that I wouldn't get sick of by the time they had been released (the release process can sometimes take months). Stillhead (and a new label: Brightest Dark Place) was born.
With Stillhead I have tried very carefully to release quality over quantity, and as a result it's been almost 2 years since I released my debut album "Iceberg". It's about a year since my last EP (the Spiders EP), and to date, there have only been a handful of remixes, a few compilation appearances, and aside from a short film soundtrack, not much else.
Copenhagen
The time has come, however, to release another collection of tracks. This time produced around and during the time I spent in the Danish capital city, Copenhagen.
It seemed fitting to give the album the name "Copenhagen", and the release will serve as something of a catalogue of my time there. I'd almost call it a tribute, but I'm not sure I can do the city justice with my humble productions.
New Original Tracks
I have created 10 brand new, previously unheard original Stillhead tracks, including a collaboration with a new Estonian vocalist, a track with previous collaborator and woozy rap aficionado Mu Vonz, and a track co-written and produced with a good friend and recent father Lee Chapman.
Remixes
Not content with just a single disc's worth of audio, I have also sourced remixes from some of the producers who I really respect and enjoy right now. These include Bop, Hatti Vatti, Versa, Tonik Ensemble, Mr. Roque, Another Channel, Other Spectrum and Generate.
Alongside these remixes, I have also provided a couple of alternate versions and re-edits of my own to round out the package.
All in all, it's a 20-track offering, which I hope fills people's ears, minds and hearts.
The Release
My first album, Iceberg felt like it went a little under the radar. Working with a different label, it became a vinyl and digital only affair, and I had hoped to be able to press it onto CD too. Unfortunately due to circumstances out-with my control, the plug was pulled on the CD side of things, and I felt the rug had been pulled a little from under my feet. Not anybody's fault, just an unfortunate situation. I felt like I had lost too much control over the project.
Incidentally, check it out on Spotify here!
As a result, I'm keen to release my second album on my own label, and retain as much control over the project as I can.
Self-releasing is something I like to encourage, and having successfully managed to do it in the past with a DFRNT album and a Cut compilation, I'm giving this another go, with the added bonus of being able to take the mistakes I've learned with those other funding campaigns and learn from them this time.
What I'm hoping for is to be able to raise enough contributions to launch the album in a way that I'd like, on a format that I want.
Investment & Process
I have already invested a stack of my time and money into the project. The artwork has been drafted, the original tracks completed and the remixes are being finished as I type this.
The next step is to send everything for mastering and to confirm the initial format (CD most likely).
After that I'll be able to order a limited run of the product (probably 100 to begin with).
After completing the artwork and getting the masters compiled and sent off, I'll be able to order the run of prints that I'd like to go with the album.
I'm also keen to add as many additional extras as possible to the project, so depending on how much support and contributions I get, I'm also considering vinyl, USB sticks with sample packs and project files, extra remixes and some other potential swag.
What You Get
Those who contribute will get as much as I can feasibly afford to give. This isn't a money-making exercise for me, it's about getting the music out there, making the most of the album and in a sense, making things a little easier on my wallet.
Doing the crowd-funding thing allows me to essentially take pre-orders for the album, and then I can worry a little less about the remix fees, mastering costs, artwork, pressing, distribution, promo and packaging costs (which is conservatively looking like a couple of grand, but could be closer to 3 or 4 grand if there is enough interest)
The perks I've got on offer are hopefully enticing enough to convince you that this is a worthwhile project, but it's not really about that for me. I'm happy to make sure you all get your money's worth, but I imagine that those who contribute are doing it more out of support, and appreciation for my work and for unsigned artists, than because they need a new CD for their collection.
Most of you will probably stream the album on Spotify or listen via downloaded mp3. That's completely fine, but of course, being able to even shift 50 of 100 CDs would be brilliant.
To know there are even 50 people out there who appreciate my music and what I'm creating is really an honour, and I hope that I can connect with every single one of you in some way, at some point in the future.
Risks
As for risks with the project, well, there aren't any (aside from the fact that it could completely flop, I guess). The more support I get, the better the end product will be, but if I get nothing, then the project will still go ahead, just in a cut-down format.
The album will still be released, but the CDs might just be more regular, there is less likely to be a run of prints, or vinyl, or any special promo surrounding the release. It'll just slip out like a whisper on the wind.
So...
If you can spare a few quid, a couple of bucks, some euros, a yen or two, the odd ruble or whatever your national denomination is then of course that will be gratefully received. If you want to splash a bit more, then please do - I could use all the help I can get.
That said, if you can't afford to contribute, then I completely understand, and if you have the time or energy, then you can help me by sharing the campaign, telling anybody you think might be interested or just giving me a few shouts on social media to help spread the word.
I look forward to getting this thing off the ground and keeping you updated along the way. I also hope that I have perhaps inspired you in some way to contribute, or to at least share this with a friend who might.
Thanks again everyone!