Tuesday 27 March 2012, 11:04 | By

Universal to sell three publishing catalogues

Business News Labels & Publishers Top Stories

Universal Music

Universal Music is planning on selling three of its publishing catalogues, the Financial Times has revealed, in a bid to raise up to £200 million to help fund the mega-major’s plans bid to buy the EMI record companies.

According to the FT, a catalogue of classical works, another of gospel music, and a third of German schlager music, are all on the block, with Bank Of America Merrill Lynch coordinating the sale. Around twelve bidders have already expressed an interest, including BMG (and possibly Imagem Music – they’d likely bid)

When Universal announced last November that it had reached a deal with EMI owners Citigroup to buy the music major’s record companies it said it planned to fund some of the deal by selling off existing periphery assets. That will reduce the burden of the ambitious acquisition on parent company Vivendi, who are very sensitive about losing their cherished triple-B credit rating.

Of course Universal may also be forced to sell off some of its existing assets, or some of EMI’s label assets, in order to get regulator approval of its latest takeover bid. As previously reported, the European Commission’s investigation into Universal’s takeover proposals has just entered a second phase, and regulator enquiries are ongoing in the US too.

So far Universal has resisted the temptation of offering concessions to allay the fears expressed by critics of its EMI deal, believing the acquisition could be approved on both sides of the Atlantic without so called remedies being enforced.

And the sale of three publishing catalogues is clearly about revenue generation rather than placating critics, given competition regulators will focus in the main on the impact a combined Universal/EMI record company will have on the sound recordings marketplace, even though Universal’s music publishing business is also a major player – because, of course, that bit of Universal’s business will not grow as part of the EMI deal.

Ironically, Universal reducing the size of its publishing assets might be more relevant to the investigation into Sony/ATV’s bid to buy EMI Music Publishing, which will create a powerhouse in the music publishing domain.

Universal Music Publishing will remain a formidable competitor to the combined Sony/ATV/EMI – which Sony will surely point out when defending its latest attempt to grow its music assets – though it will be slightly less formidable post this proposed $200 million sale, making Sony/ATV/EMI look even more dangerously dominant, especially in the collecting society world.

Universal has so far not officially commented on the publishing catalogues sale.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 11:02 | By

Global record sales revenue down again, but decline slowed

Business News Labels & Publishers Top Stories

IFPI

The global record industry saw trade revenues drop by 3% in 2011 to $16.3 billion, which is obviously a little depressing, though the sometimes mysterious International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry still managed a slight smile when releasing its latest round of stats, noting that a 3% drop represented a “significant slowing in the fall of the market”.

So that’s nice. Other stats in the latest IFPI report include that physical sales worldwide slumped 8.7%, but an 8% boost in digital income helped limit the impact overall of the continued slow death of the CD. Meanwhile, the often-exaggerated but nevertheless significant revival of vinyl means that it now accounts for about 1% of global record sales.

For the first time the IFPI also published figures for its members’ sync revenues, which brought in $342 million globally in 2011 (though the addition of that extra revenue stream was accommodated in the overall decline stat), while the public performance royalties generated by sound recordings worldwide were also up, by 4.9% to $862m.

Commenting on the latest stats, IFPI’s Frances Moore told reporters: “Music today is delivered through an unprecedented variety of channels. At the same time, record companies have expanded their operations into new markets and broadened their skill set and the services they offer to artists. More than at any time in its history, diversification is the byword for the recording industry today”.

The IFPI stats report also lists the best selling albums of 2011 worldwide, which is unsurprisingly topped by Adele’s ’21’, with Michael Buble’s ‘Christmas’ and Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ following in positions two and three respectively.

And if you prefer countries to appear in your charts, IFPI also revealed the list of biggest music markets, with the US still top (its revenues holding more or less steady after several years of decline as digital income beat physical for the first time – just), Japan second and Germany holding on to third place, having pushed the good old UK into fourth place last year.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 11:00 | By

Bobby Womack fighting cancer

Artist News

Bobby Womack

Bobby Womack has been diagnosed with colon cancer, according to Bootsy Collins, who spoke to the soul veteran over the weekend.

Writing on Facebook, Collins confirmed Womack was in hospital fighting pneumonia, later adding: “I just spoke to our friend Bobby Womack. He wanted you all to know that he loves you & thxs for the prayers. Docs says he is in 1st stage of colon cancer, he is very up beat about his future, we laughed & joked before we hung up”.

As previously reported, Womack is set to release his first new material since 1994 later this year, with a new album called ‘The Bravest Man In The Universe’, produced by Damon Albarn and Richard Russell and released via the latter’s XL Recordings label.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:58 | By

GIT Award shortlist announced

Awards

GIT Awards

The shortlist is out for the GIT Award 2012, the new annual gong being presented by Liverpool-based music blog Getintothis and celebrating new music talent on Merseyside. The overall winner will be declared on 27 Apr.

Coming up, the shortlist, as selected by a panel of national and local journalists and music types from 380 entries, but first a quote from Getintothis writer and GIT Award founder Peter Guy, who tells CMU: “The first GIT Award shortlist highlights the wealth of new musical talent within Merseyside. The artists are ambitious and inventive, emotional and passionate, funny and profound. They evoke a sense of time and place, providing a wonderful snapshot of Merseyside’s varied sonic landscape proving why Liverpool is still the centre of the music universe”.

And the shortlist goes as follows: Bang On, Ex-Easter Island Head, Forest Swords, Loved Ones, Miss Stylie, Mugstar, Outfit, Ninetails, Bill Ryder-Jones, Stealing Sheep, The Tea Street Band and Esco Williams.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:56 | By

Sigur Rós ready studio album

Releases

Sigur Rós

Since their being named as special guests at various festivals this year, rumour has been rife that Icelandic troupe Sigur Rós might break their “indefinite” studio hiatus to release a new album. And look, now it’s been confirmed the band’s new LP ‘Valtari’ will be released on 28 May.

Release-wise it trails last year’s ‘Inni’, a live DVD and album chronicling the two Alexandra Palace dates that formed a finale to the band’s last world tour.

Here’s a tracklisting for the new record. You can preview a sepia-toned visual for component track ‘Ekki Mœkk’ at sigur-ros.co.uk.

Ég Anda
Ekki Múkk
Varúð
Rembihnútur
Dauðalogn
Varðeldur
Valtari

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:52 | By

Maroon Five expose ‘poppier’ new LP

Releases

Maroon 5

‘Moves Like Jagger’ hitmakers Maroon Five are to release one of their “most diverse and poppiest albums yet” in the form of their aptly-titled new long player ‘Overexposed’, which is out on 25 Jun.

Available as of 26 Jun, the record has seen Team Maroon embrace a “collaborative spirit within the band”, working with super-producers Max Martin, Ryan Tedder and Benny Blanco, and employing outside songwriters in an attempt to “mix up [their] process”.

Oft-topless frontman Adam Levine says this: “We wanted to make something that sounded contemporary with the elements of a lot of early eras of pop music. This is our most ‘pop’ record ever and we weren’t shy about really going for it”.

Who knows, with Adam and co’s grand pop reinvention to concentrate on, there’s a chance the previously reported Levine-Bieber supergroup dream might languish, forever unrealised, in a darkened LA studio… forever. Let’s all pray for that chance.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:47 | By

Liars LP acquires release date

Releases

Liars

After much ado about cryptic banana trailers, NYC noise connoisseurs Liars have at last clarified certain facts relating to their new studio album (their sixth, the sucessor to 2010’s ‘Sisterworld’).

Part written and recorded in a remote cabin – aka The Bon Iver Method – the self-made LP features additional production from Mute Records founder Daniel Miller.

Still without a title, it’s set for release via Mute on 4 Jun, the same week the band play London’s Field Day Festival (2 Jun). Liars have also just announced live dates at the London-based XOYO on 12 Jun, and Manchester’s Ruby Lounge on 15 Jun.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:43 | By

Weird Dreams stream album

Releases

Weird Dreams

Hype Machine are now hosting a stream of ‘Choreography’, the debut album from East London group Weird Dreams, in advance of its release via Tough Love Records on 2 Apr.

The band, who play a gratifying line in harmonic psych-pop, will play the LP’s official launch party on 6 Apr at Stoke Newington’s The Others.

Until then, you can try ‘Choreography’ for size here:

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:40 | By

Festival line-up update – 27 Mar 2012

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

Brainlove Festival

BELSONIC, Custom House Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 15-26 Aug: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds are the latest act added to this Belfast festival programme. Also playing concerts beneath the Belsonic banner are Tom Jones, Skrillex, Emeli Sande, David Guetta, Two Door Cinema Club, James Morrison and joint headliners The Darkness and Thin Lizzy. belsonic.co.uk

BLISSFIELDS, Woodmancott, Hampshire, 29 Jun – 1 Jul: With recent additions Noisettes, Patrick Wolf, Spector, Man Like Me, AlunaGeorge and Charli XCX all poised to delight family crowds at Blissfields 2012, this festival’s vibrant three-day bill also features Imperial Leisure, Subgiant and Sean McGowan. blissfields.co.uk/

BRAINLOVE FESTIVAL, Brixton Windmill, London, 26 May: Discerning London independent Brainlove Records has come up a with a storming initial line-up for its fifth namesake festival. Noteworthy acts amid a bill of “exciting new underground and leftfield music” are the most excellent Bleeding Heart Narrative, Mat Riviere and Female band, with noise duo Crushed Beaks and prolific fuzz-pop soloist Keel Her also set to perform across the festival’s twin indoor and outdoor stages. www.facebook.com/events/419356751413261

ELECTRIC ELEPHANT, The Garden Tisno, Petrica Glava, Croatia, 12-16 Jul: Trevor Jackson, Lone, DJ Deep, Marcellus Pittman and Loud-E serve to further swell Electric Elephant’s 2012 programme, with Michael Mayer, Andrew Weatherall, Chris Duckenfield, Ewan Pearson, Optimo and Feel My Bicep also booked for this beat-centric Croation bash. www.electricelephant.co.uk

GHOSTFEST, Leeds University Students Union, Leeds, 30 Jun – 1 Jul: The Black Dahlia Murder, The Bridal Procession, Last Witness, No Turning Back and Desolated are new to feature amid Ghostfest’s supernaturally strong rock roster, joining the aforementioned Emmure, All Shall Perish, Comeback Kid, Defeater, Prowler, All Teeth, Silent Screams, Departures and Continent. www.impericon.com/uk/ghostfest.html

LARMER TREE, Larmer Tree Gardens, Salisbury, Dorset, 11-15 Jul: An eclectic late list of those destined to play Larmer Tree, as organisers confirm Raghu Dixit, Smerins Anti-Social Club, Morning Rush and The Wishbones for this Dorset-based weekend fest. The established bill also includes Jools Holland, Levellers, Amadour & Mariam and musi-comedy virtuoso Tim Minchin. www.larmertreefestival.co.uk

STOCKTON WEEKENDER, Stockton Riverside Park, 3-5 Aug: The Pogues confirm Stockton as their sole appearance this year, headlining a bill that includes fellow fresh inductees Willy Mason, Hyde & Beast, and old hands We Are Scientists, The Go! Team and Ocean Colour Scene’s Simon and Oscar. www.stocktonweekender.co.uk

WAY OUT WEST, Gothenburg, Sweden, 9-11 Aug: Hot Chip prove noteworthy additions to the Way Out West roster at large, sharing sterling line-up space with the previously announced likes of Blur, The Black Keys, Bon Iver, Azealia Banks, Frank Ocean, A$AP Rocky, St Vincent, Iceage, Mazzy Star, Korallreven and King Krule. www.wayoutwest.se/

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:37 | By

Wide Days reveals focus on music tourism

Business News Education & Events

Wide Days

Details have been announced about this year’s edition of Edinburgh-based music business conference Wide Days, which will take place at the city’s Teviot Row House on 11 and 12 Apr. In addition to sessions on developing new talent artistically and commercially, this year’s event will also have a focus on the role music can have in boosting tourism, and on how the music and tourism industries could better work together.

Co-organiser Olaf Furniss told CMU: “There are many areas where the music and tourism sectors complement each other and there is huge potential for closer cooperation. We aim to highlight some exciting collaborations and the programme is designed to be of use to everyone from emerging artists seeking new audiences, to state tourism organisations”.

In addition to the conference bit, on Thursday their will be a number of showcases featuring six emerging Scottish acts and Norwegian band Honningbarna. For more info check www.widedays.com

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:35 | By

CMU Training team offer a few more copyright insights

Business News Education & Events

CMU Training

The latest entry in the growing library of tips and insights from the CMU Training team goes live today, providing some background on just who owns the copyrights that existing in songs and records, and how exactly we know who the owners are.

Says CMU Publisher Chris Cooke: “Artists might not like to admit it, but the minute they write or record a song they are in the copyright business, and the copyrights they are creating might just be what provides them with a living for the rest of their lives”.

He adds: “As a branch of intellectual property law, copyright is quite a dry topic, but as a key revenue generator for artists they and everyone who works with them really ought to understand the basics of how music rights work – preferably before they sign them all away to someone else! The CMU Training tips offer a few helpful insights, and our one-day Music Rights course tells you all the basic information you need to know about managing, monetising and protecting your copyrights”.

The latest copyright tips can be accessed via the Tips Library section at www.theCMUwebsite.com/training, while details of the Music Rights course, the next edition of which is on 11 Apr, are available here.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:33 | By

Air and Jethro Tull added to OpenEMI

Digital

EMI

EMI have added a bucket of content from Air and Jethro Tull to their OpenEMI platform – and if there’s an app developer out there who can create a digital tool that can truly bring together the music of Air and Jethro Tull in perfect harmony, well, I’d download that.

As previously reported, OpenEMI is a joint venture between the music major and digital company The Echo Nest, and provides a network of independent app developers with access to a vast array of content which they can play with when developing digital music products. There is then the option to submit new apps to the OpenEMI team, who may be able to help with content licensing and marketing if and when the application is taken to market.

In the latest content additions to OpenEMI, developers will have access to all sorts of catalogue music content plus videos, artwork and photos from both Air and Jethro Tull, the latter also including pre-release audio from new record ‘Thick As A Brick 2’, a new follow up to their seminal 1972 concept album.

Confirming the new additions, EMI’s VP Digital Projects Neil Tinegate told CMU: “We are pleased to be able to offer content from Air and Jethro Tull to developers through our OpenEMI platform today. It demonstrates how OpenEMI can benefit artists from different genres and backgrounds, and we look forward to bringing some highly creative and innovative products to the market”.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:32 | By

Pirate Bay links blocked by Microsoft’s IM

Digital

The Pirate Bay

Microsoft has confirmed that users of its instant messaging app are now being stopped from sharing links to The Pirate Bay, though the IT firm says the block has been instigated because of malware fears rather than any bid to block Bay-enabled copyright infringement.

A spokesman for the company told The Register: “We block instant messages if they contain malicious or spam URLs based on intelligence algorithms, third-party sources, and/or user complaints. Pirate Bay URLs were flagged by one or more of these and were consequently blocked”.

Although The Register concedes that torrent sharing sites (not that TPB technically shares torrents anymore, but this still applies) do have a not insignificant role in the distribution of so called malware (so viruses and such like), the IT website wonders why the Bay has been specifically targeted by Microsoft’s malware blockers, when it’s record in this domain isn’t really any better or worse that its competitors.

Notes The Register: “In singling out this target, [Microsfot] is opening itself up to claims that it is joining the global jihad against Pirate Bay – certainly its lack of explanation for targeting just that the site and not others indicates this”.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:31 | By

What impact is new look Facebook having on band pages?

Digital

Facebook

There’s been quite a bit of chatter in the grass roots artist community of late about what impact Facebook’s enforcement of its new fangled timeline on all users will have on those who use the social network as a key platform to engage with, sign up and sell to fans.

As previously reported, while for normal users the switch from the old Facebook profile format to the new timeline isn’t too drastic (after all, for most users few other people are actually interested in looking at their profile page anyway), for those that use a Facebook Page as a key online destination for fans, it’s flipping irritating that said fans will now always be presented with the default timeline. Previously artists and brands could dictate that the default landing screen was a plug in over which they had more control in terms of promoting content, products and sign up.

As Facebook starts to make the timeline format compulsory, Digital Music News has been looking at what impact the shift has had on the use, by fans, of artists’ apps that are hosted within the social network, and which would previously have been said artists’ landing pages. And it makes for gloomy reading for those who were relying on those apps for engaging fans.

Of course you could argue that artists using such apps, and the makers of the technology they employ, are still on a learning curve regards how to maximise the potential of the new look Facebook. Though some pessimists reckon that, even if lessons are learned, the new look Facebook pages will never be as effective as the old design.

See DMN’s depressing graphs here.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:30 | By

Radio 2 recruit Dave Pearce

Media

Dave Pearce

Radio 2 has recruited dangerous Dave Pearce, so that fans of mediocre dance music radio no longer have to pine for the one time Radio 1 DJ’s unique style of clubbing radio entertainment, last heard on 6music this time last year.

Says Radio 2 of its new ‘Dave Pearce: Dance Years’ show, set to air on Saturday nights at 10pm from 14 Apr: “Alongside the latest tracks currently on the UK’s dance floors, Dave will play new dance mixes, club classics from the noughties and 90s, and he will also uncover some lesser-known hidden gems from the 70s and 80s. Plus in a disco-tastic flashback, he’ll provide a slow jam track to stir up those last dance memories”. Fun times.

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Tuesday 27 March 2012, 10:27 | By

1D mum deals with Twitter abuse

And Finally

One Direction

Every pop star loves their fans, we all know that. “My fans are the best” they’ll say in interviews, “I love my fans” they’ll declare at award ceremonies, “I owe everything to my wonderful fans” they’ll have their ghost writer say in 67 different manifestations in their ‘autobiography’.

But let’s be honest, if there is just one single thing that Facebook and Twitter have unequivocally confirmed, it’s that a lot of young pop fans are self-centred, whiney, bitches with no sense of proportion and only a limited grip on reality.

It’s the hormones probably. I’m sure the Bieber/Brown/1D fans are no more or less crazy than those teenage girls (and there’s plenty of obnoxious guys on the social networks, but most of the crazy teen pop fans are girls) than those who, in days gone by, obsessed over N Sync, New Kids, Bros, Wham, The Bay City Rollers, The Osmonds and/or the early career Beatles.

It’s just that former fans of those old groups don’t have Facebook timelines to record for eternity all their insane declarations of unrequited love, insistences that their hero’s particular Autotuned take on ‘Guetta Standard Seven’ is some sort of musical genius, and unsavoury insults and death threats against detractors or those closer to their idols.

What fun today’s generation of pop fan teens will have in 15 years times, scrolling down their Facebook page or Twitter stream and recalling how they once called Harry Styles’ mum a big boobed bitch. Happy days.

Actually, in this case it was a One Direction hater who recently sent some Twitter bile to Style’s mother Anne Cox, though the pop haters are often as crazy as the fans (and the hate for one pop act frequently stems from a love for another). In the latest Twitter insult to be sent to a 1D family member or girlfriend, tweeter @1DAreShit told Cox “I hope you’ll die because you are a bitch. Harry’s mum has big boobs and a big bottom she looks like a bitch”.

We only report on this here because we are proposing that Cox’s reply becomes the default response to any pop-related Twitter insult – she responded simply “I hope you find inner peace someday”. Which isn’t as snappy as “oh fuck off”, but does the job much better we think.

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Monday 26 March 2012, 13:00 | By

Five Day Forecast – 26 Mar 2012

CMU Planner

Andy Malt

Hello everyone. Did you have lovely weekends? I hope you did. I mean, statistically you can’t all have, but I still hope you all did anyway. That’s optimism at work there. Drink it in. Anyway, in the unlikely event that your weekend wasn’t superb, there’s a whole new week here now. It’s Monday – everyone’s favourite day of the week! Think of all the things that could happen over the coming days. Actually, don’t think, just read about them here.

01: Great Escape Pre-party. Tomorrow night the seventh Great Escape festival and industry convention will officially launch at an intimate party in Shoreditch hosted by this year’s TGE international partner, the Insititut Ramon Llull. Representing music from Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, the organisation will kick things off with a DJ set from Barcelona’s Guillamino. At the same time full details about this year’s festival line-up and a full outline of the CMU-curated convention programme will be revealed. Look out for more info on both of those later this week in your CMU Daily.

02: AIM Women In Music event. The Association Of Independent Music’s Women In Music & Entertainment event will return tonight at Proud Cabaret in London, with a keynote speech from 2Point9/Jayded Records founder Billy Grant, plus interviews with NME Editor Krissi Murison, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman, and the legend that is Annie Nightingale. A panel debate will then tackle the tricky issue of “gender inequality in the board room”.

03: Music Techpitch 4.5. Tomorrow night EMI will host this event throwing the spotlight on music-tech start-ups in Europe, putting the projects of techie entrepreneurs in front of industry experts, and potential partners and investors. EMI UK CEO Andria Vidler will also discuss what “EMI has learnt from its culture, heritage and people to define its approach to innovation”.

04: New releases. Top of the tree of new album releases this week is Madonna‘s ‘MDNA’, but there are some more interesting ones I’d urge you to check out first. Top of my list is the latest album by Norwegian musician Susanne Sundfør, which you should be able to find on iTunes, and you should also definitely track down THEEsatisfaction‘s ‘awE naturalE’, which is sublime. You can also get hold of new albums this week from The Mars Volta, Rusko, Miike Snow and Blood Red Shoes (look out for a great interview with guitarist Laura-Mary Carter later this week), plus there are new singles and EPs available from Rolo Tomassi, Azealia Banks and Lone out now. Oh and Iron Maiden have a new live DVD out.

05: Gigs. The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn will be selling bottles of his new Signature Brew beer at a solo show at London’s Hoxton Bar & Kitchen on Thursday night, while Guillemots will be inviting an array of guests to perform with them by candlelight at two shows at Village Underground just round the corner on Friday and Saturday. And, of course, it’s the return of Nordic showcase night Ja Ja Ja this week, but I’m sure that’s in your diary already. On tour this week are Feist, Odd Future, Korn, Drake, Breton (whose new album is brilliant, by the way), and Those Darlins.

And that is your lot for now – have a good week now.

Andy Malt
Editor, CMU

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Monday 26 March 2012, 12:56 | By

Approved: Ukkonen

CMU Approved

Ukkonen

The somewhat mysterious Ukkonen is set to deliver his excellent debut LP on 23 Apr via London’s Uncharted Audio label.

Describing this faceless Finnish producer is tricky – his sound is being termed ‘post-techno’ by some – though across the five tracks that appear on the hour plus album his background in classical composition definitely figures in what are genre bending productions, joining the dots between techno, house and ambient. The tracks morph and undulate, and have the time to do so, meandering through tempos, atmospheres and moods. This is artisan electronica and it’s refreshingly good.

With no tracks from the album currently streaming, there’s still plenty of Ukkonen’s output to be had online (including his two previous EPs on the Uncharted Audio Bandcamp page). Though I’m going to specifically recommend his Detroit (Alternate Reality) mix, originally created for the No Pain In Pop blog, which sees him recreating classic Detroit techno tracks with samples taken from his own music. Amazing.

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:53 | By

As its merger investigation heads into phase two, EC outlines some of its specific concerns with Universal’s EMI bid

Business News EMI Sale Timeline Labels & Publishers Top Stories

EMI

So, as expected, the European Commission announced on Friday that it was beginning a second more in-depth stage to its investigation into Universal’s proposals to buy the EMI record companies.

In theory the EC could have green lighted the deal at the end of its initial one month investigation, but that never seemed likely, and even Universal had always expected a more in depth three month study into their proposals to be required.

The Commission told reporters: “[The] initial market investigation indicated that the proposed transaction may raise competition concerns in the wholesale of physical and digital recorded music in numerous Member States as well as in the European Economic Area as a whole, particularly in light of the merged entity’s high market shares and increased market power”.

Meanwhile the Commission’s VP in charge of competition policy, Joaqu’n Almunia, added: “The proposed acquisition could reduce competition in the recorded music market to the detriment of European consumers. The Commission needs to make sure that consumers continue to have access to a wide variety of music in different physical and digital formats at competitive conditions”.

Noting that the opening of the second phase of an investigation does not in itself “prejudge” the final result the EC will reach, the Commission confirmed the new phase will run for 90 days, meaning a decision should be made by 8 Aug.

Though, while not wanting to prejudge the phase two investigation, the EC did then outline some of its specific concerns about Universal’s EMI bid, in particular the mega-major’s “increased market power vis-ˆ-vis its direct customers”, adding in a statement: “At this stage of the investigation, the new entity, which would be almost twice the size of the next largest player in the EEA, would not appear to be sufficiently constrained by the remaining competitors on the market, by its customers’ buyer power, and/or by the threat of illegal music consumption (so-called ‘piracy’)”.

Needless to say, those who oppose the bid welcomed both the second phase investigation and the specific concerns raised by the EC in its statement.

Helen Smith, Executive Chair of pan-European independent labels trade body IMPALA told CMU: “We agree with the Commission’s findings so far that Universal’s increased power cannot be constrained by competitors, customers or piracy. This matches the experience of our members on the ground. Competition problems exist in the physical as well as the digital market, as the Commission recognised. We welcome the robust confirmation that the EC will ‘make sure consumers continue to have access to a wide variety of music in different physical and digital formats at competitive conditions'”.

Universal issued a simple statement on Friday confirming it had expected a two phase investigation in Europe, telling reporters: “Phase 2 was always expected; we recognise that the Commission needs time to fully review this transaction. We will continue to co-operate fully with them and look forward to a successful resolution of the process”.

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:52 | By

HMV relocates mail-order operations from Guernsey to Birmingham

Business News Retail Top Stories

HMV

HMV has confirmed it will close its mail-order fulfilment warehouse in Guernsey putting 46 jobs on the line. The decision comes just days before the UK government closes the tax loophole that means mail-order operations based on the Channel Islands do not have to charge VAT on products under £15, giving online CD and DVD sellers who send stock to British customers via Jersey or Guernsey a 20% advantage over mainland competitors.

As much previously reported, independent retailers who could never afford to set up mail-order ventures based offshore have long complained about the unfair advantage the so called Low Value Consignment Relief system gives the online-only start ups and bigger retail firms who can afford to exploit the tax dodge. Many feel the prolific use of the offshore tax break by some contributed to the collapse of many independent retail firms in the UK, and it hasn’t helped the flagging HMV much either.

Because while HMV decided to join the LVCR party in 2005 – insisting it did so reluctantly just to compete – arguably by that point it had already lost out in terms of the online CD sales market to the likes of Play.com. And despite also being able to capitalise on the tax break in recent years, HMV has struggled to compete with its newer upstart competitors in mail-order, while its high street stores suffered big time from the plethora of cheaper stock available via the web.

As previously reported, earlier this month the governments of Jersey and Guernsey unsuccessfully tried to block the UK from removing LVCR from the Channel Islands on the grounds doing so was discriminatory.

They argued that because other non-EU countries would still benefit from LVCR, mail-order firms currently based in the English Channel would move to other tax efficient locations such as Switzerland, so the UK would not be better off, while Jersey and Guernsey would see unemployment rates shoot up. This was a concern also recently expressed by HMV boss Simon Fox, though his company will now relocate all its mail-order operations to a facility in Birmingham, with a statement noting the efficiencies that can be achieved by having all the firm’s distribution operations in one place.

Those who have campaigned against the Channel Islands tax dodge argue that no other non-EU country is so logistically convenient for mail-order sales into the UK as Jersey and Guernsey, and that anyway, if all the mail-order firms move en masse to, say, Switzerland, there’ll be an obligation on the UK government to end the relief system there too.

Of course all the mail-order companies and big retailers now expected to depart the Channel Islands do so after years of insisting they based themselves in the English Channel for reasons other than the tax breaks. HMV themselves insisted in 2005 that the VAT benefits were “just one aspect” of their decision to relocate their mail-order operations into the Channel, resulting in many redundancies back on the mainland, and that “the support businesses get in Guernsey is equally important”.

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:51 | By

EMI settle with Cash Money Records

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

EMI

Well, that happened quicker than we expected. EMI has settled its legal dispute with Universal Music affiliate Cash Money Records. As previously reported, earlier this month EMI filed court papers saying Cash Money owed it $491,000 in royalties relating to samples of music owned by the London-based major used on releases from the hip hop imprint. It now seems that claim related to an earlier legal squabble over samples that appeared on Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter III’ album.

Anyway, the filing of court papers seems to have done the trick in what is definitely a long running dispute over sample royalty fees, with both parties issuing a joint statement to Billboard late last week that reads: “Cash Money Records and EMI Music Publishing have amicably settled EMI’s recent lawsuit and their financial disputes on various record releases. The companies look forward to working together on future projects”.

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:48 | By

4AD sign Spaceghostpurrp for new LP

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Spaceghostpurrp

Hyped hip-hop artiste Spaceghostpurrp proves a novel new addition to Bon Iver and Grimes’ label of choice, Beggar’s 4AD, who will oversee the release of the Florida rapper/producer’s new long player ‘The Chronicles Of Spaceghostpurrp’ on 12 Jun.

4AD are tendering album track ‘No Evidence’ as proof of the deal, so download it for free here:

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:44 | By

Kiwanuka, Gotye on Communion Records compilation

Releases

Michael Kiwanuka

London independent Communion Records is releasing a compilation featuring the best of its roster’s ‘new faces’. With Gotye, James Vincent McMorrow and soul revivalist Michael Kiwanuka amongst its contributors, the LP is out 23 Apr. Communion will mark the release with a live showcase at Shepherds Bar in London on 26 Apr, though a line-up for that hasn’t yet been announced.

Tracklisting:

Michael Kiwanuka – Tell Me A Tale
Julia Stone – Let’s Forget All The Things That We Say
Joe Banfi – Olive Green
Gabriel and the Hounds – What Good Would That Do?
Daughter – Love
3 Blind Wolves – Emily Rose
Ben Howard – Three Tree Town
Keaton Henson – To Your Health
Lucy Rose – Middle of the Bed
Matt Corby – Kings and Queens, Beggars and Thieves
Boy and Bear – Milk and Sticks
Jocie Adams – Bed of Notions
Dan Croll – Marion
The Apache Relay – American Nomad
James Vincent McMorrow – Hear The Noise That Moves So Soft And Low
David McCaffery – Stars
Nathaniel Rateliff – Just For Me But I Thought Of You
Will Nott – Won’t Go Back
Bear’s Den – Pompeii
Gotye – Bronte

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:43 | By

Danny Brown LP given vinyl release for Record Store Day

Releases

Danny Brown

Adored by critics since its digital issue back in 2011, Detroit alt-hop type Danny Brown’s sophomore album ‘XXX’ is to make its on-vinyl debut on Record Store Day, which this year falls on 21 Apr.

Fools Gold, who oversaw the LP’s original release, will distribute 1000 double 12-inch copies, with an extra 7-inch single version of the rapper’s new track ‘Grown Up’ also available at selected outlets. Though vinyl haters can already download the MP3 of that track for free here.

Meanwhile, go check this video of Brown talking with crazed Canadian muso Nardwuar at this month’s SxSW festival.

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:37 | By

Marilyn Manson details Johnny Depp-featuring LP

Releases

Marilyn Manson

Marilyn Manson has shared notes on his forthcoming Cooking Vinyl debut, ‘Born Villain’. As if the concept of a brand new Manson release (his first since 2009’s ‘The High End Of Low’) wasn’t sufficiently jarring by itself, the long player will also feature celebrity guest Johnny Depp on a bonus cover of Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’.

Mind duly boggled. But I’m still beholden to mention that ‘Born Villain’ is out on 30 Apr, and will carry this tracklisting:

Hey, Cruel World
No Reflection
Pistol Whipped
Overneath The Path Of Misery
Slo-Mo-Tion
The Gardner
The Flowers Of Evil
Children Of Cain
Disengaged
Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms
Murderers Are Getting Pretter Every Day
Born Villan
Breaking The Same Old Ground

And NB: Manson was last week seen mingling with a certain ‘Video Games’ singer-songwriter at Germany’s Echo Music Awards, thus prompting this unprecedented assemblage of ‘music personalities’.

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:35 | By

Scarlet Soho announce new EP

Releases

Scarlet Soho

Electro trio Scarlet Soho have announced that they will release their first new material since their 2009 album ‘Warpaint’ later this month. The ‘When The Lights Go Out’ EP will be available from scarletsohoshop.bigcartel.com on 21 May.

The band will also play two UK dates ahead of the release, taking in The Railway in Winchester on 11 May and London’s Underbelly on 15 May.

Now, here’s the video for the EP’s title track:

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:27 | By

Hatcham Social to play Fierce Panda’s eighteenth birthday party

Gigs & Festivals

Fierce Panda

Indie label Fierce Panda turns eighteen next month, and has invited Younghusband and headliners Hatcham Social to soundtrack a night of birthday festivities taking place at East London venue Cargo on 17 Apr. A further line-up of mystery guests are also billed to appear at the show, tickets for which can be pre-ordered here.

The party will also serve as the official post-release launch of Hatcham Social’s second album ‘About Girls’, which is out 2 Apr.

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:23 | By

Slam Dunk festivals to go on tour

Gigs & Festivals

Slam Dunk Festival

The guys from Slam Dunk, who stage the four festivals of the same name in late May, have announced a regional tour featuring Hit The Lights, Transit, The Story So Far and Decade, who will also be playing the Slam Dunk fests in Leeds (26 May), Hatfield (27 May) and Glasgow (though not Cardiff’s Slam Dunk Wales on 28 May, which will feature Taking Back Sunday, Cancer Bats, Motion City Soundtrack and more).

The other live dates for Hit The Lights et al are as follows (and look Cardiff, you will get this line up a few days after Slam Dunk Wales – bonus!):

23 May: Newcastle, Trillians
24 May: Manchester, Moho
25 May: Liverpool, Academy II
28 May: Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
30 May: Birmingham, Asylum
31 May: Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms
1 Jun: Cardiff, CF10
1 Jun: Kingston, Peel

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:22 | By

Festival line-up update – 26 Mar 2012

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

Play Fest

PLAY FEST, Eccles Hall, Quidenham, Norfolk, 1-3 Jun: Scroobius Pip, Roots Manuva, Natty, Toddla T and Shy FX are new to proceedings at this year’s Play Fest, with Little Comets, Zinc and Jaymo & Andy George also just joining previously announced Ash, Reverend and The Makers, The Pigeon Detectives, The Big Pink, The Correspondents and Spector. www.playfest.co.uk

V-DUB ISLAND, County Showground, Northwood, Isle of Wight, 2-5 Aug: Rob Da Bank stands atop V-Dub’s ‘Caribbean Christmas’-themed festival roster, as also features Dub Pistols, Ben Goddard, The Ohmz, Born In A Barn and Cooly Haste. www.v-dubisland.com

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Monday 26 March 2012, 11:19 | By

Sony partner with Raw Power on new rock label

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers Management & Funding

Raw Power

London-based management company Raw Power has announced an alliance with Sony Music UK which will see the creation of a new rock label to be called Search & Destroy. It will be headed up by Raw Power’s Tristan Lillingston, a former Sony A&R man. The first signings will be Don Broco and While She Sleeps.

Confirming the new label venture and Sony partnership, Raw Power CEO Craig Jennings told reporters last week: “Having grown up listening to so many great Sony artists, it’s a great privilege to be starting a joint venture with [Sony UK chief] Nick Gatfield and his team that I look forward to lasting for many years to come. Some of my favourite artists and releases have been with Sony, including the Clash and Iggy And The Stooges, from whom we have borrowed the Search And Destroy moniker, it being the opening song on the classic ‘Raw Power’ album”.

Gatfield added: “Craig Jennings is widely acknowledged as the industry’s leading rock management and artist development expert – no one understands the artists, music and global marketing of the genre better. The creation of the Search & Destroy label is the natural extension and outlet for his knowledge and expertise and will undoubtedly be the leading rock label in the market. I’m delighted Craig has chosen Sony to partner with on the venture and I look forward to global success with him in the near future”.

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