ON THE RECORD: JIM CARROLLon music
Every week, record labels send music journalists promotional copies of forthcoming albums for review. It’s a quid pro quo: journalists get to hear the albums in advance and the record labels know the reviews will appear in publications on the week of release.
But music piracy had made a dent in this arrangement as some pre-release albums end up on file-sharing sites. Because the promo albums are watermarked, the labels can trace the leaks back to the source and, lo and behold, it turns out that some journalists were taking liberties with the albums.
This week, Ninja Tune reacted to the fact that two of their forthcoming albums were leaked by naming the journalist they believed was involved. The label claimed in a blog post that Benjamin Jager at Backspinmagazine in Germany had leaked albums by Toddla T and Thundercat.
Jager subsequently issued a statement distancing the magazine from the label’s claims, pointing out that the first leaks had appeared before the magazine had received the CDs in question.
This is not the only case of a music hack supposedly leaking pre-release albums. Earlier this year, it was alleged that an Irish journalist who had received a pre-release copy of the latest Gang Gang Dance had leaked it to a file-sharing site.
All of this means labels are becoming increasingly protective of new albums and are spending more money to protect their assets. Some albums, such as recent releases from Beyoncé and Odd Future whizzkid Tyler, the Creator, were not sent out for review at all, the equivalent of films opening in the cinemas without a press screening.
Ironically, journalists who wanted to hear Beyonce’s new album for review could have done so on a plethora of file-sharing sites, as the album had already been leaked. It seems that it’s not just unscrupulous hacks who are illegally uploading new releases.
NEW MUSIC
THEME PARKLondon's Theme Park already sound like the real deal on the evidence of forthcoming single A Mountain We Love/Waxfor ParadYse. Theme Park's impressive tropical pop with shimmering trimmings is set to show up on many radars in the coming months. themeparkband.com
DOG IS DEADFive-piece from Nottingham who got a significant start on the ladder with placement on the SkinsTV show for their bright, shiny, exuberant pop.
Recently released EP Your Childhoodis quite a treat, especially Glockenspiel Song myspace.com /dogisdeadband
WYVERN LINGOBray trio Karen Cowley, Saoirse Duane and Caoimhe Barry have been gaining plenty of props for their lush harmonies and striking melodic pop. Catch them at Knockanstockan tomorrow or at Bray Summer Fest on July 31st. breakingtunes.com/ wyvernlingo
NOW PLAYING
The Jezabels Endless Summer(Self release) Our favourite new Australian band prepare for forthcoming debut album Prisoner with a humdinger of a tune.
Basement Jaxx vs Metropole Orkest Basement Jaxx vs Metropole Orkest(Atlantic Jaxx) The Jaxx's carnival euphoria gets a whole new lease of life from the Dutch orchestra.
Tinariwen Tenere Taqqim Tossam(V2) TV On the Radio's Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe join the Malian desert bluesmen for a ghostly, bewitching cut from forthcoming album Tassili.
Metronomy The English Riviera(Because) One of the albums of the year receives a well-deserved spot on the Mercury Prize shortlist.
Toddla T Watch Me Dance(Ninja Tune) Infectious, superfly title track from Steel City producer Toddla T's second album with Roots Manuva on vocals.
