Hype Recordings is an Australian Electronic Label founded on January 2013 by WellSaid, Rubberteeth, Uberjakd and Bollocks deejays. The focus of the label is to release good music, no matter the style or genre.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Label Manager Tom Ganly for a chat
STU: Hi Tom , thanks for giving us a moment to chat with you , How’s been so far 2014 for Hype Recordings?
Hey guys, no problem! 2014 was such a big year for us here at Hype. We signed a ton of new artists and also worked with some great label partners such as yourselves on multiple compilations.
STU: Tell us how Hype Recordings was born ?
Basically Hype started out here in Adelaide, Australia from a few mates who were dj’ing together at the time (Bollocks, Wellsaid & Rubberteeth and Uberjakd) we began doing parties together and were all making music, so we thought why not, and Hype Recordings was born!
STU: What is the style of the label ?
Our main style on Hype at the moment is everything electro/edm and of course melbourne bounce. With remixes we like to also experiment a bit, covering everything from trap to deep house.
STU: When listening to demos , how do you decide if it fits to the Hype Recordings sound, what criteria do you use ?
In terms of criteria, obviously the production quality has to be top notch. Then we look at our recent releases and see if the style of the track will be the right fit for our label. We also speak to artists to make sure they themselves are the right fit for the label, if they are passionate as us then it will work well. If the track is good but they have CC’d 12 other emails then we will not respond.
STU: What kind of demos grab your attention easier and why ?
For me the demos that grab my attention are emails that are clear and concise, no point sending us your life story, but at the same time a Soundcloud link on it’s own with no subject on the email won’t grab my attention either. Once listening to the track the first thing I look for is originality. Too many people trying to copy the big sound, my advice would be to just do your own thing! People will eventually take notice.
STU: Are you constantly scouting for new talent ? if yes where and how ?
Always scouting for new talent! We trawl through Soundcloud almost every day just to see what’s happening and who is making what. The demo’s email is also a big one, and then a lot of our friends and current artists will often send us track’s from their friends who we haven’t yet connected with.
STU: What is a normal day on Hype Recordings camp ?
A normal day in the Hype Recordings camp consists of a LOT of coffee and a lot of emails! We go over the schedule constantly and sometimes things have to be moved around on short notice. Running a label can be stressful but it’s also very rewarding.
STU: How do you design your marketing strategies for your releases ?
For us it is a case-by-case basis. Each release is different in terms of potential reach, artist fanbase, etc etc. so we use different strategies for each upcoming release.
STU: What is the level of communication with your artists ?
We speak to our artists regularly, and we’ve been told by our artists that they appreciate how easy it is to get in touch with myself and Mike. A lot of them are now our good friends!
STU: What is your opinion about the rise of streaming and the decline of digital downloads ?
It’s a hard one, as you know Spotify and services like that aren’t really bringing in any income, but at the same time they get the most numbers for our artists. As much as I am not personally a fan of services like that we are looking to embrace it further in 2015 and try and make it work to our advantage.
STU: How many people is involved in the label and what specific task their perform ?
Currently there are 2 of us running most functions of the label. That would be myself and my partner Mike. We divide up the tasks fairly evenly, i’m mostly in charge of distribution, Mike takes care of all the accounting and bookwork, and we spread the A&R and artist liaison out evenly.
STU: What are your top 3 favorite tracks at the moment ?
My top 3 tracks right now are:
Jack U – Take U There (Krunk Bootleg)
Dimatik & Miljay – Summon
Paul Dluxx – Ardisia
STU: What can the fans expect for 2015 ?
We’ve got heaps of stuff lined up for 2015, we have signed a few new guys to Hype over the holidays so we are set for a big year! We also have plenty of new material coming up on our side label Jacked Recordings this year as well.
Demos: demos@hyperecordings.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/hyperecordingsaus
