Just a couple of months ago, as the leaves turned a fiery golden red, we began a series exploring the effect seasons have on our musical palette. We listed our top cozy albums for fall/autumn, and then asked you, the readers, to share your personal favorites. With winter now upon us, and Christmas just a few days away, it’s time … Read More
Mastering Vinyl: Alchemy’s Barry Grint on What Makes a Great Record, and the Importance of Quality Control
When it comes to producing and releasing a vinyl record, much of the final outcome hangs on the mastering process. During this final polishing stage, a great mix can either be sent to the stratosphere or drowned in a ditch (figuratively speaking). Any mastering engineer worth one’s salt will take a great deal of care in ensuring the hard work … Read More
Soft Machine – Seven: Liner Notes According to Black Circle Radio Vol 2
Welcome to Liner Notes – Volume Two. Each month BCR founder and host, Mitch Anderson brings you an “album of the month” as chosen by the man himself. You can expect an eclectic range of music, along with an honest write-up of each featured record. We hope you’ll discover something new as we endeavor to take you on a musical … Read More
Pro-Ject VC-S2 ALU Vacuum Record Cleaning Machine Review
Sound Matters test Pro-Ject’s new and improved flagship vacuum-powered record cleaning machine: Keeping your vinyl records clean is essential if you want them to sound great for a lifetime and beyond. For this reason, vinyl record cleaning remains one of the most-read topics on Sound Matters. For those on a tight budget, you can achieve great results cleaning records by … Read More
Hate Dust? These Premium 4-Mil Inner Record Sleeves Could be Just the Ticket
Canadian-based company, Vinyl Storage Solutions (VSS) made a big impact on the vinyl community earlier this year when their innovative take on the humble outer record sleeve began flying off the shelves. Company founder, Mike Sarazin set out to improve on existing designs by incorporating 100% North American materials, and by introducing an innovative dual pocket design. (Check out our … Read More
The Vinyl Alliance – Why Co-Founder, Bryan Ekus Wants to Unite the Record Industry
As 2019 draws to a close, Vinyl records continue to thrive. Just a couple of months ago, new figures released by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) revealed that vinyl sales figures could surpass CD for the first time since 1986. In our digital age, the rebirth of vinyl is nothing short of spectacular, but, for momentum to continue, … Read More
Joe Henderson – In Pursuit Of Blackness: Liner Notes According to Black Circle Radio
Welcome to the first issue of “Liner Notes According to Black Circle Radio”. Each month BCR founder and host, Mitch Anderson brings you an “album of the month” as chosen by the man himself. You can expect an eclectic range of music, along with an honest write-up of each featured record. We hope you’ll discover something new as we endeavor to … Read More
Are Vinyl Download Cards Dead?
Just a few short years ago, vinyl download cards were considered fairly standard practice. They were part of the package, part of the appeal of buying vinyl – if only as a bonus. And at the time, it made sense. Digital downloads were still a mainstream format for music consumption, and a downloadable copy made the physical vinyl more appealing … Read More
Black Circle Radio Interview – Ten Years of All-Vinyl Broadcasting
Now in its tenth year, Michigan-based Black Circle Radio (BCR) is celebrating a full decade of all-vinyl programming. Their eclectic display of music and impeccable dedication to music on wax has earned them a strong reputation across the vinyl community. To mark this significant milestone, and to see what the future holds, we caught up with BCR founder and host, … Read More
Vinyl Revenue Looks Set to Overtake CD – But is it all Hype?
Vinyl sales figures could be on track to overtake CD sales by the end of the year, but should we really be surprised? Is it all just hype? Here’s our take on the recently released figures: According to new figures released in the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) mid-year report, vinyl records earned $224.1 million (from 8.6 million units) … Read More