Stobie Sounds

I’ve been really impressed by the output of local record label Stobie Sounds, they combine three of my favourite things, roots music, Adelaide and importantly (as far as this blog is concerned anyway) some great DIY handmade design. Their website states their mission pretty well:

“Stobie Sounds is a small not-for-profit community record label that was set up to help support the local roots music scene in our fair city of Adelaide, South Australia. The label is run by a committee of three volunteers with the support of artists, musicians, studios and promoters who share a passion for roots music in Adelaide. Our mode of producing albums is built around a simple, small scale DIY philosophy. The typical Stobie Sounds release is 50-100 copies. Album sleeves are made from recycled cardboard and hand-printed using traditional techniques. This system allows us to create small batches of delightfully hand-made albums at low cost. We put a premium on simple design and interesting liner notes. Artists retain control over their artistic vision and retain all ownership of copyright in their recordings and compositions. Stobie Sounds takes some income from sales to cover costs and fund new projects.”

It’s great that someone is trying to do something different and interesting in a very difficult environment for local roots musicians, it seems to be a pretty sustainable plan, already reaping some remarkable results (both musically and aesthetically). I love the little pieces on how they made the artwork  for various releases up on the site, the use of hand-stitching, letterpress and screen print ensures that each piece is a one of a kind, a nice little keepsake is this world of digital download. While I’m knocked out by the artwork, the music is actually pretty good as well 🙂 if roots music is your thing. You can buy their releases at their online store, being limited to 50-100 copies you need to be quick though as they usually sell out.