Recording and Production in the News

Prism Sound Sponsors Pro7ect’s 2018 Songwriting Retreat

Prism Sound’s acclaimed audio converters and interfaces will feature in a pop up studio manned by Mercury Award Winning producer and composer Talvin Singh.

Cambridge, UK. August 15th 2017: Acclaimed audio equipment manufacturer Prism Sound has announced its support for Pro7ect, an innovative songwriting retreat that encourages collaboration between creative people in supportive and inspiring places.

Mercury Award Winning producer and composer Talvin Singh

Established five years ago by creative director Lisa Fitzgibbon and Ivor Novello nominated producer/composer Ian Wallman, Pro7ect gives songwriters and artists the opportunity to work with A-list producers to write, record and produce great music in professionally equipped pop up studios. These face to face collaborations has already resulted in success, with songs from previous events attracting attention from the international music industry.

Pro7ect's next retreat will take place at Brighton’s Hotel Pelirocco from 19th – 23rd February 2018. Recording professionals scheduled to attend include Mercury Music Prize winner and accomplished composer, producer, Tabla player and electronic musician Tavin Singh and producer/songwriter Iain Archer, who has won two Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting on Snow Patrol's Final Straw album and James Bay’s Hold Back The River.

Mark Evans, Channel Sales Manager at Prism Sound, says: “Pro7ect is a wonderful event that Prism Sound is delighted to be involved with. The process of songwriting is a beautiful art that is all too often overlooked. Lisa has put together a truly world class group of artists willing to share their creative knowledge to inspire a new generation of songwriters and we’re proud to be able play just a small part in this creative and unique event. We can’t wait to hear the new music that’s created over the course of the week.”

For the duration of Pro7ect 2018, Talvin Singh will take up residence in the Prism Sound pop up studio, a fully equipped recording facility featuring a selection of the company’s state of the art digital audio interfaces and converters that are already a key part of Singh’s own recording set up. Widely regarded as the father of modern Asian music thanks to his innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass. Singh won the Mercury Music Prize in 1999 for his debut solo album OK and was also awarded an OBE in the Queen’s 2014 Birthday Honours list. He has collaborated with many artists including David Sylvian, Björk, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Madonna and Massive Attack.

Lisa Fitzgibbon says: “Talvin will bring an entirely new dimension to the Pro7ect experience and we can’t wait to hear the music that is created in his Prism Sound pop up studio. We are also thrilled that Prism Sound is sponsoring Pro7ect in 2018 – they are the perfect partner for our events as they have a similar philosophy.”

Pro7ect encourages collaboration by splitting participants into teams and allowing each team to spend one day working with each producer. The teams write and records a track a day, with songs written for one of the artists in the room or to spec using tip sheets. Every evening there is a feedback session where teams play the result of their day’s work to the entire group. These sessions often result in large volumes of material being written and recorded in a very short space of time. In 2017, for example, 20 songs were written and recorded in just four days. Six of these songs were optioned by artists and publishers less than a week after the event concluded.

Producers and artists who have taken part in previous years include Youth (Sir Paul McCartney/The Verve/Echo & The Bunnymen/The Orb), Roni Size (Reprazent, Method Man, Zac de la Rocha), John Fortis (Razorlight, Ellie Goulding, Yellowdays), Stew Jackson (Massive Attack/Phantom Limb), Andrew Levy (Brand New Heavies), Billy Crabtree, Lily Dior, Eleni Drake and Georgia Train, part of the production and writing team Xenomania whose recent credits include the title track of the Kaiser Chiefs’ 2016 album Stay Together.

The cost of participating is between £1089 and £1299, which includes food and accommodation for four nights. Places are limited and anyone wishing to take part should visit www.pro7ect.com to apply. UK applicants can now apply for funding through the PRS Foundation Writer/Producers Fund. For more information please visit: http://www.prsformusicfoundation.com/funding/writer-producer-fund/