Meet the New Members of Stonx Music
We invite you all to extend a warm welcome to the new team at Stonx Music. Proudly introducing the latest additions, signalling an exciting new chapter in the label’s journey. With a blend of seasoned expertise and fresh energy, these new members promise to shape the label’s future.
Daniel (FauxRealz) adds a unique perspective to Stonx Music’s A&R team. With a background in DJing and a fervent passion for drum and bass, FauxRealz is poised to uncover the next wave of ground-breaking artists.
Alex (R0hl), a seasoned music aficionado, talented producer and DJ, joins as a pivotal talent scout and oversees our social media endeavours. His experience in record shops and passion for Drum & Bass make him an invaluable asset to Stonx Music.
Sinan (Sindicate), a skilled producer and DJ, joins the team as our esteemed mastering engineer, bringing his exceptional musical talents and keen ear to Stonx Music.
These individuals embody Stonx Music’s spirit of community and commitment to garnering upcoming talent, with their expertise and passion, we’re ready to embark on an exciting journey!
Ollie (Stonx)
Excited to meet our newest team members? Dive deeper into their backgrounds, aspirations, and visions for Stonx Music by reading their exclusive interviews below.
R0Hl:
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background in the music industry?
I’ve been a DJ for many years, and a producer for a short time, but I’ve always been a music lover. In the early 2000s I fell into the rave parties that were organized in Valencia. In those days, the events were very eclectic, and the musical variety was extensive. But jungle/DnB was extremely rare. There were hardly any references here, and the few people who had visited the UK had brought us the sounds from there. I was dazzled by the music, the rhythm, the harmonies, the complexity or simplicity with which it had been produced, and it affected me obsessively to the point of wanting to know everything about this music and its environment.
From there my interest was born, and my desire to get involved in some way. Starting with DJing, I ended up working in a vinyl shop, in charge of the DnB section. At the same time, I participated in Spanish DnB forums, creating chronicles about the parties, the national DJ’s and the international stars that visited us, which were not few. I’ve always been a melomaniac, and a bit obsessive, and so it happened with DnB. My first influences were Bad Company, Ed Rush & Optical, and Stakka & Skynet or BSE. But I’ve followed the different sub-styles, and my musical taste has met with a lot of people’s approval.
What inspired you to join our record label?
After a break of a few years and a reintroduction to the scene, I decided to seek new horizons. The old producers have gradually moved aside, leaving room for new stars to emerge. The last 10 years have seen the scene evolve a lot, and music production has been “democratized”, allowing new talents to emerge. In my eagerness to do my bit, looking for those pockets of new ideas, I found Ollie and James, their music and the Stonx community.
A friendly environment in which to talk and learn, we are a diverse and open group, where we have found mutual support and where we can let our imaginations and creativity run wild. It is from this point, where we are offered the opportunity to participate, help and consolidate Stonx Music, and my personal starting point in this project.
What do you hope to achieve in your role here?
I would like to see this project grow and establish its trajectory. There are very good producers/musicians here, and there are also very good relationships with producers outside of Stonx Music. It’s a pleasure to meet them all, and to be able to share our experiences. I hope my contribution will help to keep the scene thriving, and to keep Neurofunk growing.
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Sindicate:
Can you share your journey to joining Stonx Music?
Back then when I had my debut release on Drevobos Recordings (RU) I got in contact with Stonx the first time who had a release on the same label shortly before. After participating at their remix competition of their single Bad Robot I became an active member of the Stonx Music Discord community. It was an amazing place where producers were sharing production techniques with each other but it also had this family atmosphere, which made it so much fun to be active. At this point, Stonx Music wasn’t really a label with various artists, but only had self-releases. Together we decided to release my first single on Stonx Music and from that point on they decided to run this as a record label. As a Stonx Music artist I was very close with the label works all the time already and it was just a matter of time to actually join the team.
What unique role do you play in the label?
The feedback channel on discord was an essential part of the Stonx Community. I was constantly receiving feedback on every work I’ve done in my DAW and was also giving back constructive feedback. From time to time, my passion for clean mixdowns and loud masters grew by absorbing all the knowledge and various techniques of big artists in the Neurofunk scene.
I quickly learned the ability to recognize which frequencies were missing or too much in order to take the mix to a higher level, so I’ve offered my help on the masters for the Stonx Music VA-compilation Disciples Of Distortion and became more and more involved in the mastering process for the label releases. So I’m happy to do the mastering now for Stonx Music. I know in mastering people can have personal preferences and different opinions and that’s why every master I make gets reviewed and discussed by the whole team.
What excites you most about your journey with Stonx Music?
Stonx Music is already releasing high quality music and I want to contribute my work as a mastering engineer with the aim of always delivering the best quality. I’m honored to represent the label as an artist aswell, while frequently releasing on Stonx Music myself and growing together.
Links:
FauxRealz:
What drew you to our record label and made you want to join the team?
I knew as soon as I was invited to join this group on Discord a while back, it was something special. I saw a group of DnB lovers, producers, and mixers of all levels sharing their knowledge, tips and tricks, giving constructive and meaningful feedback, and lifting each other up at every opportunity. This is an ideology that I too have, so when the opportunity arose to join the team, it was a no-brainer for me.
What unique skills or experiences do you bring to your role?
Well, I try to stay positive in any situation. As a record label, we obviously can’t sign everything that comes our way. I try hard to stay positive with the artist that we have to say “no, not this time” to, and encourage them to keep pushing and thriving. If we don’t push each other and help one another to grow, the scene, the community, and the music can become stagnant very fast.
As for experience, I did help to start Dialect Audio, and still continue to work closely with Eerik over there. It’s been an amazing journey, that quite honestly, neither of us were ready for what was in store. We learned a lot through trial and error (still learning), and hopefully I can bring some of what I learned over here. That being said, Stonx Music is a well established and respected label at this point, so in reality, I can guarantee that I’ll end up learning more than what I can show these guys, lol.
What are you most excited about as you start your journey with us?
I’m excited to get to know some of the artists on a deeper level. Sure, we talk and joke in the Discord and socials all the time, but to get to know them on a more personal level, while they are creating what is their passion, is something entirely different. Seeing what makes their brain tick, and the inner workings of who and what they are is exciting! Plus, I get to work with Ollie, Sinan, and Alex! How could I not be excited?!
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As Stonx Music continues to evolve and expand, we’re eager to see what we can achieve as a team. With talented individuals like R0Hl, Sindicate, and FauxRealz joining us, we believe Stonx Music is on the right path. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to explore new horizons and make our mark on the music landscape, one track at a time.
Words by STONX and Stonx Music Co – Founder Ollie Barron
