Crate diggers are all too familiar with the ridiculous prices most library music fetches these days. To be frank, these same prices have remained true since the 90s, although they may have fluctuated here and there. Labels such as KPM Music and the vast libraries of Music De Wolfe can be found on sites like eBay and Discogs, with price tags ranging anywhere between $25 to upwards of $150.
For the consummate producer-digger, paying such high prices usually results in more original compositions, whereas the average beatmaker/producer will find themselves scrambling through Motown and Stax’s deep discography, or finding the oddball, left field record in dollar bins. Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course. It’s just that getting one’s fingers dusty while searching for more obscure sounds—something that hasn’t been sampled before—has been one of the backbones of digging culture. It all boils down to exclusivity, much like the old days of reggae soundclashes.
Escondido, California multi-instrumentalist Brian Ellis is making things a bit easier (especially on the pockets) for like-minded crate diggers, with the impending release of his new album Mirror/Mirror, due out on May 19th through Chit Chat Records.
The album is reported to draw inspiration from obscure library music, 70s album-oriented/progressive rock and early 80s funk, but can also be filed under genres such as vaporwave.
To get a small taste of what to expect on Mirror/Mirror, dig into Brian’s new single “To Heck With It” and pre-order the album on iTunes.
