613 Records, Ottawa’s new “anti-label,” is promoting local talent without forcing them to sell out to big corporations, said the producer.
James Brummel, the producer of 613 Records, said there is a major underrepresentation of local artists in the music industry.
This is a large part of what he said he is trying to rectify with his project: 613 Records and his compilation album, Out of Ottawa, which is “trying to acknowledge Ottawa’s extremely vital music scene.”
“Whether or not people realize it,” Brummel said, “two of the people from Arcade Fire came from Ottawa and went to Canterbury High School.
There are a lot of contemporary records that are being released and they’re inundated with local talent.”
Brummel promotes Ottawa music, and helps bands with booking, distribution and promotion but is not like other major record labels, he said.
613 records is an anti-label which “promotes modern music from Canada’s capital region without the typical label tyranny,” Brummel wrote on the label’s website.
“A major label would make sure they own a certain amount of [a band’s] material. That’s not what I’m doing. I’m making sure that artists don’t have to get a lawyer,” Brummel said.
Brummel said this model came out of his past experiences working in the music industry.
After volunteering at the age of 16 at CKCU FM and other community radio stations he started a non-profit music distributor, August Audio.
613 Records is a transition from August Audio to a more sustainable business model, he said.
It’s not an official label, as it includes many bands which are already signed to other labels. Brummel said he lets artists decide whether they’d like to join a major label or remain independent while he manages their promotion and distribution.
Brummel hand-picked artists’ most recent songs for Out of Ottawa, 613 Records’ first album, he said.
The album includes a diversity of tracks from “Who Killed Ty Conn?” by indie-folk band Dave Norris and Local Ivan’s to the Hilotrons’ electronic “Look Wow!”
Another way Brummel said he differs from major labels is in the packaging.
Brummel, who is also a visual artist, said he takes an economically-responsible approach to album artwork with the belief that less flashy packaging is both cheaper for the producer and music listeners.
“It makes that medium less available to people of lower incomes. I want everyone to listen to this stuff and that includes people who don’t make one hundred grand a year,” he said.
“I want to make art and music for everybody.”
Brian Simms, The Fays and Them Dishslayers , who all have tracks on Out of Ottawa, will be performing Sept. 8 at the Elmdale Tavern for the album release.
