Studio News - Adam Dempsey Mastering

Mastering in 2022 and thank you

A huge thank you to all who’ve kept me busy mastering their music in 2022. In particular, with albums that had been on hold for many reasons during 2020-21 having been mixed and finally ready for release, it’s been an intensely busy time!

Standout releases of 2022

I write this also to mention standout releases of the year: Grace Cummings’ LP Storm Queen, Eastbound Buzz‘s EP Yathella, Joyce Prescher’s 2nd album Out of My Mind. Harris‘ EP Defiantly Maybe, and James Marples‘ On Polaroid. Anita Lester’s powerful singles Earthly Desire, Sacred Heart, and Jukebox ahead of her new album The Clown. And awesome singles from Blackchords, Priscilla Stanley, Prudns, and Josh Cashman’s Dopamine and Blue Eyes as he toured the Europe and the USA.

Special congrats to Music Victoria Award nominees Damon Smith, The Weeping Willows, and winner of Best Folk Work Kerryn Fields for her album Water (mastered for digital and vinyl release).

To The Weeping Willows, with a Grammy Award consideration for their album You Reap What You Sow, as well as two Golden Guitar Awards (and a further three nominations for 2023)!

And to Australian Folk Music Award finalists Above The Bit, Justin Bernasconi, Joyce Prescher, The Lost Clog, The Weeping Willows, and Lucy Wise.

And to Freya Josephine Hollick, with her epic album The Real World, produced and mixed by Roger Bergodaz at Union St Studio and featuring Lucinda Williams’ band Buick 6. Mastered also for digital, CD, and vinyl release, the album has landed a host of deserved accolades!:

Album of the Week on both PBS FM and Triple R (Melbourne)
Australian Music Prize nominee
ARIA Top 10 Country Charts for two weeks, debuting at no.2
ARIA Top 10 Vinyl Albums Charts (landing between Alice In Chains and Björk)
Feature Album – ABC Country
Top 50 Best Albums – Double J
No.1 Fav Albums of 2022 – Post To Wire
Apple Music playlisted
Not to mention rave reviews incl Forte, and Rhythms magazines!

Freya Josephine Hollick The Real World album cover

Freya Josephine Hollick’s album ‘The Real World’

Stay well, remember to gift music for the holiday season, collaborate in your recording and mixing stages, take care of your hearing and, as always, send only mixes you love to mastering!

Sláinte!

Adam

Audio Mastering With 2020 Hindsight

December 31, 2020 by adam

Awards, Mastering tips, News, Recent Projects

Audio Mastering, Audio mastering Australia, Australian Blues Music Awards, COVID-19, Independent Music, International Womens Day, Music Mastering, Music Victoria Awards, New Music, New Releases, Professional audio mastering

2020 – what a year. Who isn’t saying that? And yet it was highly productive for many. Audio mastering with 2020 hindsight, and marking 25 years since first mastering for cassette tapes, to say it’s a privilege to be on board for so many artists’ projects is always an understatement. Thank you to all who kept me busy through 2020 and who helped listeners and fans with a less surreal existence in lockdowns. Suffice to say: stay well, stay supportive, stay creative.

2021 will have its own challenges and successes. Firstly, take a breath, make time for music – and really listen. I can tell you, that’s where the magic is. ✨

Collaborate and create. Remember: music helps.

As more artists work in isolation and with less collaboration than ever, a fresh and objective listen and perspective offered by professional mastering has never been more vital.

adam dempsey mastering select credits of 2020

Select mastered releases of 2020

Recent mastering projects

Early in 2020 new albums Blood & Longing from legendary Australian songwriter Neil Murray, and On Diamond’s debut LP made Album of the Week at PBS FM, Triple R, and ZZZ.

By International Women’s Day (March 8) I was fortunate to count projects for: Charlotte Abroms, Yara Alkurd, Zoe A’dore, Hannah Blackburn, Hannah Campbell, Laura Coates (The Weeping Willows), Marita Dyson (The Orbweavers), Lou Lou at 3MDR, Tess Guthrie, Georgia Knight, Melbs bb, Jane McArthur, Angie McMahon with Leif Vollebekk, Marloe., Angie Moon, Kelly Day & Jane Hendry (Broads), Ruth Roshan, Lisa Salvo (On Diamond), Stellie, Miller Soding, Penelope Swales, Brooke Taylor, Liz & Sarah Taylor (Taylor Project), El Tee, Lucy Travis (Rya Park), Grace Turner, Juice Webster, and Velvet Bloom.

Projects were also mastered for The Bell Streets, Charlie and the Rays (NYC), a single and debut album for Josh Cashman, Chasing Ghosts, Creature Fear, Connor Black-Harry, Devorah, Jayden Dunne, Fosika, debut album for Grand Pine, Eastbound Buzz, Electric Self, Ben Mason, Modern Opera, The Smallgoods, RAT!hammock, Tiaryn, Wurli, Melle (Netherlands), M1LDL1FE (Singapore), Parkville, Art Pleasley, Vaughan (UK), new singles and long player for Yeo, and album three for The Weeping Willows.

All the while, congrats to Lloyd Spiegel on taking three (3) Australian Blues Music Awards (Album, Artist, and Producer of the Year with Robert B Dillon) for his album Cut and Run as well as the Music Victoria Award for Best Blues Album.

And to Angie McMahon for her APRA Song of the Year shortlist nomination (Pasta), her cover of Total Eclipse of the Heart out via Amazon Music for bushfire relief, AusIndies AIR Award for her album Salt, Music Victoria Award nominations for Best Rock Album and Best Solo Artist, and the release of new EP Piano Salt!

Sticky Fingers‘ debut album Caress Your Soul reached Platinum sales. And props to Mijo Biscan on the release of an awesomely epic album Golden Moment, produced by Marty Brown (Art of Fighting, who also released their long-awaited return Luna Low, mastered for vinyl). Additionally, there’s Mijo’s excellent podcast interview series on creativity and the music industry.

Bandcamp Fridays

It’s encouraging to see Bandcamp standup for independent artists and waive their fees on a Friday each month for purchase of physical product, downloads, and merchandise. (Tip: downloads sound better than streaming!). This deserves applause.

And now for commercial radio – if they would cut back on the repetition and begin to so easily support more local artists it would be a game-changer, both for exposure to new audiences and for airplay royalties. This is something so do-able at this time when fairer representation of contemporary and diversity in the arts has never been more necessary.

Thank you to clients of 2019

December 24, 2019 by adam

News, Recent Projects

Audio Mastering, Audio mastering Australia, Mastered releases of 2019, Mastering, Mastering engineers Australia, Professional audio mastering

Thank you to all artists, engineers, producers, and labels for having me on their team for mastering their music releases of 2019. Always a privilege!

Select mastered releases of 2019

Best wishes for (and looking forward to) more music-making throughout 2020…

ARIA Awards and Music Victoria Awards 2019 Nominees

November 29, 2019 by adam

Awards, News, Recent Projects

Angie McMahon, ARIA Award nominees, ARIA Awards, Audio mastering Australia, Mastering, Music Victoria Award nominees, Music Victoria Awards, On Diamond, Professional audio mastering

Congratulations to all ARIA Award and Music Victoria Award 2019 nominees, in particular On Diamond and Angie McMahon – both worthy nominees for Best Album, and to Angie’s nomination also for Best Solo Artist and Best Female Musician!

While Angie McMahon’s second single ‘Missing Me’ also went Gold (adding to ‘Slow Mover’ earlier in 2019), her album ‘Salt’ also gained a worthy ARIA Award nomination for Best Independent Release!

An absolute pleasure and privilege to be part of the team in mastering these epic, standout albums of 2019.

Angie McMahon Salt and Gold

July 8, 2019 by adam

Awards, News, Recent Projects

Angie McMahon certified Gold, Angie McMahon Salt, Audio Mastering, mastered for vinyl, mastering Angie McMahon, Professional audio mastering, Slow Mover Goes Gold

Powerhouse performer and songwriter Angie McMahon goes gold and from strength to strength. Having just announced the release of her debut album Salt, first single Slow Mover was accredited Gold in May by ARIA.

Angie recently signed a record deal with AWAL and returned to Melbourne after touring Europe and the UK. She then announced an Australian tour and released her latest single And I Am A Woman (admittedly, her favourite track on Salt).

On the heels of four singles receiving national airplay, Salt is one of the most highly anticipated album releases of 2019. Bassist Alex O’Gorman expertly mixed the album, showcasing Angie’s captivating dynamics. Respecting the engaging light and shade of Angie’s performances is something to which we paid particular attention. Additionally we mastered Salt especially for vinyl release, keeping it high-resolution. (Remember: the lacquer cutting engineer is the final arbiter to audio quality on vinyl).

Angie McMahon seems to always keep top gear in reserve in both performing and recording. Energizing, totally genuine, and a pleasure to work with. All strength to you, Angie and team!

Salt, rock, and gold, but definitely not sodium deficient.

Blues Music Awards

February 10, 2019 by adam

Awards, News

Audio Mastering, Australian Blues Awards, Blues and Roots Radio Worldwide Album of the Year, Lloyd Spiegel, VICTAS Blues Music Awards

Congratulations to Lloyd Spiegel, whose latest album Backroads is winner of the Blues and Roots Radio Worldwide Album of the Year! This makes Lloyd the first Australian recipient of this international award.

Additionally, Backroads won four Australian Blues Music “Chain” Awards: Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Artist of the Year and Producer of the Year.

If that weren’t enough, Lloyd also took gongs for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year at the 2018 VicTas Blues Awards. Backroads was also nominated for Best Blues Album at The Age Music Victoria Awards 2018.

Wowing audiences when touring internationally, such recognition is testament to Lloyd Spiegel’s masterful performances, energy, songwriting, and humour.

Lloyd has had Adam on board for mastering seven albums to date. This includes his debut (of which Lloyd himself no longer has a copy!).

Previous albums This Time Tomorrow, Double Live Set and Tangled Brew also won Australian Blues Music Awards, The Age Music Victoria Awards, and VicTas Awards.

Check out Lloyd Spiegel’s back catalogue at lloydspiegel.com.

Triple J Hottest 100 of 2018

January 30, 2019 by adam

News

Angie McMahon, Audio Mastering, Australian artists, Australian music, Didirri, Hottest 100 of 2018, Radio airplay, Triple J Hottest 100

Congrats to all artists in Triple J’s Hottest 100 of 2018 including Angie McMahon and Didirri!

Voted by listeners of Australia’s national youth broadcaster, the Hottest 100 is a staple of the music landscape each summer.

Angie and Didirri are two of the hardest-working and most captivating artists I’ve been privileged to work with.

Furthermore, their music retains natural dynamics (not slammed for loudness during mastering!). In turn, this means the result respects their performances while still sounding great on radio.

Listen out for new music from them both throughout 2019!

Music releases of 2018

January 1, 2019 by adam

News, Recent Projects

Audio Mastering, Highlights of 2018, Mastering in Australia, Professional audio mastering

Sincere thanks to all clients for having me on board for their mastered music releases of 2018. It’s a nothing short of a privilege to be part of a team crafting a work into its final form. Every music project is unique and, as such, each mastering session is like finding and unlocking its own “code”.

As always, the year involved a diverse array of mastering projects. Local, national, and international artists spanned neoclassical, contemporary jazz, experimental, alt-rock, post-rock, country, folk, pop, hip-hop, electronica, and world music.

Looking forward to more unique projects for 2019! Remember to get in touch to book your mastering session ahead of any deadlines (and allow for any final mix tweaks prior to mastering!).

Wishing everyone the best for a healthy, peaceful, musically prosperous and preposterous new year ahead.

Select mastering credits of 2018

Music Victoria Awards winner Best Country Album

November 23, 2018 by adam

Awards, News

Audio Mastering, Country Music mastering, James Ellis and The Jealous Guys, Mastering, Melbourne Music, The Age Music Victoria Awards

Hats off congratulations to James Ellis and The Jealous Guys on winning the Music Victoria Awards Best Country Album!

It Ain’t Texas (But It Ain’t Bad) was recorded and mixed by Roger Bergodaz at Union Street Studios, Melbourne, with piano recorded by Idge at Soundpark. The album was mastered especially for both digital and vinyl LP release, preserving its detail and dynamic range.

The Music Victoria Awards reflect a diverse and renowned music scene in Melbourne and regional Victoria. Congratulations of course go to all nominees and winners. Such projects are a huge team effort and, as always, it’s a privilege to be part of the team.

The Vast Project

November 19, 2018 by adam

News, Recent Projects

Audio Mastering, Australian artists, Mastered For iTunes, Mastering, MFiT, The Vast Project, Vast

It’s been a privilege to be part of The Vast Project in mastering Vast – an 18 track collection of some of Australia’s finest songwriters. The album spans rock, folk, and country music, including artists Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger), Sally Seltman, Glenn Richards (Augie March), Paul Dempsey (Something For Kate), Rowena Wise, Paul McDermott, and more.

Written and recorded in the remote town of Cossack (Bajinhurrba) WA, during a week in Sep 2017, the project turned the western Pilbara town into an artists’ hub, with sculptors, painters and musicians alike reflecting on the land and landscapes. A documentary is to follow.

Congratulations to the team on a huge effort: Jae Laffer, Qynn Beardman, Aimee Chapman, engineer Anna Laverty, and all involved in bringing this together.

For more on the project including the track list, see: The Vast Project.

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