Analog Record Project
FMT's music continually seeks innovative ways to express its unique essence. The creation of this analog record represents one such effort. By transforming music from mere data into a physical work of art, this project aims to enhance the listening experience and imbue it with a new sense of value. Below, we delve into the background and process of this endeavor.
(TI writes:)
This 10-inch vinyl EP is "cut, not pressed," making it a unique, non-mass-produced item.
It represents the first tangible manifestation of FMT's music, which inherently lacks physical form.
The sound emanating from this object results from the vibration of the needle tracing its grooves, creating a listening experience distinct from hearing FMT's music online.
These analogue records are not made as general mass-produced products, but are so-called ‘one-offs’.
Conventional analogue record production methods are based on the assumption of mass production: a lacquer disc is cut from the master sound source, a transfer is made to make a stamper, and the vinyl chloride (PVC) material is pressed from that stamper. However, the new record is produced using a method whereby specialist engineers cut each piece directly onto a PVC disc with exactly the same specifications as the vinyl material.
In searching for a new direction for FMT's activities, we considered that ‘FMT's music is a (artistic) work of art, not a product’ and explored ways to ensure the uniqueness and rarity required of a work of art. As a result, they turned their attention to individually produced analogue records, which reggae DJs call ‘Special’ or ‘Dub Plate. After researching whether there was a service that could produce these analogue records one at a time, we found a service called ‘CUT&REC’.
Until now, such records had been made from acetate, which is easy to process but less durable than PVC, but ‘CUT&REC’ offered an ideal system: they could cut them in PVC and also produce the jackets one by one.
On the other hand, the dilemma was that FMT's work was only ‘data’ and did not meet the general definition of music as ‘music is the expression of air vibrations on a time axis’. As the analogue records produced this time generate sound through the vibrations of the needle, it can be said that FMT's work was the first to be established as a ‘work of music’.
Furthermore, based on the concept of the key visual of the Cube series, Temps et Regard (Time and Gaze), FMT has realised an expression in which ‘a single picture is deconstructed, reconstructed and materialised together with the sound’. Such a concept cannot be realised by FMT alone, and we felt it was worth trying in the future to explore the possibilities of collaboration with other fields.
The size of the record and the tracks included
At first, we considered an LP version containing all the tracks in the ‘Cube series’, but we decided to change to a single disc as the playing time would be almost the same as the available recording time and the sound quality might deteriorate if all the tracks were included.
For the tracks, we chose ‘Le Rêve Restauré (Dream Restored)’, for which the key visuals are used, and ‘Cube 5: Synthétique (Synthetic)’, which includes CT's voice.
The 10-inch size offers the best balance between playing time, recordable time and sound quality for these tracks and is often used for Dub Plate. We also decided that 10‘ was the best choice as 12’ would lack the resolution of the jacket.
Jacket production
The jacket design was based on the one created by CT for online distribution, but the resolution had to be increased for the print version. This was the most time-consuming part, and as we could not use specialised software such as Photoshop or Illustrator, we used free web services to correct the resolution.
Mastering as an analogue record
The Cube series was mastered from the beginning with dynamics and peak adjustments with analogue record production in mind, so very little correction was required as an analogue record. The sound quality specifications are almost identical to those of the masters for music distribution. Furthermore, the same Studio One and LANDR as for FMT were used in the production of CUT&REC, so the ideal sound quality was achieved.
This analog record project offers a fresh way to experience FMT's music. These records, produced as one-of-a-kind pieces, hold artistic value as unique works. While not intended as a promotional effort, we hope this initiative helps to showcase a new dimension of FMT's creative expression and allows more people to appreciate its depth.
We understand that the uniqueness of these one-of-a-kind works might resonate differently with each individual. If you are interested in acquiring such a piece or exploring possibilities for collaboration to create something together, we would be happy to discuss it further. Please feel free to reach out to us directly.
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