Test Pressing & Pure Beauty Launch Mixtape Series

I am not sure if its ok to spam our own forum but I guess we’re allowed hehehe.

We’ve launched a mixtape series. First up is Yu Su. There’s not many and I made them super cheap so anyone can hopefully afford who has a tape player. We’ve sold 5 already so it looks like they will go which is nice.

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Nice. Looks great too.

Good choice to kick off the series. I wouldn’t know where to start looking for someone with a tape player, good luck finding another 65! :slightly_smiling_face: No digi?

They seem to be flowing out nicely so it seems we are tape players in this day and age. Kind of like the idea of no digi tbh. It just exists in these spaces then it stays special… Feels like an antidote to the ‘we can have anything’ age we all live in.

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I’m teasing, although got to admit tapes are not my favourite and I ditched them as soon as I could, I might have gone for a mix CD though, but I guess those still aren’t retro enough, surely that’s just a matter of time though?

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I think CDs are incoming definitely. Quick to produce. Hold data in clean form. It makes total sense tbh. I am working on a long form project and am totally into the idea of making a CD.

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The problem I always had with CD’s (not all of course) is the way they were mastered - pushed to within an inch of their life, for max volume, at the cost of the dynamics of the music.

They are the easiest and most cost effective way to put out a physical release.

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You can’t blame the format for that! I’ve got a ton of badly recorded, pressed, mastered, reproduced vinyl. I think CDs got a bad rep from when they were first introduced there was lots of shoddy digital mastering which was relative quickly rectified as people came to terms with the new technology and possibilities, but not before a lot of reputational damage was done. They have a larger frequency range than vinyl.

The second hand CD market is a great way to pick up old classic recordings at the moment for peanuts and I agree that they are on their way to becoming cool. Don’t chuck your CD Walkman just yet.

To be honest apart from the Retromania (A must read) factor of tapes I think the resurgence has largely been driven by labels that think unless they are putting something physical out they aren’t a proper label, vinyl became too expensive and delayed and CDs too uncool, so tapes it was.

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We have this in our kitchen…

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Agree that it’s not the format at fault and the superior frequency range. From my own experience, I have had a lot more CD’s that are unplayable than vinyl, and I never bought that many in comparison.

Probably similar to buying digital music files now - just bad mastering.

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The main issue with mastering now is the loudness, but that mainly applies to pop and dance music. Most digital music sounds great, but you do need a good DAC, the ones in your computer and phone are crap. I’ve got one of these sticking out the back of my computer - DragonFly Series · AudioQuest, makes the world of difference, not bad for a posh USB…

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Yep, definitely all dance music stuff that was unplayable and maxed out on headspace

I think for me they tapes me back to those days of making tapes for mates, recording off the radio, making mix tapes (having to start over as you fucked up the mix right at the end of the tape) and just the general nice feel of tape and the turning wheels. You can sort of see the extension in modular synths now with people recording direct onto reel to reel. And yeah agreed it’s easy to make them too.

With the mastering and production it feels like Dolby Atmos (surround sound) is making waves and will become more and more prevalent so I can imagine that having an impact.

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I have loads of tape bought in London early 90s from Camden Market and when flying records was in Kensington Market they always had really good quality. They used to do a monthly tape called Pukka 1,2 ect with the lastest tracks. Us silly paddies thought the Djs name was Pukka until someone corrected us🙄

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I have a Phantasy fm tape from 1989 djs jeckel and Hyde, mixing was some of the best I’ve ever heard, must dig it out. Couldn’t believe hearing Phil Collins In the air tonight being played but it made sense even then,

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I’m still into CDs. Nice to have some information with the music too, I like checking the booklet. Also like the reasonable prices. Tenner for a compilation. Loved those Love International compilations. I have the first 2. I have a tape deck but haven’t plugged it in for about 20 years…

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Need to invest in a pair of these then*

  • apologies for the actual music

https://youtu.be/E5muyKzz9BA

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I’m kind of hoping my old cdjs that still take a cd become collectable…

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I never stopped using tapes and apparently I’m so unfashionable that I’m now back on the cutting edge!

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Also a hood blend tape staple. Ron G #1 or 2 edit- it’s #8) he does the In The Air Tonight with the breakbeat under it and it was ubiquitous for 25 years after coming out of cars and in clubs.

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