Rhythm Lab: Music Collaboration Project

Rhythm Lab is an opportunity for up and coming artists to team up together to produce original tracks.

Remote Rhythm Lab 2020

Remote Rhythm Lab is a project in which we have partnered Manchester based artists with four artists from around the world, challenging them to explore virtual methods of collaborating and creating music. The project was made possible with support from Arts Council and Jägermeister.

The four tracks were released on Friday 19th June 2020 on Bandcamp – 100% of all Bandcamp and Rhythm Lab’s share of sales on the day were donated to NAACP Legal Defence Fund in support of the BLM movement. You can listen to these tracks on Bandcamp and Spotify.

Each of the artists involved have documented their experience, offering an insight into how music production can transcend borders. The image above is a still from episode 3 from music producer Imaginary Part who spent lockdown residing in Yorkshire.

EPISODE 1: Angel Bat Dawid & Berry Blacc

Chicago based composer, clarinettist, pianist and vocalist Angel Bat Dawid paired with vocalist and hip-hop/Jazz producer Berry Blacc.

Despite the physical distance between them, their creative spirits clearly aligned in their emotive encapsulation of the current moment with their tribute to ‘George FLoyd’

EPISODE 2: Contours & KMRU

Contours – whose sound explores the spaces, rhythms and textures that sit between House, Jazz, Afro, Latin, broken-beat and Hip Hop – will collaborate with KMRU, a field and sound artist, producer based in Nairobi renowned for his evocative electronic music.

Watch how they overcame the distance beteeen them of over 6000 miles, to create a bridge between their musical worlds, resulting in ‘Portals’

If you want to see the other episodes for this project, head to reforms youtube channel here.

Rhythm Lab Volume 1 2018.

The original Rhythm Lab in 2018 took five pairs of musicians and producers into the studio to give them the space collaborate.

Episode 1 : Denis Jones and Luke Leadbelly

The Ninja Tune affiliated Denis Jones partnered with exciting new bass influenced producer Luke Leadbelly.

Episode 2: Sam Healey and Feral Mittens

During day two, prolific jazz man Sam Healey met with experimental noise maker and experienced collaborator Feral Mittens.

For more episodes, head on over to the Reform Radio Youtube Channel here, and once gain head to Bandcamp or Spotify to listen to the tracks produced!