Let’s talk about the masters behind the sound. What happens when producers come out from behind the scenes to show us, the listeners, what it feels like to have an ear for music? British producer Richard Russell, owner and top executive of XL Recordings in London, recently came out with his first album, “Everything is Recorded.” The work displays the expertise Russell has shown us through working with household names, yet it also allows listeners to peek into the magic of a musical mastermind. The ways in which Russell produced and shaped his new album through collaborative practices may be able to change the ways in which the music industry focuses on capital rather than art.
XL Recordings occupies a uniquely important place in the hierarchy of record labels. The powerhouse is an independent label with the punch of a major record company such as Warner and Universal. XL, unlike larger labels, supplies a uniquely artistic space which is welcoming to musical experimentation and vision. XL rejects the notion that record labels should be producing exclusively consumable songs, according to art critics in outlets such as The New Yorker. Instead, the label aims to connect with artists who have “uncompromising vision” In keeping with this vision of the company, XL operates by banking on musicians’ long-term potential rather than on immediate returns. Major label executives are devoted to shareholders, whereas XL works for the listener and the artist. Because of this passion, XL Recordings has signed and produced world renowned artists such as Adele, Beck, FKA twigs, M.I.A., King Krule, Radiohead, Sampha, SBTRKT, Sigur Rós, Tyler, The Creator, Vampire Weekend, The White Stripes, and The xx—among others. In 2008, Thom Yorke of Radiohead released his first solo album through XL, saying he chose the label because it’s “very mellow” and has “no corporate ethic.” Similarly, Frank Ocean chose XL to release the vinyl and CD versions of his artistic opus, “Blonde.” Ocean claims in interviews that his previous label, Def Jam, had been perplexed by his music and thus they choose to focus on superstars like Justin Bieber.
Richard Russell took control of XL Recordings in 1994 and has shaped the trajectory of the label, turning it into the authority that it is today. Russell created the company in his early twenties, and has now decided to come out with a record of his own entitled “Everything is Recorded.” Russell did not consider this a profound shift as he had always seen himself primarily as a creative person in an executive role. This tension has allowed Russell to nurture a company which privileges artistic autonomy, allowing the passion for music to drive corporate decisions. The album serves as Russell’s proper debut as a musician.
Like with all of his work, Russell can be heard in the background of the album, serving more as the ringleader than the frontman. Russell soon realized in his process that it is difficult for him to construct a public image after having been in the background of the music for so long. Perhaps because of this discomfort, Russell includes a plethora of guest artists on the work. Russell’s ability to prioritize the music over his ego has allowed him to create an album which paves the way for true artistic collaboration. This decision is a smart one because it allows listeners to connect with Russell’s true talent of artistic collaboration. In this vain, Russell has been in the process of working with Kahlil Joseph, the man who directed Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” video, for the visual component of his work.
Russell’s album is 16-minutes long and each of the tracks touch on a different genre, from Motown to hip-hop to Rap to Jazz. The song “Close But Not Quite” is in collaboration with Sampha, an artist who has been working with Solange, Drake, Kanye, and Frank, all the while making a distinct voice for himself through his acclaimed album “Process,” released in 2017. “Close But Not Quite” is built around a sample of Curtis Mayfield’s 1970 song “The Makings of You.” The song, which vibes like a jazzy Gabriel Garzón-Montano, has eerie intonations found in musicians like Frank Ocean and culminates in a modern motown expression of rejoice. The song “Mountains of Gold” features Sampha, Wiki, Kamasi Washington, and Ibeyi. Russell says, “‘Mountains of Gold’ is sound system inspired; you can hear a lot of strong and different personalities and voices in the one song, but the feeling is consistent.” By the time listeners reach the end of this short and sweet collection, they will be hard pressed to say one single thing about how they feel and what it means.
Through collaboration, Russell has allowed himself to transcend sound and meaning, which shows listeners how he will influence the current state of music. It has become clear that Russell can go in any direction with his work. The work leaves me feeling hopeful that Russell may be able to move the music industry into a space which privileges art over capital. The artist himself said, “I suppose from the outside it’s, like, ‘Well, what are they going to do—what do they do after Adele? Twelve-inch singles. Electronic music. Shit that’s banging. That’s what we do. And then? Then stuff happens.” XL Recordings is changing the way music is made and shared. Russell, the passion behind the project, is teaching us all to recenter production on the artist rather than the individual who is making money for money’s sake. Richard Russell is teaching us how to listen again.
“Everything is Recorded” is available on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, and Soundcloud.
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