LONDON, Sept 21 (Reuters) – A sugar-based alternative to vinyl could help decarb the music industry, a developer said.
UK-based Evolution Music uses bioplastics to create records, aiming to help labels and artists stop using plastic easily without changing plants’ existing machinery or production processes.
Mark Carey, Acting CEO of Evolution Music, says that the music recorded on Bioplastic Records is “absolutely on point” in terms of sound and consistency.
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“[In] There is a bit of lead-in and some floor noise between the tracks. If you like it, if you’re a fan of the 70s, you’ll like that little bit of noise, great,” he continues to develop the product.
“We’ve got a unique recipe, but we’re a (research and development) company – we’re going to continue R&D iterations to improve,” he said.
The co-founder of Music Advertising Emergency (MDE), a music industry climate action campaign group that began as a statement by nearly 3,000 artists from Napalm Death to Julian, says artists want to switch to bioplastics for their physical products. Lloyd Webber.
Evolution Music CEO Mark Carey has a sugar-based bioplastic record replacement for vinyl in London, Britain, September 8, 2022. REUTERS/Stuart McDill
“Vinyl production is toxic in many ways and there are all kinds of processes involved that harm the environment, but we love vinyl. What’s the solution? Find a non-toxic method. Hey, presto,” said Lewis Jamieson, co-founder of MDE.
Despite the popularity and instant accessibility of digital media and easy-to-use streaming sites like Google and Spotify, sales of vinyl records have continued to grow over the past decade.
Rich sound, cover art and the ability to slip a vinyl record into one’s hands contribute to the growing emotional appeal of LPs.
“The music industry, the creative arts, has to be at the forefront of innovation…usually cultural change is influenced by political and social change,” Carey said.
The first record using Evolution Bioplastic was pressed on vinyl by Press on Vinyl, a Middlesbrough record producer. It features an electronic bicep bicep slice.
Carey said that once a major recording artist or band chooses to use bioplastics instead of vinyl, the industry will never be the same.
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Reporting by Stewart MacDill, Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Aurora Ellis
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