UMP Joins Forces With Uncanny Valley

Uncanny Valley has teamed-up with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMP) Australia for an exclusive, worldwide publishing partnership.

The Sydney-based songwriting and production music specialist Uncanny Valley, or UV, formed 13 years ago, and is headed by Charlton Hill and music producer Justin Shave.

Since then, UV has carved out a presence in screen music, with compositions synced to a string of national TV series, trailers, ad campaigns and more.

UV credits include Paramount, ABC, BBC, Seven, Ten and SBS, news and sports themes for Fox League with artist release “Here” (Briggs featuring Caiti Baker), international brand campaigns from Renault F1/Infiniti’s concept car to the launch of Disney Shanghai, scores for The Bridge, Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds and more.

Through the new alliance, announced Wednesday (April 19), both parties will work on local and global ventures that would build on UV’s presence by “enhancing existing alliances and driving new opportunities across audiovisual platforms and UMP’s global networks,” reads a statement.

Hill and Shave are keen to unlock new opportunities through this relationship. Working with UMP, notes Hill, will allow the business to “collaborate with major and emerging artists and compose for some of the world’s biggest series, networks and brands.”

Marianna Annas, vice president, commercial & creative, Universal Music Publishing Australia, comments, “We are beyond thrilled to partner with Uncanny Valley. Charlton and Justin are at the forefront of the screen composition and sound design space, continuously exploring new frontiers and fusing music and technology with unparalleled innovation and limitless creativity.”

UMP has been lifting its game in in the space for screen composition.

In 2022, the major music publisher launched its Classics & Screen division, repping UMP’s established classical composers – including Danny Elfman, Max Richter and Alexandre Desplat – and the “next generation” screen music writers, including Nicholas Britell, Afrodeutsche and Cassie Kinoshi.

“We’ve admired Charlton and Justin over the years, both as a prodigiously talented songwriting and production team and as true musical innovators in our business,” adds Andrew Jenkins, President, Universal Music Publishing Australia & Asia Pacific region.

“On top of that, they are great partners and we are thrilled by what we plan to accomplish together across music for screens.”