New signings and team-ups w/e April 11
Ivy League signs Bad//Dreems
Sydney-based Ivy League Records has signed its first Adelaide act, Bad//Dreems. The band’s new single Dumb Ideas, produced by Mark Opitz, will be followed by live sets at Adelaide’s Exeter (May 17) and indie stores Black Wire Record in Sydney (May 23), Record Paradise in Melbourne (May 31) and Rocking Horse in Brisbane (June 7). Bad//Dreems’ debut EP Badlands from last year charted in the US college charts, while the single Hoping For went on high rotation on triple j, which also included them on its Next Crop 2014 list.
MTV Australia to get Tomorrowland broadcast
MTV Australia is to broadcast Belgium’s Tomorrowland Electronic Music Festival, as part of a global deal struck by the broadcaster. Tiësto, Armin Van Buuren, Hardwell and Carl Cox are among those performing over two weekends in July. The footage will be aired in August as part of two one-hour World Stage specials through 550m households in 60 territories. Last year, 16.8 million watched the EDM festival on its YouTube livestream.
Young Franco added to Falcona agency
Brisbane DJ/producer Young Franco joined Falcona, the agency set up by Chris Murray, Garth Crane and Gus Magee. Murray will handle the 19-year old’s bookings, working with his manager Benjamin James. Falcona’s roster includes Alison Wonderland, Hayden James and DMA’s, Brave, Furnace & The Fundamentals and Pluto Jonze.
Rough Trade/Remote Control pact Parquet Courts
Rough Trade and Remote Control Records has joined forces on New York band Parquet Courts, with their third album Sunbathing Animal set for local release on May 30. After issuing American Specialties (2011) and Light Up Gold (2012), the act made its debut in Australia in January at Laneway Festival.
123MRK at Future Classic
Australian label Future Classic’s latest signing is French post-dubstep and garage producer 123MRK. His new release is Versatile / Secret Secret. Future Classic is home to Flume, Touch Sensitive and Chet Faker.
More festival tie-ups for Virgin Mobile Australia
Virgin Mobile Australia is set to announce more tie-ups with local festivals, its Sponsorship and Communications Director Nicole Bardsley has revealed. Festivals are “part of Virgin Mobile’s DNA,” she said. Virgin Mobile earlier this year ended its three year relationship with Splendour In The Grass, but has signed on for a second year with Bluesfest Byron Bay.
Sound Alliance switches to MCN
Youth publisher Sound Alliance (InTheMix, FasterLouder, SameSame) switched sales representation to MCN, effective April 15. It was formerly with Ignite Media Brands which closes operations on June 30.
BMG acquires dance labels
BMG has acquired influential UK dance labels Loaded and its subsidiary Skint in a global deal, excluding the US. The deal gives BMG access to 2500 tracks (the two labels have sold more than 10m albums and 15m singles) including hits by Fatboy Slim and Xpress 2.