Sony Music Australia and Andrew Jackson launch new label

Sony Music Australia and seasoned industry executive Andrew Jackson announced joint venture label Avoca Drive today, also revealing its first signing.

With A&R executives in LA and Sydney, Avoca Drive plans to unearth artists and work them internationally “with a hands-on approach tuned to artist’s needs”.

Jackson said he shopped the idea for his new venture via “a round of calls to various label heads” both in Australia and in other markets over recent weeks, ultimately settling on Sony Music.

“Australia will always be my home so it was natural to find a partnership here, but I needed one with a global outlook. To partner with a titan like Denis [Handlin] is a true honour,” he said.

Jackson is the founder and director of LA-based management company Milton Archer, a business he started after a number of senior gigs with well-known indie labels.

His career in music spans over 20 years, with roles at Richard Branson’s V2 Records, Chris Murphy’s Petrol Records and Ministry of Sound Australia, and co-founded etcetc Music.

Jackson also led the Australian chart-busting campaigns for PNAU, Two Door Cinema Club and Disclosure, before moving to the US in 2012 to work with Matoma, BAYNK and FRND.

The announcement coincides with first signing Galdive (pictured, above), described by Jackson as “this beautiful young male-female duo who just make pure ear candy”.

Galdive’s debut album is slated for early 2021, with a series of singles scheduled to drop over summer. But their first single ‘Nescience’ will arrive even sooner, on July 17.

Sony Music Australia chief Denis Handlin said he’s been wanting to work with Jackson for a long time and is thrilled he’s decided to partner Avoca Drive with Sony Music Australia.

“We are looking forward to working with Andrew and his team to help take the artists’ creative vision and music to fans around the world and we are excited to do that first with Galdive.”

Handlin and the executive team have been on a signing spree of late, wooing chart-toppers like Troy Cassar-Daley and Busby Marou away from rival labels.

The major revealed multiple new signings and label partnerships last month, including Tom Honeywill and Ben O’Connor’s Medium Rare Recordings and Jarrad Rogers’ NOiZE Recordings.