UNIFIED and The Hills Are Alive festival team launch THAA Records

The team behind Victoria’s The Hills Are Alive festival is expanding the brand with a record label in partnership with UNIFIED Music Group.

THAA Records was launched this morning with two signings and with the festival’s co-founder Aidan McLaren heading up A&R with assistance from Joe Miles.

McLaren has a strong vision for what he wants THAA to be: a respected and sought-after label with a reputation for identifying, signing and developing “incredible emerging Australian acts:” who can achieve global success.

“When we started The Hills Are Alive festival 10 years ago it was all about building a platform for artists we loved to get exposure by playing to a super receptive audience,” he says.

“Over the years, so many of the acts we’ve put on the festivals have gone on to have amazing careers and release incredible songs and albums, and we’re really proud that we were involved so early in sharing their music with music lovers.

“To now be launching THAA records as a joint venture with some of our closest friends at Unified Music Group is a dream come true.

“In a lot of ways (it’s) an extension of what we’ve been doing with the festivals for years – sharing great music, regardless of genre, and working with good people who we really respect.”

McLaren already has a reputation for being able to spot the next big thing. The Hills Are Alive and the NYE on the Hill festival which he programs have bee 14 consecutive sell-outs,

He also manages MC Remi and singer/songwriters Timberwolf and Mike Waters.

This morning’s announcement also revealed that THAA’s first two signings are the electronic producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lanks and singer-songwriter Batts.

Batts’ debut EP 62 Moons is due out on November 29, while Lanks drops a new single soon. Both release their debut albums in 2018.

Talking about the new partnership, Luke Logemann of UNIFIED Music Group adds, “One of the biggest goals of the UNIFIED Label Group is to identify talented people who have great ears and a strong work ethic and to set those people up to be able to use our infrastructure to release recorded music.

“Aidan McLaren, Joe Miles and The Hills Are Alive team fit that mould perfectly.

“For years their dedication to their craft has been matched by their enthusiasm and passion for breaking artists and discovering music.

“We are thrilled to be able to help facilitate their growth into the recorded music business.”