Debt Records

An independent record label based in Manchester

Releases

OUT NOW: Down Down Down by Bedlam Six

Louis Barabbas, Releases, The Bedlam Six

Down Down Down

The final album by The Bedlam Six is now on general release, available from iTunes, Spotify, Amazon etc in addition to the band’s own online store.

Down Down Down is their most honest and enjoyable record to date. No frills, no clutter, no complications. Recorded in just four days at the WR Audio live room in Salford, this is the band at their most natural and exuberant.
Indeed the energy levels and optimism of the recording are somewhat beguiling as this release is something of a last hurrah. The group has no plans to play any more shows after the album launch parties.
“It’s kind of an exercise is loose-end tying, like getting your affairs in order before embarking on a long uncertain voyage” says singer Louis Barabbas, “some of our live favourites have never been recorded in the studio, we figured it was time to cut a few definitive versions and then slip away gracefully. That said, there are also plenty of brand new songs… actually I think it contains some of our best work to date.”
The release will mark ten years since the band was formed by Louis and lead guitarist Matthew Cleghorn in Autumn 2006. “Ten years is enough for any project” muses Cleghorn, “if it was enough for The Beatles then who are we to stick around longer?”
There will be two launch parties: the first at The Lexington in London on Saturday 17th September, the second at The Ruby Lounge in Manchester on Friday 30th September.

OUT NOW: Project Fear

Louis Barabbas, Releases

LB Politics

New EP by Louis Barabbas aims to reflect two sides of British politics: those doing the manipulating versus those struggling against manipulation. The four songs on this record are taken from Louis’ musical about power struggles, loosely based on the the life of Jocasta, mother of Oedipus.

All sales of this EP go to raise money for Médecins Sans Frontières.


Here is a lyric video for closing track “Before You Disperse”

www.louisbarabbas.com
www.msf.org

OUT NOW: Heading For The Hills

Collaborations, Peter Byrom-Smith, Releases

Heading For The Hills

Debt Records’ first classical release follows in the collaborative ethos of the label as Japanese composer Nobuya Monta and British composer Peter Byrom-Smith begin a cross-cultural journey. Their first collection Heading For The Hills is performed by Strata String Quartet and recorded at Blueprint Studios in Salford.

East Meets West: Two countries, two composers. Japan and the UK have enjoyed a special cultural relationship over the centuries. Now Peter and Nobuya are contributing their own chapter to that story by forging an exciting new creative union. As part of this project concerts of their combined works will be performed and recorded both in Japan and England, bringing their idiosyncratic musical voices together on the same platform. Although each composer’s music is coloured by markedly different histories, they both share the same ideals and beliefs in musical composition.

Buy the album here (or from any of the usual digital retailers).

 

About the composers:

In addition to his classical pieces for soloists, ensembles and orchestras Peter Byrom-Smith has written and arranged music for many theatre and film productions, as well as bands from all across the genre spectrum (including the Eurovision Song Contest). His works have been performed, broadcast and recorded in Europe, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand and the U.S.A.

Composer Nobuya Monta is Guest Professor of Otemon Gakuin University and was appointed Composer in Residence at the Hastings International Composers Festival in 2013 and 2015. He also regularly writes for Ongaku-Gendai (one of Japan’s major music magazines). His works have been played all over the world, including the Vatican, France, Germany and the UK as well as his native Japan.

Heading For The Hills

Collaborations, Releases

HFTH

Debt Records’ first classical release follows in the collaborative ethos of the label as Japanese composer Nobuya Monta and British composer Peter Byrom-Smith begin a unique artistic collaboration. Their first collection Heading For The Hills is performed by Strata String Quartet and recorded at Blueprint Studios in Salford. The album is scheduled for general release on 15th July with a public recital of the work on Sunday 17th July at Blueprint.

East Meets West: Two countries, two composers. Japan and the UK have enjoyed a special cultural relationship over the centuries. Now Peter and Nobuya are contributing their own chapter to that story by forging an exciting new creative union. As part of this project concerts of their combined works will be performed and recorded both in Japan and England, bringing their idiosyncratic musical voices together on the same platform. Although each composer’s music is coloured by markedly different histories, they both share the same ideals and beliefs in musical composition.

About the composers:

In addition to his classical pieces for soloists, ensembles and orchestras Peter Byrom-Smith has written and arranged music for many theatre and film productions, as well as bands from all across the genre spectrum (including the Eurovision Song Contest). His works have been performed, broadcast and recorded in Europe, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand and the U.S.A.

Composer Nobuya Monta is Guest Professor of Otemon Gakuin University and was appointed Composer in Residence at the Hastings International Composers Festival in 2013 and 2015. He also regularly writes for Ongaku-Gendai (one of Japan’s major music magazines). His works have been played all over the world, including the Vatican, France, Germany and the UK as well as his native Japan.

Heading For The Hills will be on general release from Friday 15th July.

The new works will be performed live at 2pm in Blueprint Studios, Salford on Sunday 17th July (in the main space commonly known as the Elbow Room).