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Interview with Next Dimension Music by Ollie Brooke

We have more than a passing interest in MP3 label Next Dimension Music (NDM) here at PureHouse Music.net due mainly to the steady stream of quality releases Joseph and Tameka put out. The label is about to undergo some big changes and having been on the scene for just over a year now Ollie Brooke decided to get a bit of background info on this US based Deep House label...

With the digital market in its relative infancy what was it that prompted you to setup NDM as a digital label as opposed to a physical label?

Joseph and Tameka :the groundwork was already underway for ndm when the digital market began to bloom, it just seemed the most logical venue for a "leap of faith" venture; the  next dimension in music meets the next dimension in marketing.

What are the main problems you are facing as a label at the moment and what bearing does the digital aspect have on these and their solution?

Joe: I'd say the main issue (it hardly constitutes a problem) is keeping up with the technological advancements while staying true to the artistic vision...Also, as with any green industry many of our alliances have succumbed to the “.com bomb” losing fire fast and closing their virtual doors shortly after they opened.

Tameka: They're pressures though, not problems…it's the squeeze that motivates us.

One could argue that as a digital label, since costs are obviously a lot lower, you may be churning out music paying less attention to quality since potential losses in sales are not as much of a problem, how would you refute such a claim?

Tameka: Joseph and I have an amazing symbiotic union; with my experience in marketing and e-commerce and Joseph's tenure in the industry we're right where we need to be.  Joseph qualifies the product and I quantify the profits, neither of us willing to relent to industry pressure to make money at the expense of our reputations. With the market-being as fickle as it is, one never knows if/when we might release a physical product on CD or even vinyl!

Joseph: Every project selected for release at ndm meets our "brand" specifications-we receive a great deal of music that doesn't fit the label's direction and can't journey on to the next dimension.

House Music is obviously at the core of what NDM is about with a wide range of artists on your roster covering a wide range of styles, what, musically, are the core elements that give all your tracks the NDM sound?

Joseph: House Music is the core. It's where my underground roots lie. NDM has expanded on House; electro, progressive, chill-out, break-beat and drum n' bass. With that, the core element of ndm is exactly that-sound, limitless sound. There are what, 150+ genres of music? But sound-now that is infinite. Each track that is selected for the ndm roster is tailored for a specific mood and setting, person or group whether it's a palatial space, bar, lounge, living room or your mp3 player-ndm has it all.

While you're based in the States the fact that you are a digital label means that you can encompass the globe in terms of A&R, what other countries are producing artists that suit your label and is there any specific influences that are driving the sound in these areas?

Tameka: Yes, we have acquired quite the global melting pot and it really works for the label's vision of having a core element that is all encompassing and boundary-free. We look for the something in each project that pushes the envelope. We listen to a lot of music from all over the world and every imaginable genre. We look to the left of the it-factor that everyone else is after.

You obviously have a vision for NDM, where would you like to be with the label in 10 years time?

Joseph: The vision is for ndm to always provide artistic sanctuary. This was the label's original intent; to release quality tracks without the industry politics. The “scene” can and has easily sucked the life out of many artistic visions and replaced them with money. In 10 years I'd like to still be at the helm of next dimension music continuing to release and introduce new artists while maintaining a stable platform for our established artists, staying, not only fresh, but pure.

As the discussion continues over the potential loss of vinyl as a format it seems as likely that CDs may go the same way, do you envisage a DJ world with nothing but files stored on HDDs or networks?  What problems would you envisage with such a scenario?

Joseph: We can definitely see the CD going the way of vinyl but it doesn't matter…I own and still use my vinyl in conjunction with CDs and stream my mix sets through the PC...

Tameka: Of course, the popular “DJ du-jour” sect will continue to ride the technology wave while some of us will keep it old school and others will use it all.

Joseph: It's a matter of personal preference.

We don't envision a problem with either scenario.

You've had the label up and running for just over a year now, what problems have you overcome in that time which you may not have foreseen before beginning the project?

Joseph: I haven't really seen many problems that we weren't able to work on and make fit into the scheme of things. The mp3 industry is still new and is developing day by day so there is room for tweaking and experimentation . I saw a commercial for CSI the other day and the character said, “When the evidence changes so does the theory.”

T ameka: Managing/marketing the label at its inception was easy...I had creative license and the market was ours to carve a niche...now with a new label hitting the networks daily, marketing has gotten tricky, and management has become more and more time consuming as the artist base grows-back to the lab...

Any regrets?

Joe and Tameka: Regrets? Never.

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