Opsound will be an open access sound resource and copyleft record label, collecting all kinds of sounds for free use and also releasing actual records and cds (which will be bought, sold, and distributed in the usual manner, with money returning to the artists). I'm expecting that we'll be collecting some amazing material, and over the next few months releasing records and organizing events and parties in New York, Frankfurt, and Berlin (at the very least). All kinds of music and sound can be entered into the Opsound open pool -- of course we're looking for music, but I'm personally also very interested in collecting other kinds of audio material including spoken texts, noises, field recordings, etc. Opsound will be encouraging a proliferation of microlabels, both online and real world, the first of which -- the Opsound house label -- will concentrate on experimental electronic music. Opsound is also looking, less formally, for anyone interested in working on video material to be part of an upcoming cd/dvd combo release.Opound has a sibling project, Opcopy: Open Copyright Action, which is an experimental political organization exploring new ways of responding to an increasingly restrictive climate where more and more of our collective cultural material is being privatized and controlled. Opcopy will begin by collecting varying and differing opinions on copyright issues to try and engage in a more interesting level of debate about questions of intellectual "property," the public domain, and free culture (free in both the sense of "free speech" and the sense of "free beer"). You are most cordially invited to post your own position on the matter on the opcopy site.
AN OPEN CALL TO MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS
Musicians and sound artists of all kinds are invited to join the Opsound project.
Opsound is a record label using an open source, copyleft model, an experimentin practical gift economics, a laboratory for new ways of releasing music.
In its first phase of operation, Opsound is gathering material for an open sound pool which will be drawn on for the creation of a series of online and real-world microlabels. All material for the sound pool will be released under a Creative Commons license (the "Attribution-ShareAlike license "), a copyleft license in the spirit of open source software license which allows for all kinds of copying, remixing, use, and reuse while retaining an attribution to the original artist.
Anyone is encouraged to contribute sound files to the open sound pool, including field recordings, ambiences, incomplete improvisations, monologues & dialogues, spoken texts, unfinished experiments, detached soundtracks, vocal solos, strange noises, bedroom laptop, microsound, generative, glitch dub, idm, minimal techno, blip hop, hip hop, turntablist, downtempo, uptempo, reggae, ragga, raga, roots, breakbeat, basement punk, garage band, indy, shoegazer, psychedelia, noise, song, be-bop, free jazz, Modern composition, avant-anything, etc. Sound files can be complete pieces of music, or elements intended be combined into something new.
DEADLINE: There is currently no deadline, and entries will be accepted on an ongoing basis. You are, however, encouraged to enter your material as soon as is conveniently possible.
HOW TO ENTER: Please visit the Opsound site, read the guidelines and faq, and then use the entry form.
