WORLD’S FIRST 3D PRINTING RECORD STORE OPENS IN LONDON

**FRIDAY 13 – SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER ONLY**

Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke & Bobbie Gordon Release Original Track Using 3D Printing Technology In Final BACARDÍ® Beginnings Music Project

Kate Moross Creates Limited Edition Record Sleeves

On Friday 13 – Saturday 14 December, the world’s first 3D record printing shop will open in central London, with Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke and his chosen emerging artist Bobbie Gordon releasing their brand-new, original track 'Down Boy' (BACARDÍ Beginnings) on 3D printed record – the very first time an original track will released and sold this way. This forms part of the third and final creative project in 2013’s BACARDÍ Beginnings campaign.

A launch party to celebrate the release of the track and 3D printed limited edition vinyls will take place on Thursday 12th December, with Kele Okereke and Bobbie Gordon performing their new track ‘Down Boy’ (BACARDÍ Beginnings) for the very first time. Fans can win tickets to the party and see 3D printing in action by keeping an eye on the BACARDÍ UK Facebook page.

Each record, priced at £10 will also be sold in limited edition record sleeves specially designed by Kate Moross. Famed for her energetic style and love of three sided shapes and typography, the London based illustrator, designer and art director has created four different cover designs for fans to choose from.

Music, culture and technology fans alike will be able to go to the store to buy the limited edition record 'Down Boy' (BACARDÍ Beginnings), with all sales proceeds going to charity Nordoff Robbins, the national music charity dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable adults across the UK through music therapy and services.

What:                        

BACARDÍ Beginnings: World’s First 3D Printing Record Store

Launch party:                       

Thursday 12 December, 7.15pm – 11pm

Store opening times:

Friday 13 December 11.30am – 8pm

Saturday 14 December 11.30am – 7.30pm

Where:          

The Vinyl Factory, 51 Poland St, London W1F 7LZ

(entrance via Phonica Records)

The BACARDÍ Beginnings music mentoring programme has seen some of the UK’s most exciting established and up-and-coming music artists come together to push the boundaries of music releases. The store not only marks the very first time an original track will be released in 3D printed format, but also highlights and pushes the current boundaries of 3D printing technology. Working with technologist Amanda Ghassaei who developed the bespoke technique and programme for converting digital audio files into 3D-printable records.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/bacardiuk for more details.

ENDS

For all media enquiries:

BACARDÍ Beginnings Press Office

E: BacardiPR@thisisinkling.com

T: 0207 697 0787

About BACARDÍ rum - The World’s Most Awarded rum

In 1862, in the city of Santiago de Cuba, founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó revolutionized the spirits industry when he created the world’s first smooth, light-bodied spirit – BACARDÍ rum. The unique taste of BACARDÍ rum inspired cocktail pioneers to create some of the world’s most famous cocktail recipes including the BACARDÍ Mojito, the BACARDÍ Daiquirí, the BACARDÍ Cuba Libre, BACARDÍ Piña Colada and the BACARDÍ Presidente. Seven generations later, the Bacardi company is still family-owned, and BACARDÍ rum has won more than 550 awards for quality, taste and innovation. Today, BACARDÍ rum is made in Puerto Rico and Mexico, where it is crafted to ensure the taste remains the same today as it did when it was first blended in 1862.

About BACARDÍ Beginnings

2013’s BACARDÍ Beginnings campaign has seen three established acts and three hot emerging artists paired together to push the boundaries of music releases. Each pairing was given a unique brief around the creation, production and experience of music, while also releasing original tracks together. The first project saw Rudimental and Bipolar Sunshine embark on the A&R process in 24hours – writing, recording, releasing and performing a track all within a day. They will come together once more, with Bipolar Sunshine supporting Rudimental as part of their 2014 tour. The second project saw Toddla T and Roses Gabor release an original track solely via social media, before throwing the track open for a remix contest. All tracks can be listened to and the creative process for each project captured is available to view: http://www.youtube.com/bacardiuk

BACARDÍ Beginnings was created in 2012 to give up-and-coming artists the opportunity to be mentored by established acts and showcase their sound to a wider audience. Last year saw Joe Goddard (Hot Chip), Friendly Fires and Mylo work with Jessie Ware, AlunaGeorge and Ronika respectively.

BACARDÍ Beginnings aims to encourage people to boldly pursue their passions, just as the iconic rum brand has done for more than 150 years - whether creating a revolution in rum-making, inspiring pioneering cocktails, or fighting for freedom.

About Kele Okereke

Kele Okereke is a DJ/Producer and lead singer of award-winning band Bloc Party, one of the UK’s finest bands of recent years. As we approach the end of 2013, Kele is embarking on a new phase, taking all his influences and experiences to shake up peoples expectations of him as a songwriter, performer and producer. With releases as Kele Okereke on the pivotal UK dance label Crosstown Rebels and DJ appearances across the world – there is a clearly a lot more to come from this highly talented individual.

From Bloc Party’s Platinum-selling debut album to Okereke’s guest vocals for The Chemical Brothers, Hercules and the Love Affair, and Sub Focus and having spent ten years making records in studios working with some of the greatest producers in the world, Kele now feels he knows how to make music that he wants to hear.

About Bobbie Gordon

Proud of her London roots, Bobbie Gordon began to make her mark as a vocalist for renowned artists such as Cee-Lo Green and OneRepublic at their UK shows, her own fan base was elevated overnight after bagging backing vocal duties on Adele’s UK and US tours. She has worked extensively with The Noisettes and with other artists such as Kele Okereke of Bloc Party.

Her passion, unique voice and ability to draw from life’s experiences have allowed her to develop her own solo sound which was well showcased with a feature on the Bondax track ‘Just Smile For Me’ in 2011. Bobbie’s sound is an ode to her love of 80′s and 90′s music woven with a fresh energy. ‘SKIN’ is the title track of her EP and is produced by Luke Oldham of production duo N55, whose remix credits also include Aluna George. 

About Kate Moross

She has worked prolifically creating bold artwork for the likes of adidas, Fabergé, Nike, ESPN, (RED), Kiehls, Vogue, Paul Smith, Mini Cooper, Samsung Olympics 2012, Outline Editions, Nokia, Whistles, Trekstock , Ray Ban, Wired, The Guardian and Bestival.

This year alone she has talked at TYPO Berlin 'Touch' May 2013, OFFSET Festival Dublin 2013, After School Club II 2013 Offenbach, Germany 2013. Plus again in June for Here 2013, the curated event from Its Nice That. She will be speaking in September 2013 as part of the Innocent Inspires series of talks.

Past event includes her speaking at Semi Permanent, the Design Blast Conference and at the D&AD Pecha Kucha event in 2010. December 2010 saw her work exhibited as part of 20 Hoxton Square Projects for Shelter, and auctioned by Phillips De Pury.' In 2012 she was also part of the D&AD judging team.

In early 2012 Kate launched Studio Moross and continues to work within music as an art director most recently with Jessie Ware, Disclosure, Banks, and Sam Smith. She is currently working on her first book with Prestel Publishing.

About Amanda Ghassaei

Technologist Amanda Ghassaei has developed a bespoke technique and programme for converting digital audio files into 3D-printable records. Amanda designed this project as a way to explore the limits of these 3D printers; not only does this project push the physical limits of the machines, it also requires a large amount data processing and RAM.  One of the things that interests her most about 3D printers is that they can print a highly complex fractal in the same amount of time as it would take to print a solid cube: complexity is trivial to a 3D printer.  This project was an experiment to write a piece of code that plays off this idea, by packing an enormous amount of complexity into a 3D model.

About Nordoff Robbins

Nordoff Robbins is a music therapy charity, dedicated to transforming the lives of vulnerable people. They work with people with a range of challenges such as autism, dementia, depression and physical and learning disabilities.

Music therapy is a specialist use of music to help people in many different ways – for some it has physical benefits, for others emotional or social ones and helps many to communicate where they have struggled to do so previously. The results of music therapy can have a profound impact on individuals and their families and all those around them. As one user said recently, “I simply couldn’t live without this music every week.”

They carry out their work in their own music therapy centres, community centres, hospitals and care homes. They also train music therapists through their own Masters degree programme.

Nordoff Robbins is a small organisation but needs to raise £3 million every year to continue to provide music therapy to all those who desperately need it.

www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk

About 3D Printing

How does 3D printing work - what's process for vinyl?

3D printers allow us to turn digital 3D models into physical objects.  Rather than cutting or drilling away material, 3D printers build objects by depositing material layer by layer in a process referred to as "additive manufacturing."  Virtually any geometry can be created with a 3D printer; even interlocking parts and moving hinges can be printed at once, fully assembled.  Today, 3D printers can print with a variety of materials (metal, ceramic, plastics, glass…).

What material is the record printed in?

These records are made of a white, UV-cured resin material.  The resin is deposited and cured in thin layers of only 16 microns in height; each record is made up of a little more than 100 layers of resin.

What are fundamental differences between a normal vinyl and one that’s been printed in 3D?

The main differences between these records and vinyl are that the grooves on these records are wider and deeper and they contain a single mono channel instead of stereo.

Enjoy BACARDÍ Responsibly

DrinkAware.co.uk