Pool Valley Brighton – Under new management
An old name takes an innovative approach to an old game with new leadership: Pool Valley is back. Here’s an insight into the inner workings of the independent student-led record label.
After a brief period of uncertainty, the long standing, community-interest record label has reimagined itself from the ground up. Now headed entirely by BIMM students, the label has no constraints. With its revitalised image and restructured business model, Pool Valley is firing up its pistons – and it’s all systems go.
The student-only team is a major draw for Pool Valley. It allows for unabashed creativity, undisturbed from ‘over-experience’, while also providing the students the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in their practice. With no traditional higher ups to speak of, the label can exist as the workers themselves envision it.
Le Lamb ©Izzy-blue Perry
Fresh faces front the team: Ben Patching is the new label manager, offering up the creative direction needed for such an ambitious rebrand. Toby Pepler is head of A&R, bridging the gap between the business affiliation and genuine understanding of the label’s musicians and their craft.And Holly Bunce is head of marketing, providing Pool Valley with the stylish and current presence needed to connect with its audience. And that’s just naming a few – there are many other committed team members working hard to ensure the success of Pool Valley’s artists and the satisfaction of their audiences.
One of the label’s ways of ensuring this satisfaction comes from the restructure’s biggest achievement: the newly organised tier-based business model. The team has crafted a system to allow their artists control over how involved the label is, defining their goals and ambitions with clear boundaries, ensuring a positive and productive outcome and work environment for all involved.
Anasfaszia ©Izzy-blue Perry
Tier 1: The entry-level Pool Valley experience. It allows for the artist to choose one specific service to aid them, be it a photoshoot, music production, branding help, networking assistance, etc.
Tier 2: A packaged deal offering a curated selection of services based on established needs and goals. Aiming to benefit both the artist in their pre-existing plans and the label in their general involvement.
Tier 3: This is the big deal. Trusting Pool Valley with your time and brand in such a way makes you a priority for the label. Every service that can be provided will be – and the attention garnered by that sort of commitment can’t be understated.
And it’s not just the professional services and dedicated workforce that are helping Pool Valley ascend the ranks in the independent label sphere – it is the live opportunities they are providing their artists with that really sell this new era. With what started as a few gigs under their belt, the event runners of the label grafted, organised and ran more live events at Dust and other Brighton-based venues, culminating in a hugely successful showcase at the iconic music venue Patterns. With each artist picked as a certain embodiment of the label’s new identity, it became their most-attended event yet.
Cade ©Izzy-blue Perry
The line-up consisted of: Anasfaszia, with their atmospheric boundary pushing consistent with Pool Valley’s new ethics; Cade, a freshly rebranded act that came out of the gate swinging; Mia Langridge, Pool Valley’s most consistent collaborator, her literary songwriting and blend of folk and indie-pop a metaphor for the diverse portfolio the label now boasts; BABYTEETH, the Brighton locals blending punk and poetry with a violently beautiful stage presence; and Le Lamb, entirely psychedelic and theatrical, a personification of the high-quality live experiences Pool Valley keeps delivering. And there are no signs of slowing down.
Mia Langridge ©Izzy-blue Perry
Mia Langridge now takes the spotlight as Pool Valley’s flagship artist. The singer-songwriter has had a consistent relationship with the label for some time and has become the first fully signed act under the new regime. The first result of their partnership is new single ‘Big Bang’ – coming soon. The next major project in the works is a full-throttle campaign including a bigger release with Langridge – but that’s all that can be revealed for now.
The only thing to do is to keep your eyes on Pool Valley, because the machine is newly oiled – and at the rate they are going for it – it’s full steam ahead.
Photos by Izzy-blue Perry
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