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DLX ADV | Calling All Earth

posted by Robyn Pitts November 14, 2023

DLX ADV is a project where the remnants of art, music, and communications collide. Their debut release, Calling All Earth, serves as both album and curio, a subtle call to arms bringing together music, artwork, printed material, writing, and a broader exploration of some of the issues facing us today.

Rather than relentless marketing, the focus of DLX ADV is on new ideas and building feasible alternatives for their distribution outside of the current commercial monopolies. Thus, Calling All Earth has been created to sit on book shelves and magazine racks as well as in record stores.

Calling All Earth is the first in a series of releases, and is an alternative, more sustainable and affordable take on releasing music today, bypassing the multiple issues associated with pressing vinyl. Currently, an independent artist, band, or label can be forced to choose between waiting 8 to 12 months for their new record to come back, or opt for a streaming platform and a lack of sustainable revenue stream. Calling All Earth’s combination of printed material and secure digital downloads represents a more affordable alternative, bypassing the time constraints and the not inconsequential environmental impact of pressing records (which equate to 0.5kg of carbon per record), whilst still delivering the tactile joy of the 12” format.

The included zine features the work of writer and broadcaster David Bramwell, along with a short story from novelist, former music journalist and founder of Big Dada Records, Will Ashon. The A1 poster includes exclusive artwork ready for walls, while the handmade letterpress triptych from Peacock print studios in Aberdeen (with reversible art prints) are fit for framing.

All of this is soundtracked by the first album from DLX ADV that includes tracks showcasing the depth and breadth of DLX ADV’s musical chops alongside the key tenants of its message with the polemic Let’s Talk About England featuring the voices of former Coldcut vocalist: Aurelius Calliste and frequent Roots Manuva collaborator Wayne Paul. Celebrated American Hip-Hop artist Mike Ladd voices the lyrics to The Murder the Changed Nothing, a heart rending litany of hundreds of years of injustice and oppression. The track echoes Ladd’s own lament on the death of Amadou Diallo, Feb. 4 ‘99 (For All Those Killed by Cops) from his essential Welcome To The Afterfuture album, a track recorded over 20 years prior George Floyd’s death at the hands of U.S. Police officers but sadly still dealing with the same issues.

Inspired by Arthur Rimbaud’s idea that in the face of self interest, complacency, and personal interest, DLX ADV and Beth Frost remind us that Love (Needs to be re-invented). Whilst in We Are Your Gods the role corporations like Facebook, Apple, and X products play in our everyday lives and the unintended consequences of these products and services they profit from are brought sharply (and loudly) into focus.

DLX ADV are also hosting a number of events to celebrate the release and launch of their future program, the first of which will be at Berlin’s Oona Bar and live on air via Refuge Worldwide on November 24th.

Calling All Earth will be available to order from November 24th at www.dlxadv.com, www.peopleofprint.com, and all good independent record and book stores.

You can preview a sampler of the album here.