Rarely do we see new music distribution companies instantly making such an impact on the UK music scene as Railbird Digital & Unearthed Sounds. In the modern day with so much emphasis placed on technology driven solutions, often what’s lacking is the personal service and passion for music that independent record labels long for.

Finding a new distribution partner can be a hard task with so many options available these days. With many digital distribution companies more focused on streamlining their daily tasks than concentrating on giving a personal service, and vinyl distributors stuck in the past, it’s often difficult to find a good balance between an efficient slick service and a company that understands the needs of an independent record label.

Searching for the perfect balance between these two essentialities can leave record labels looking at one company for digital distribution and another for vinyl distribution. The obvious problem being that planning release schedules can be ineffective and time consuming between two companies, creating extra work for the label, especially in an age where the demand for vinyl is outweighing the supply.

So when the two most senior members of staff at ST Holdings left to start their own companies, the focus was to devise a strategy that enabled seamless planning and scheduling between the two formats, and services that were both technologically efficient and passionate in maintaining the personal and traditional approach to distribution and music services.

We spoke to Mat Harwood of Unearthed Sounds about his new approach to distribution:

Unearthed Sounds was born out of the necessity for a fresh approach to physical distribution.
Working closely with Well-Tempered Manufacturing and Railbird Digital, being able to offer the complete music distribution package, we think, is what people want and need and we have all angles now covered.
In this day and age with direct to fan platforms becoming more and more popular there is still the need for labels to be represented in the finest record shops and online stores in the world and with a thorough network of stores and partners across the globe we can certainly help achieve this.
Labels still need to make vinyl sustainable and many still see it as an important product to help push the label forward.
With over 5 years of experience in the industry dealing with all levels of physical distribution we can offer here at Unearthed a service unlike any other, giving every label the time and focus they need for each release individually ensuring that the products land in the correct places worldwide.

And Jon Wilson of Railbird Digital:

Railbird Digital Commenced at the start of June providing digital distribution solutions for artists and record labels. Railbird works side by side with Well Tempered and Unearthed and operates as a single music distribution entity. Railbird is able to reach literally hundreds of digital stores worldwide, with a dedicated marketing department and personal label representative we are able to offer a direct and personal service.
We have over 7 years experience managing digital music & running record labels and have acted on years worth of feedback from clients to create the best infrastructure in which to distribute digital music on behalf of our labels.

With many distributors ditching the traditional methods of distribution and opting for the time-saving approach of technological solutions, the label manager or sales manager is often replaced with the computer programmer or tech-savvy customer services representative. Though the need for the passionate experienced music lover never disappeared.

Railbird Digital and Unearthed Sounds have been built upon years of experience in working in the music services sector and listening to the record label’s needs, rather than focusing on the technological age and time-saving methods of the impersonal service.

If you’re a record label looking for a fresh approach to distribution, run by lovers of music and experienced professionals then please get in touch:

Railbird Digital: Contact
07766 900304

Unearthed Sounds: Contact
01202 900303