Drip.fm

thomnottom

So who else is trying this out? I know elwoodicious signed up for Now Again records and seems to love it. Last night I finally bit the bullet and did Now Again Records and Morr Music. I'll probably also do a month of Ghostly International. I'm not sure if I'll do any of them for more than a month, but it definitely seems worth trying out. I was already checking out the mum release on Morr and now for 10 bucks I got it (uncompressed) along with 2 other albums and it looks like at least 2 more releases will be put up this month. I (obviously) prefer a $10 price point, but considering that one of the releases from Now Again is a 4 disc set I can't exactly complain.

This also goes with my new-ish philosophy of trying to buy more directly from the labels.

Germanprof

I like the direct from label idea, but still have mixed feelings. I am quite tempted by the Morr deal (that Orcas album alone is $8-something on emusic), but at my level of monthly expenditure, committing that much of the pie to one label feels limiting, as does essentially deciding to buy each album on day of release rather than being able to, say, get it next month because there's something else I'd rather get right now. I also wonder if I'm too picky for this - the only label I can think of where I almost automatically like their releases is 12k, though there are others that would have a reasonable hit rate. And yet I can certainly feel the attraction of the concept. Some other labels are doing this on their own - Hibernate has a subscription thing that is similar and has tempted me.

Germanprof

What would definitely tempt me would be if several micro-labels that don't have multiple releases per month got together and offered a package like this. Say, 12k, Erased Tapes, Spekk...Though the closer it gets to what I would want the more it starts looking more like emusic. I could see myself grabbing the introductory offers and then quitting - but is that really supporting the labels, using them instead of emusic for the loss leaders?

thomnottom

I don't see this becoming the primary source of music for listeners or income for bands and labels. I think it will be limited to people who really like particular labels. Outside of that people will subscribe for a month or two when they know good releases are coming out. Additionally most of them are offering bonuses (including discounts at their store) to subscribers that can make it worth it.

Also note that Ghostly International isn't even just doing new releases. Every week it appears that they change the list of the 3 albums up on the site, swapping 1 or 2 of them for new or catalog releases. They had a rarities comp up there recently that is actually a few years old (and out of print I believe). From my understanding you'll always have access to any of the ones put up while you subscribed. So with GI you'd probably get at least 5 releases a month.

It appears that drip.fm is working on an overall subscription plan, which would be great as there's no way I could do more than 2 regularly. You might also want to sign up for their updates because they take suggestions as to which labels they should pursue. Maybe 12k would join up.

cafreema

Domino is there. It wasn't there before, right?

Craig

Doofy

I'm currently with Now Again - The Witch set made the intro package irresistible. I'll probably let it roll for a month because I will surely have gotten my money's worth - won't be too embarrassed to cancel after that. (And perhaps try another)

eta: the Domino deal looks good, with 2 albums/month plus other goodies for 9.99.

cafreema

I signed up for Domino even though I already have the Wild Beasts. With Hot Chip next week and Dirty Projectors next month, I'll get my money's worth for a couple months at least.

Craig

thomnottom

Holy carp, that's awesome! I was buying almost everything that came out of Domino when they were on eMu (and I think Amie). Oddly enough, I never got that Wild Beasts - just the first one. So that's a total no brainer. I'm going over the top right now, but after a few months of serious dieting I need as much new music as I can get my hands on. And Domino definitely makes my list of labels I would consider keeping a regular subscription going.

Drip.fm is really moving now. There were only 2 labels a few months ago and there wasn't a lot of information about the service. They've added what? 4 or 5 labels in the last month? Good for them.

cafreema

Glad to have you back, thom.

Listening to the Lower Dens album now. It's quite good. I listened to Beach House's Bloom right before it and there are a lot of similarities between the two.

Craig

thomnottom

Hopefully this time I won't disappear again in 2 days

Definitely intrigued by that, especially with your comparison to Bloom (an album I need to give a few more listens). I wonder if we made it in the first 100 subscribers (which gets you a flexidisc zine).

cafreema

Bloom is definitely better, but Nootropics is good as well. Both have very little in the way of drums or bass and create a dreamy/shoegazey sound primarily from guitar and keys with female vocals over top.

I was wondering about the first 100 subscribers as well. I'm hoping so!

Craig

Germanprof

Seems funny that Morr are offering real bargain prices at drip.fm while pushing themselves to the highest end of the price range at emusic. Last two albums of theirs I have been interested in at emu are $8.69 and $9.10. (The latter, Moon Ate the Dark, is $8.49 at amazon!)

choiceweb0pen0

How did you guys get to join drip.fm? I just got an email sign up page.

Doofy

cw00, scroll down and click on the labels:
https://drip.fm/domino
https://drip.fm/morr-music
https://drip.fm/nowagain

etc

thomnottom

If anyone is interested in Domino, Morr or Ghostly I'd recommend signing up today. New releases for Domino and Morr today and Ghostly in a day or so means that the ones available will change soon and you may miss out on something up now.

Wait, just checked and Morr's next one isn't for a few days. Could have sworn there was one today.

Germanprof

Well, capitulation may well have been inevitable, but my rationale for deciding to try the Morr subscription is that I already wanted the Orcas album that is a freebie for joining, and it's $8.69 on emusic, so the Sin Fang and Mum albums and whatever else they send me in the next month will have cost me $1.31, so it's largely immaterial whether I like them all. Just completed Khmer by Nils Petter Molvaer on Guvera too, so a fun afternoon.

cafreema

Sweet, we get the Domino downloads on UK release! It's ridiculous how excited I am to get them one day early.

Craig

thomnottom

Not to gush too much, but I commented about a missing file from Domino and they already fixed it. And a day after signing up with Ghostly they unlocked 2 additional albums, a single, and some live tracks. Between this and Bandcamp I'm beginning to think the future of the music industry is going to be pretty awesome.

Bad Thoughts

Drip.fm will not end with a bang, but with a "when are you getting the majors."

A few years ago I would have jumped at now-again, especially for the WITCH comp. Now it seems to be too much of the same thing.

thomnottom

Not only does drip.FM not need the majors, but it's business model wouldn't work for them at all. And I doubt many of the people interested in it would want the majors anyway. And this isn't to bash major labels, simply pointing out that a download subscription service for all releases is impractical for them and their listeners.

How much would you have to pay for every release from Universal for a month? One of their subsidiaries might release 7 or 8 every month. Is anyone going to pay $40 for that? Especially when it means getting the latest Owl City in order to get Ladyhawke?

In other words, drip.fm is only good for smaller labels with a more focused output.

cafreema

thom - From a Domino drip.fm Member Update:

We hit the 100 person cap for the physical over the weekend so we'll be going through the list today and let everyone know this week. If people don't get the physical but want the digital files we can make those available.

Hopefully that means we got in early enough.

Craig

choiceweb0pen0

Morr is sending a tote back to its first 50 subscribers. I decided to give them a shot mostly based on GP signing up with them and their music sign-up offering. Not sure how long a member I will stay, but can see drip as an alternative to eMu and elsewhere. It actually reminds me of the subscription model of some small presses. A few years ago, Ashanta, a small poetry press out of Boise, Idhaho, would send you every book they released in a year for maybe $60, which was significant savings since it meant about 10 books below cover price. It was a great lesson in learning that particular press's aesthetics.

thomnottom

I got an email from Morr letting me know that I'll be getting one of the totes. Then today I just found a package from Domino in my mail box at work. It's the flexidisc zone! Very cool. I almost bought it on RSD, too. Hopefully the rest of you that signed up this weekend also made the first 100. I also hope they put up the digital versions as requested.

I continue to be really impressed with the service. Even had a little email chat with someone from Ghostly about it. Tonight I have to get the rest of the releases tagged and encoded.

Germanprof

I got the tote email too. They are giving me so much stuff for the first $10 I almost feel bad, except I guess the downloads don't actually cost them.

cafreema

Man! No flexidisc in the mail for me today and I'll be out of town until Tuesday, so I'll have to wait and hope! (Although I signed up before Thom, so if I don't get it there will be hell to pay!).

Craig

jonahpwll

That looks like a pretty interesting idea. Individual musicians are already doing something similar via their DIY label (ie, Dave Douglas). It'd be nice to see the concept expand to small labels.

Irrelevant, but it seems odd that a thread about a digital distribution service would be under Brick & Mortar.

thomnottom

@Craig - I figured if I got it you would definitely. Otherwise I'll take a picture of mine and send it to you...

@jonahpwll - I couldn't think of anywhere else to put it. Too much goes into general.

choiceweb0pen0

I guess they hope that people will stay in for more than the occasional month. Maybe it's dumb luck, but I feel like I've already gotten a lot for $10 from Morr.

Germanprof

The Morr deal is definitely generous, especially given their usually high prices.

Sort

I dig the overture. I typically get wrapped up in one label anyway, just wish they could put out some B-list back catalog for kicks. I'm waiting for more small labels to go Magnatune where they make their entire catalog available for download for a three- month subscription. Or at least follow that model. I enlisted Morr and will hit Domino tomorrow.

amclark2

here's an amusingly hard to read review of the Hot Chip album - not rec'd if you like Hot Chip; I personally don't think I've ever heard them.