The studio as a laboratory

The series encompasses studio sessions, performance and film, and was initiated by Women Produce Music (WPM), an artist and producer led non-profit organisation founded by composer and producer Katia Isakoff (Altersonic Sound, ADD N To X, Mute Records).

It will promote and support the activities of music-makers, producers and audio engineers through a series of collaborative projects and initiatives designed to remove career progression and entry-level barriers.

WPM has been busy establishing and growing its network, and has now lined up some incredible industry ambassadors to support !N_KoLAB, its most ambitious project to date. The project brings together pioneering, established and emerging composer producers, to collaborate in various studios and pop-up locations, whilst utilising the studio as an instrument - a laboratory - for the experimentation of sound, and as a compositional tool.

Visibility of women in the studio

The series is is supported by the PRS Foundation Open Fund and Moog Music Inc, and will start in May, when Katia Isakoff is joined by the legendary Suzanne Ciani. Ciani is a five-time Grammy award nominated composer, electronic music pioneer, and neo-classical recording artist whose work has been featured in countless commercials, video games, and feature films.

One of the most creatively successful female composers in the world, over the course of her 40-year career, she has released 16 solo albums, designed Atari’s sound logo, played concerts all over the globe, and is the subject of a documentary A Life in Waves.

Suzanne said, “I am honoured to be part of Katia Isakoff’s latest initiative to catalyse the role and visibility of women in the recording studio. Noticing a lack of female presence in the professional arena of producing, she is not just lamenting this fact, but taking action to prime the pump that will release a flow of future talent. Brava!”

“Electrifying sonic adventure”

Katia was one of the first professional UK female producers, and is also a composer, vocalist and self-taught multi-instrumentalist. In partnership, she designed and built her own West London commercial studio specialising in analogue synthesisers.

She said, “!N_KoLAB is, in essence, the culmination of every idea, hope and vision I have ever explored whilst considering how to move the conversation forward and tell our story. The answer was, and is, where it’s always been – in music – in the studio – through collaboration, friends and community.

No words can express how grateful and thrilled I am to be embarking upon this journey with Suzanne Ciani as our spiritual and sonic guide; and to be sharing this experience with our emerging artist Anil Aykan of Fragile Self, and award winning engineer Marta Salogni of Studio Zona, who brings her passion for tape looping and plate reverbs to the mix.

This really is a dream come true; experimenting and producing music which features the Buchla and Moog sound with Suzanne Ciani at the helm promises to be an electrifying sonic adventure!”

Stepping out of the comfort zone

For Anil Aykan, who works between visual arts and music, and is a designer and member of minimal electronic duo Fragile Self, it’s a chance to further her work exploring the sound spectrum and potential of beats, as well as the human voice to express both the subconscious and extreme states of mind.

She said she was looking forward to stepping out of her comfort zone, “I am very happy to be involved in the !N_KoLAB project, it will give me an amazing opportunity to work with experienced musicians. This support is extremely important for an emerging artist like me, and such solidarity between women is very valuable.”

A linchpin of the project is Marta Salogni the leading record producer, mixer, recording engineer, and performer, whose credits include Bjork, M.I.A, Holly Herndon, Factory Floor, Goldfrapp, and FKA Twigs.

She said, “I’m beyond excited to be participating in this project alongside esteemed talents such as Suzanne, Katia and Anil. The collaborative nature of music is what I always strive for, and I am really looking forward to witnessing what the convergence of our minds and stories will create.”

Vanessa Reed, CEO of the PRS Foundation which also leads the Keychange initiative to transform inclusivity in music, welcomed the launch.

“We’re proud to be supporting the new Women Produce Music’s collaborative lab series. We know, through the programmes we run at PRS Foundation, that targeted initiatives like this reach people who may not usually put themselves forward in spite of their talents and potential. Space to collaborate and experiment outside of the usual routine is also crucial to artist development, new networks and ideas. I look forward to hearing how this pilot series goes and hope we will start to see more and more women taking up roles in the recording studio over the next few years.”

The lab is backed by ambassadors including Paul Pacifico, CEO, Association of Independent Music (AIM), and Richard James Burgess, CEO, American Association of Independent Music (A2IM). Katia spoke at the AIM Women In Music Conference last year on the subject of ‘Women in the Studio’.

Further supporters and ambassadors include Pascale Giovetto, Global Repertoire Manager at Beggars Group, Emma Robertson, Editor of The Talks // Air Podcast, Sandira Blas from Factory Berlin and Paula Maddox, the founder of Dove Audio.

• There will be an official launch event in September 2019 with live performances, a ‘making of’ screening, and a Q&A. For more info sign up to Women Produce Music, and you can follow !N_KoLAB on twitter here