It’s been a few years since the dust was blown off the neglected Silverette typewriter that
sparked all this off – a chance trip into a Southville charity shop and a fiver well spent.
Looking back, the idea was simple. Make a blog that documented the developing Dubstep
scene in Bristol. A deep love for the photographs that Francis Wolff took for Blue Note records
in the 50s and 60s as well as a history of making zines and posters came together with the aid
of that typewriter. Suddenly, a severe lack of web design know-how no longer mattered – the
pages were made by hand, scanned and uploaded as they were. Three years later and they still
are.
The same influences inform Studio Tape-Echo, the design side of the Tape-Echo project that
has been slowly developing its ‘grubby simplicity’ aesthetic over the last two years or so. Hours
spent leafing through vintage type specimen books, looking for knackered photocopiers and
running outdated film through half-broken cameras.
We have been fortunate to have worked with some of our favourite artists and labels, including
Punch Drunk, Clear Skyz, and have had some of the now iconic photographs of the early Bristol
Dubstep scene featured in Resident Advisor’s ‘Real Scenes’ documentary.
More recently, the studio has been working alongside emerging labels like Peng Sound,
BRSTL, Gutterfunk and Livity Sound, creating visual identities for each of these unique imprints.
To mark the launch of Studio Tape-Echo, we are having an exhibition at the Donuts store in
Bristol this Friday. On display will be a wide selection of photographs, screen prints, record
sleeves, defaced sheet metal, cassette tapes, typewriters and general ephemera that make the
studio what it is.
It will also be the first place to get hold of our ‘Cut Dubplates Not Corners’ tee.
Please join us for a look at some pictures and some free booze at Donuts this Friday evening
from 6pm. Festivities continue after the show at ‘The Bank Of Stokes Croft’ where we have
some of our favourite DJs playing.
The Tape-Echo crew.
