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Cape Town - Black Major is proud to announce that Beatenberg has signed to Island Records (part of Universal Music's global family), joining the roster of one of the world’s legendary, and most artistically diverse, record labels.
The signing happened at the end of a brilliant year for the award-winning three-piece, which included two standout international television performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Later … with Jools Holland. Beatenberg also opened for Mumford & Sons on a number of the UK band’s American dates and joined them at their British Summer Time Festival appearance in London’s Hyde Park in July.
"We are thrilled that Island Records has recognised Beatenberg’s singular music," says Sevi Spanoudi, Black Major founder.
"Since first surfacing in 2012, the band’s music has been celebrated because of its authenticity and the fact that it doesn’t sound like anything out there. We were not surprised that it caught the attention of several international labels but there is no doubt that Island Records is a really the best fit for this exceptional band."
Spanoudi believes that Beatenberg’s signing to Island Records has significance for the country’s domestic music industry.
"There are few South African acts that have been truly welcomed into the international majors space. I’m positive that Beatenberg’s signing will help open doors for more artists creating homegrown music that appeals to a much broader, global audience."
Matthew Field (vocals and guitar), Robin Brink (drums) and Ross Dorkin (bass) released their debut album, The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg, in 2014. A year later the album swept the 2015 South African Music Awards (Album of the Year, Duo or Group of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Best Pop Album and four awards for Pluto) and their debut has been certified Gold. Both Rafael and Pluto were number one radio play singles for 34 weeks, with several other tracks off the album also charting on many different radio stations.
With the band’s signing to Island Records there’s every reason to believe that Field, Dorkin and Brink will be South Africa’s first global pop success of the twenty first century – and that they will do this on the back of a sound that’s rooted in their home country’s indigenous styles but is unfailingly moving forward to the future.
