Guidance Leaves the Path
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Unfortunately an inadequate sound system hampered the show; feedback so decimated the delicate, pretty voice of Sophie Bancroft that she gave up after one song, although she did try again later in the set. And since the group’s two keyboardists chose not to situate themselves onstage, the only visual focus was a twitchy video collage worthy of a sophomore film student. The group’s debut album, This Utopia–a dreamy mesh of down-tempo beats, atmospheric samples, and moody cooing–isn’t due out until August, but this gig was supposed to generate a buzz. It may be too soon to tell if it was worth the expense, but it’s difficult not to see this roll of the dice coming up snake eyes.
They met Web designer and dance-music fan Stary through friends, and in 1996 the three partners poured all of their savings into an office space, aiming to release two singles a month. “We never really met that goal,” says Pavlovich, but the label managed to sustain itself anyway: “When we needed some extra capital we’d ask for some money from our parents.” Today the label employs two additional full-timers.
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