We recently announced our new partnership with London based multimedia platform LDN Features. Dedicated to supporting talented solo artists, LDN Features utilise their own studio band and videographers to produce slick, professional recorded live sessions. We sat down with founders Andy and Samer to chat all things LDN and Horus Music.
Q: Welcome to Horus Music LDN Features! For those who aren’t familiar with your platform, can you give us an overview of your services?
A: LDN Features is a platform that celebrates live music, fosters collaboration between artists and session musicians, and offers a fresh and engaging way to record a live performance video. The house band consisting of top-notch professional session players will accompany the artist to create authentic and dynamic renditions of their music. We cater to artists from various musical genres, allowing for a rich and diverse range of performances. Whether it’s rock, pop, jazz, blues, country, or any other style, we embrace all types of music. Our team ensures that each performance is captured with high-quality audio and video production.
Q: How did the idea for LDN Features begin? How did you approach developing an idea into the professional platform it is today?
A: Myself and Samer had been working as a session band with various artists including Elle Exxe and Sarah Darling for a number of years. Having really enjoyed the projects we wanted to set up our own platform that could share our experiences and connect with new artists. The live performance video idea was an exciting prospect as getting session musicians and artists in a room who may not know each other to create something special, brought out the best in both sides.
We started filming sessions 4 years ago with artists we knew or had worked with. Slowly we increased the house band size from bass, drum, keys and guitar to incorporating strings, horns and bv’s. After a couple of years we had moved location to bigger studios and expanded our filming crew, always with the ambition to improve our visuals and audio. We developed relationships on the way with company’s who help support the channel though equipment and collaborations, while building a strong following of viewers enjoying the content we were creating.
Q: Can you give us an overview of the process of the session day and what it involves?
A: The process starts with the artist sending over the song they would like to perform. We have a listen and work out what instrumentation would work best, for example a balled song would be evaluated by strings and a pop song would be more punchy with horns. The song is then sent to all musicians to prepare their parts. On the day the artist will arrive and we will have a rehearsal for 1 hour. In this hour we will run the song, make any changes needed and also be creative. Once the artist is happy with how everything sounds, we hit record and get the take that felt the best usually around take 3 or 4.
Q: A lot of artists alongside releasing new music look for opportunities to re-promote their back catalogue. Are you able to work with both upcoming and already released material?
A: Yes we can do either however we recommend to the artist that it is more efficient to perform a track that has been released. This is because there are a lot of external factors leading unto artists releasing new music which can cause delays.
Q: How does the selection process work when you’re receiving submissions from new artists?
A: When an artist submits to be featured on the channel, the team will listen to their music and check social platforms. What the team is looking for in the artist, is strong vocals and stage presence, while being comfortable in front of the camera. From there we will have a call to explain how the day is scheduled and the process of filming while answering any questions.
Q: What should artists expect to receive in return when partnering with LDN Features?
A: The artist will receive the full live performance video which they can publish on all their channels except Youtube. Along side the video, they will also receive 3 x 1 min versions in portrait mode which they can use for story and reels. Photos will also be taken throughout the shoot so a pack of pictures will be included as well.
Q: Can you tell us a few of your recent session highlights?
A: In the last session we filmed back in March really stands out. We had performances from Twinnie, who is a country artist now residing in Nashville. Drew Thomas who is a very exciting up and coming artist from London, with indie/rock influences. A cinematic performance from Eckoes and a summer pop classic from Ally Thorn. That session had such a variety of different genres and styles which made the filming even more exciting.
Q: It’s been a pleasure catching up with you. Let’s wrap up with a quick fire question- tell us your favourite food!
A: This is the hardest question of them all…I may divide opinion however I am going for a classic. Sunday roast. If everyday could be a Sunday I think the world would be a better place!
A big thanks to the team at LDN Features for taking the time to catch up with us. If you’d like to see more of their work, you can head over to their website. We’ve had a number of Horus Music artists work with LDN Features including Natalie Oliveri and Malin Andersson. You can check out some of our favourites here.
If you’re interested in working with LDN Features, you can contact them here.
