Ashley Beedle and Amp Fiddler are set to launch a new series on Strut Records. Strut embark on an exclusive new studio album series this year exploring some mouth-watering one-off collaborations. Entitled “Inspiration Information”, the series involves bringing contemporary artists and producers together with their musical heroes, artists that have directly inspired their own careers. They then lock the studio doors for five days of intensive writing and recording.

The collaborations involve an open A&R brief with the focus on spontaneity and a true fusion of styles rather than the marketing-led restrictions of a traditional artist album. Each album can take any form that the artists choose, from three-minute song structures to more extended freeform pieces. The series aims to keep styles and sounds fresh and to represent a snapshot of each artist’s sound at the time of recording. Once each album is mixed, the promotional schedule begins immediately, with most albums released within three months of the sessions.

SLY & ROBBIE / AMP FIDDLER (scheduled for release in October 2008) HORACE ANDY / ASHLEY BEEDLE (scheduled for release in October 2008) MULATU ASTATKE / THE HELIOCENTRICS (scheduled for release in January 2009

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