Atlantic Edge Music Services

Promoting Shetland Through Music

November 22, 2010

Music from Shetland is set to once again find itself in the international spotlight, this time thanks to a unique initiative undertaken by Promote Shetland - the islands relatively new 'destination marketing' organisation.

The initiative sees the international music magazine 'Songlines' carrying / distributing a free 'cover-mount' CD as part of it's January / February issue - featuring 18 different artists from Shetland and a mix of both traditional and contemporary music. The full line up features Aly Bain, Fiddlers Bid, Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag, Catriona Macdonald, Rock Salt & Nails, Chris Stout and Catriona McKay, Inge Thomson, Jenna & Bethany Reid, Malachy Tallack, Bryan Gear & Violet Tulloch, Bongshang, Astrid Williamson, Maggie Adamson & Brian Nicholson, Filska, Lise Sinclair, Steven Spence, Hom Bru and Paul Johnston.  

Songlines, which has a monthly international circulation of 20,000 copies, agreed to the Shetland cover-mount following meetings with Andy Steven - the head of Promote Shetland - at last years Celtic Connections festival during its Showcase Scotland trade fair. 

In the past the magazine has carried and promoted CD's featuring music from other countries such as Brazil and Hungary, but this will be the first occasion it has focused on music from such a small region.

Paul Geoghan the Director of 'Songlines' said they were delighted to feature Shetland given its reputation in musical circles. "Shetland has such a strong music tradition for such a small place" said Paul "But many of our readers will know very little about the place or indeed most of the artists who come from there, so this is an ideal opportunity to let them find out more about the islands through your music and our magazine".

Andy Steven of Promote Shetland said "Music is one of the primary reasons visitors know about or choose to come to Shetland, so we are keen to use it to attract still more visitors - plus of course initiatives such as this hopefully promote the music and musicians themselves into the bargain in a national and international context. We think the Songlines CD is a great opportunity for all concerned".

In addition to the normal circulation of the magazine this particular edition will also be distributed to music industry representatives at this years Celtic Connections Festival and MIDEM, the massive industry international trade fair held annually in Cannes in January / February each year.

The Promote Shetland CD has been complied by Davie Gardner of Atlantic Edge Music Services and mastered by local recording engineer Marvin Smith.