Anjunabeats and Beatport announce contest in search of young up-and-coming producer

by: Bella Bagshaw Oct 3, 2017

Above & Beyond‘s label Anjunabeats is teaming up with Beatport for the second phase of their Beats In School production contest. The contest will earn an ambitious young producer a year-long mentorship with Anjunabeats — home to some of the most intriguing names in electronic music, such as Arty, Seven Lions, and Mat Zo — “homework” on some of the most state-of-the-art hardware from the likes of Novation and Native Instruments, as well as a number of software and hardware products from leading manufacturers.

Beats In School began in June via coalition between Beatport and Circus Recordings to offer label scholarships to hopeful house and techno producers. To enter, contestants will produce a track that fits stylistically with Anjunabeats and upload it to Mixcloud. The label will then select approximately 20 contestants to progress to the next phase of the contest.

Allan McGrath, the Label Director at Anjunabeats, sat down for a Q&A discussing what Anjunabeats is looking for and hopes to get out of its participation in Beats In School.

Q&A with Allan McGrath, Label Director at Anjunabeats

How would you describe the philosophy or principles that drive Anjunabeats?

Quality over quantity, developing talent over time and a family ethos are some of the principles that drive the label. We invest heavily in nurturing talent over time, but we’re also not in the business of putting everything out that comes our way – there’s always a lot of attention to detail and A&R that goes on across our roster.

What qualities will you be looking for in a Beats In School winner?

Musicality, melody, emotion, integrity, and originality are just some of the things we look for when signing new music. Ultimately, we’re always looking for music that will move the scene forward and stand the test of time.

What are you looking forward to from the Beats In School label mentorship?

The chance to uncover and develop new talent is always exciting, and it’s a central part of what we do. We famously had great results with Above & Beyond’s ‘You Got To Go’ remix competition – discovering the unique talent of Seven Lions, who has become a good friend and extended label family member, as well as a star in his own right. We’re hoping to find another star in the Beats In School mentorship.

Find out more here, and make sure to enter via Mixcloud.