Sound Progression

Keeping Wales’s Music Industry Healthy, Flourishing and Diverse in 2023

I haven’t been to a gig in a while, so when I got the chance to see some raw, up and coming, new talent on the Sound Progression stage, at Immersed Festival in Cardiff, I jumped at the chance. As a musician myself, I love discovering new music and seeing what artists are creating at grassroots level, but what I hadn’t realised at the time, was that a super talented mentoring team are supporting these incredible young artists from behind the scenes. During this fantastic event, full of exciting, new and original music, I heard act after act, thanking Sound Progression for this opportunity to perform.

Now, to start with, the standard of each musical act, was phenomenal. Not one bum note in the house, and all performing their own material. A real eclectic mix of genres too. The acts all have different line-ups from solo to full band, from rock to grime, but one thing they all have in common is their talent, their stories expressing life from a young person’s perspective in 2023. There is no doubt that these experiences are invaluable for young artists starting out their musical careers, and this is all made possible by Sound Progression.

A few days after the festival, it was time for me to meet the Sound Progression team at their central building. I took a lovely walk into Cardiff Central to meet them. When I arrived I was greeted by Paul (The Director) and then I quickly met two familiar faces I had seen at the festival- Leighton and Kyle. They were working in small control room, on a wicked track. This track is by one of the artists I had seen perform on Saturday; Soul singer Leah-Marie. They are helping structure this song. As we start talking all about their work, it becomes clear to me that there is something really unique about Sound Progression. They are not just a space to rehearse and record. They are not a tick box exercise. These guys are a talented pro-team who care, and are giving young people real opportunities, and the skills they need to develop their artistry. We talk all about the different stages and levels various artists are, and how they nurture them by creating confidence individually. The team really know how to bring out the best from the artists, and create the conditions for organic development. It’s relaxed, friendly and calm, everyone is focused on the goal: real careers, real opportunities, real empowerment and growth for the artists.

From Left to Right: Carole Blade; Claurindo Diakiesse (participants); Kyle Farrugia aka Farra the Producer and Leighton Jones.

After around 10 minutes of being there, I am wishing I was young again, and I could come to Sound Progression for mentoring. Not only will they help their artists to write, produce and perform their own songs, this team also mentors them on the entrepreneurial side of the music business. I cannot stress how imperative this is in today’s music world. It's not enough to just be talented. You need to be able to promote your work, be a social media expert, understand business models, and create different income streams for yourself, in order to be remotely sustainable. Sound Progression are on it, when it comes to the business side of things, they are teaching these young artists how to manage their careers, how to capitalise on their work and make real progress. Then there is another level of learning which we discuss, and that is the level of professionalism needed within the music industry. Sound Progression encourage their young musicians to approach their artistry in a professional way, treating their work, the environment and others, with respect. This inspires them towards a level of professionalism, that some young people may not have seen modelled before.

Next, Carol arrives (manager and fundraising guru), she then gives me a tour of the rest of their building. They have a live room, with drum kit, amps, space for a full band, and a separate vocal booth. We then walk further into a communal area which has access to individual workstations, each have a variety software for the artists work on their music production skills, and create tracks with. Then we head down to the basement, Carol describes about plans they have for a new mixing room down here, as it is just the perfect space for this. She continues to explains how they have been expanding fast over the last few years, and how there are several different ways young people can access their mentoring and musical support. They have several weekly drop-ins all around Cardiff city where kids can come explore their musical skills with individual musical mentors. This enables Sound Progression’s work to be accessible in those communities, without the barrier of having to travel into the city centre, especially after school.

Sound Progression is free for everyone, and gives young people a real chance to express themselves through the medium of music. They are creating tangible and achievable goals, and unbelievable opportunities. One of these incredible opportunities was an international exchange project. Funded by Wales International Arts, several of Sound Progression’s artists got the opportunity to travel to New York; record in a pro studio there with New Jersey Collective- ARAW Productions. It was an opportunity made possible by talented Producer/Artist/Mentor, Kyle Farrugia, who developed this connection over many years. This collaboration gave the chosen artists a chance to establish a solid collaboration with american rap artists, experience different working practices, musical styles, and become absorbed within cultural exchange. This projects aim was to ‘create new music tracks aimed at raising the profile of Welsh Hip Hop Culture and elevating the artists global status’. Having collaborated and produced an EP - these artists will come back together to promote and perform the EP this summer in Wales.