With the advent of streaming and the download of music in the beginning of the millennium. It seems like being an artist is ever changing idea. However, with the return of retro gear and the fascination for 80s and physical media it seems to be coming full circle. Dalton Kole, an artist who has been making music since 1999 has seen it all can attest to this.
“As weird as it seems, now we have made full circle and people went back to vinyls and even cassette tapes,” said Dalton Kole lead singer of SkulkPartitionRoot.
Being in the scene for a while in 2020 he took opportunity of this and released specialty pink cassette tape. Dalton also added that he thought of releasing a vinyl however the cost is way too high, and it would require a higher demand.
Dalton also feels like the feeling of a fan purchasing a CD is more sentimental. He reminisces of the first CD Skulk fully released back in 2006, and how fans of it then still remember. “To this day people still remember our first CD release cover, which was just a CD-R with a sticker but in a professionally printed sleeved designed by Milton our drummer,” said Dalton fondly.
With the conglomerate Spotify has become and its shady practices with artists, Dalton feels like the most rewarding service is Bandcamp. He sees it being a viable source for CDS, however it is too niche to a titan like Spotify. “The big mass doesn’t even know about Bandcamp.” He feels like much like radio was thought to die due to television it stayed, and the same will happen with physical music media.
At the end of the day despite the changing musical landscape, lots keep him going. “I think it is just inspiration. Dalton believes that when he least expects it a melody can get in his head, and it stays there till art is made. Give Skulk a follow @Skulkpartionroot on Instagram for more updates!