Why can a smell remind you of your youth?

Why can we feel someone we will never see again when we hear a distant voice?

These are the things that drive the inspiration behind What We’ll Be. The sounds of youth, forever gone. The memories of sun drenched days in friends’ back yards. There is magic in life and life is music. Whenever we were, whatever we are, wherever we are going is “What We’ll Be!”

It’s that time of year in Detroit when everybody focuses on music and a movement spurred by the city we love. To celebrate, we’ll be kicking off Movement weekend with a pre-party featuring some of our favorite locals and some out of town friends at our home away from home, Park Bar’s Elizabeth Theater.

Blank Artists And Friends
Friday May 25th, 2012

Featuring Live Performances by:
Kevin Reynolds
Agents Of Woe
Dakota Bones

With Blank Artists’ DJs:
Jared Wilson / Joe Vargas / Josh Dahlberg

$5
5p-2a
17:00 – 2:00

Park Bar’s Elizabeth Theater
2040 Park Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226

See the event on Facebook and Resident Advisor.

In conjunction with celebrating seven years in operation, we’ve released Money Matters, So This Is Free – a pay-what-you-want downloadable Various Artists’ compilation. Some familiar BA crew with new and extended family in the mix for this; it’s an enjoyable listen.

Side Note: We’re busy getting new music ready, our suggestion would be to sign our mailing list (bottom, right) to get updates directly to your inbox.

Lastly, we’ll drop a little tidbit about our Movement/DEMF plans by asking you all to attend our pre-party, Friday May 25th at Park Bar’s Elizabeth Theater. Easily one of the best downtown venues for local music and beer, we hope you can make it!

In the afterglow of our seven-year anniversary, our new label compilation, Money Matters, So This Is Free (BLNK-25), is an altruistic approach to the downloadable album. We were so taken aback by the material collected that we wanted to share this one compliments of the house.

Some familiar names on this one if you know where to look, so please download free of charge. And if you’d like to throw something in the hat on your way out, there’s an option for that too.

In the best ways possible, Jackson Lee & Ben Jenkins’ new Untitled 12″ is the deepest, dubby-est, headiest, techno record we’ve had the pleasure of hearing since god knows when.

This is a very limited run (250) with no digital release in sight…and they’re moving quick. Don’t hesitate!

1. Jared Wilson – Imp ‘96 Detroit Cruisin’
2. The Valley & The Mountain – Better With You
3. Bones Feat. Dr. Dali – Islands Of Europa
4. D. A-P – Night Visions
5. Agents Of Woe – Realtalk
6. Hector – The Best Themes Are Already Theme Parks
7. Josh Cummings – My 4am
8. Pipé Scuttleworth And The Champions – Pipé Scuttleworth And The Champions Riding The Clouds Again

Money Matters So This Is Free celebrates what Blank Artists has become as well as what it has avoided becoming in seven years. We are friends, neighbors, fathers, uncles, and creators. No one here is working on a mix for that club in London, spending the next 6 months touring Southeastern Asia, or struggling with a god complex; and we don’t hide from that, it makes us who we are. We aren’t fashion boys, we all work jobs that we’d rather not, and staying out all night has lost its charm. We work hard and understand that diversity and challenge are essential aspects of what we do. So in the spirit of the label, and seven years of successes and failures, this one is on us…but for the mutual reciprocators out there, please feel free to donate via Paypal below.