Culture
18 Jul 22

First "plant-based, bioplastic vinyl record" to be released, featuring Bicep

Credit: Dan Medhurst

UK environmental organisation Music Declares Emergency have organised the vinyl release with two labels, Ninja Tune and Secretly.

UK climate activist group Music Declares Emergency are releasing the "first plant-based, bioplastic vinyl record", featuring Ninja Tune and Secretly-affiliated acts.

The vinyl compilation includes four tracks from Bicep, Porridge Radio, Angel Olsen and Black Country, New Road.

Music Declares Emergency's Crowdfunder description states that Evolution Music created this material to help their mission to "decarbonise the production of physical product in the music business."

Both labels (Ninja Tune and Secretly) have donated two tracks each, with Bicep's 'Isles' and Angel Olsen's 'Big Time' on the list. Music Declares Emergency has long been supported by the labels. The Belfast duo Isles was the UK's third-best-selling vinyl album of the year so far last April.

Isles, released on January 22 last year, finds the electronic duo – made up of Matt McBriar and Andy Ferguson – boldly expanding the sound they introduced on their self-titled debut album in 2017. Their second album debuted at No.2 in both the UK and Ireland.

As part of their NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET campaign, the environmental organisation will giveaway out 20 copies through a raffle draw on Crowdfunder. Entries cost £5.

All donations made to the Crowdfunder campaign will help Music Declares Emergency's efforts in the UK to persuade professionals in the music industry to look for environmentally friendly ways to conduct the market.

"It is very exciting to be trialing sustainable bioplastic vinyl pressings, and with such brilliant tunes!" Peter Quicke of Ninja Tune commented. "We all love vinyl but the current manufacture process involves a significant amount of pollution, so we've been looking for alternatives. Massive props to Evolution Music for coming up with a solution."

Porridge Radio, who appear on the compilation, said on Instagram: "We’re always talking about how to be more sustainable as a touring band and it sometimes feels impossible but things like this give me hope."

Music Declares Emergency was launched in the UK in July 2019 and has since expanded to three continents. Currently, it's backed by more than 6,000 businesses, musicians, and other industry professionals.

For more information, visit musicdeclares.net.