Abbey Road and Because Music announce season one of new series Live Cuts

08 November 2024 - Press release

Celebrating the crafts of recording and mastering

Season one of ‘Live Cuts’ is in association with Because Music celebrating the label’s 20th anniversary

LISTEN TO AMADOU & MARIAM ‘LIVE CUTS’

WATCH DOCUMENTARY FILM

Today (8th Nov) Abbey Road Studios has announced ‘Live Cuts’, a new series of filmed studio sessions in which artists record two songs in one-take which are immediately cut direct to vinyl. The launch season for Live Cuts is presented in association with Because Music, in celebration of the acclaimed label’s 20th anniversary. Their 2004 debut signing Amadou & Mariam are the first artist to feature in Season One of Live Cuts, with spellbinding and joyous performances of Bofu Safou and La Realite - recorded live in Abbey Road’s Studio Three.

Celebrating the craft of recording and mastering, and echoing the way music was originally recorded when Abbey Road opened in 1931, the sessions result in a 12” single for each release with the tracks also made available on streaming platforms. Each episode is also accompanied by an exclusive short film illuminating the creative and technical processes, alongside an interview with the artist.

Amadou & Mariam have been making globally loved music for over 40 years. They met at the Institute for Young Blind People in Bamako in 1976 and began releasing songs in 1991. Their 2004 album Dimanche à Bamako released via Because Music gained international acclaim, leading to tours, awards and global fame. As ambassadors of Malian music, they perform at major festivals like Glastonbury. Known for their genre-blending style, they’ve collaborated with Damon Albarn and toured with U2 and Coldplay. Their new best-of album La Vie Est Belle features hits like Sabali and new singles Mogolu and La Vie Est Belle.

Amadou & Mariam say “Recording at Abbey Road was a dream for us. Being in a place filled with so much music history brought a special energy to our work, and it felt like we were part of something bigger. It’s an experience we’ll carry with us forever."

Abbey Road’s Head of Brand, Mark Robertson says “Harking back to how the very first recordings were made, our Live Cuts series is for the bravest artists as there is just one chance, one time, one take and the performance is committed to vinyl forever! It’s a brilliant showcase of the expertise of our mastering and recording engineers, and a real thrill to have Amadou & Mariam bring their joy to our house for the first episode, followed by further vibrancy from across the Because roster.”

Because Music UK’s Managing Director, Rhian Emanuel says: ”We are delighted to partner with our friends at Abbey Road for this exciting series of live performances with some of our most treasured artists. Launching the series with Amadou & Mariam on the precise day they released their debut album, Dimanche à Bamako 20 years ago is also a wonderful opportunity to kick off our anniversary celebrations. It is always a joy for us and our artists to collaborate with such masters in the field of audio recording and we can’t wait to share this first series with everyone.”

Season One of Live Cuts will feature three Because Music signings with sessions released monthly. Crystal Murray will be available in December and LSDXOXO in January. Renowned for her incredibly fierce and energetic live performances, as well as her original music, Crystal Murray explores a range of genres, from soul to slick pop and scuzzy rock. LSDXOXO’s decade of dedication to the sensibility of underground club culture has brought forth club classics interwoven with pop music hooks and subversive, tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Further details of these and the 2025 episodes will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Amadou & Mariam ‘Live Cuts’ vinyl releases are available for pre-order now, exclusively via Because Music here and available to stream now via DSPs here.