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Sonic Archives Sonic Archives
  • Sound
  • Touch
  • Smell
  • Taste
    • Reviews
    • Interviews
    • Op-Eds & Cheap Comments
  • Sight
  • Blog

Chamber Of Commerce – 2009 Portland Jazz Festival

One of my personal highlights of the 2009 PDX Jazz Festival was an ambitious collaborative project between Blue Cranes and Paxselin Quartet, not only sharing the same bill, but performing... read more →
  • August 26, 2024
  • Recordings Of Independent Origin

PDX Pop Now! 2009 CD Release Party

On Thursday, June 4, 2009, PDX Pop Now! threw a CD release party at Holocene, to celebrate the release of their fifth annual compilation CD, PDX Pop Now! 2009. (originally... read more →
  • August 25, 2024
  • Recordings Of Independent Origin

The Baseball Project • Portland 2009

The Baseball Project is what some might call a "super-group" whose members are some of the most durable players of the 80s & 90s alternative / indie / underground rock... read more →
  • August 25, 2024
  • Recordings Of Independent Origin

How I make lathe-cut records

This is a short demo clip I made several years ago, that I thought would be fun to share, and which might help folks understand more about the making of... read more →
  • August 19, 2024
  • Audio 101

Lathe-Cut Records : Rates

When artists approach me about making a small run of lathe-cut records for them, the first question nearly everyone asks is: how much does it cost? I don’t have a... read more →
  • May 2, 2024
  • Audio 101

Überscenesters On 45!

Here's a fun little project I recently had the pleasure of working on for some old pals in Minneapolis. Four different half-speed mastered singles, in four different colors. These tracks... read more →
  • May 2, 2024
  • Recordings Of Independent Origin

Spooks!

Every now and then I have to break away from the industry aspect of the music biz, and tackle a pet project just for the fun of it. This time... read more →
  • May 2, 2024
  • Recordings Of Independent Origin

Lathe-cut Plunderphonics!

Here's a little blast from my early adventures in lathe-cutting : A nifty Plunder-phonics styled track I created entirely from dozens of vinyl scrubs; embedded in my very first 5"... read more →
  • May 2, 2024
  • Recordings Of Independent Origin

An Introduction to Lathe-Cut Records

A lathe-cut record is small-batch art. It was made by hand, one-at-a-time, in real time, on a polycarbonate (plexiglass) medium, using machines built in the 1930s & '40s. The embossing... read more →
  • May 1, 2024
  • Audio 101

Catching Up With The Past

This post is dedicated to a clever troll - tapesfor2 - who once publicly posted this nice comment about my efforts to preserve the Sonic Archives tape collection: "You shouldn't... read more →
  • February 18, 2024
  • Recordings Of Independent Origin
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Hi, my name is J.Free, and I wear a few different hats!

Get in Touch

E-Mail: info@sonicarchives.com

The Sonic Archives Recording Company:
Small-run lathe-cut records made by hand – if you’re interested in a unique alternative to traditional factory-pressed records for your band or musical project.

Record Rescue Rehab Restore:
For the last 40 years or so, I’ve been buying and selling vintage vinyl records. If you’re looking for a hard-to-find vinyl record; or if you have a collection of records you would like to sell, please get in touch with me!

The DJ Hypnos Sound System:
Not your usual DJ – If you have a special event that calls for something a little different, how about a space-age blast of rhythm, soul, jazz and pop, at all speeds!

While you’re here, why not take a look around and check out some of the bands I’ve played in, and some early writing and visual art from the past few decades. You just never know…

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