We're big fans of what Manchester-based specialist music etailers Boomkat are doing with their 14 Track "imprint". It's worth a mention here because amongst the plethora of business models being tried out in the record industry, they've got a pretty convincing one.
Each 14 Tracks edition is to all intents and purposes a compilation album - but available only online. Each one is based on a specific theme, genre, label etc. All tracks stream for free from the site, are available as DRM-free downloads individually or as an album.
Now we weren't sure about the pricing structure initially, and we still feel - instinctively - that 99p is a bit steep for a single track, although the DRM-lack is a big plus. But with the bundled "album" price they're on to a winner: £6.99 is a killer price for any 14 track compilation, and especially so for one as likely as not chock full of rarities. Sure, you'll be able to track these down for free somewhere... but with no guarantee of quality, and certainly not with such ease.
So hats off to them in general... and in particular for their latest edition, which delves into the archives of (another Double Shot favourite) and Mark Ernestus and Moritz Von Oswald's Berlin-based techno-dub pioneers Basic Channel.
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