An Audient ASP8024 has been installed in Nairobi studio, Supersonic Africa as part of a project to expand the facility, as its popularity with local and international artists grows. This boost was thanks in no small part to the arrival of Coke Studio Africa, a weekly music TV programme filmed at Supersonic earlier this year.
“The routing system helps to make this an incredibly flexible desk”
Describing itself as ‘a non-competitive music collaboration show’, Coke Studio Africa aims to ‘celebrate the diversity of African music and talent’, and as well as extending the reach of the Coca-Cola brand to the youth across Africa, it has helped raise the profile of Supersonic studio dramatically.
“Musicians from all over the world come together and work on original compositions and mashups,” says producer at Supersonic, Muna Chuba, explaining that this was the second year running that they have hosted the show. “This gives us a lot of coverage as a studio – it’s actually how some of the international musicians get to know about us.”
Those who’ve recorded and mixed at the studio include multi award-winning, local pop band Sauti Sol and international artist Wizkid. Enter the large format mixing desk from Audient, which according to music producer and Supersonic studio owner, Matty Peevers is the next step towards “expanding our horizons into the music sector. The routing system helps to make this an incredibly flexible desk,” he says, particularly admiring its “great sounding EQ.”
“As for our experience with the desk? So far, so amazing.”
Resident producer at Supersonic and engineer behind Coke Studio Africa season 4, Sean Peevers also described the Audient ASP8024 as “an extremely versatile desk.”
Consisting of two studios equipped with digital and retro-analogue gear, the business focus was initially television and radio advertisements. “Clients ask us to produce the entire ad – from voice over recording, creating the music to sound design and mixing,” says Muna, citing Coca Cola, KCB Bank, Safaricom, Airtel, Fanta, Nestle and Weetabix as just some of the diverse list of clients.
“As for our experience with the desk? So far, so amazing. We are getting to know each other quite well,” concludes Muna. Find Supersonic Africa online and on Facebook and find out more about Coke Studio Africa 2017 artists and television airing dates by searching using the hashtag #cokestudioafrica
