As a provider of unique new media content, we here at Walking Heads are always on the lookout for other exciting new ideas that utilise the web with imagination. Recently formed record label Eli and Oz have done just that by creating an interesting and original way to release the best Scottish unsigned bands out there.  Let Joe Carr-Hollands explain…

Each month unsigned artists from throughout Scotland send their tracks to Eli and Oz via song sharing website Soundcloud. The label then narrows down what they’ve been sent to five choice tunes. Next up, a crack team of judges made up of 28 music industry professionals – including Vic Galloway (BBC Scotland), Jim Gellatly (Radio Magnetic) and Ally McCrae (BBC) – vote for their favourite track from the five.

The winning track  gets released on the Eli and Oz website and is spread far and wide across the web, giving the band a great platform from which to push onwards and upwards. The label is the brainchild of Jen Anderson (Euphonios Records, Machine Management and Fiction Records) who has always been a great supporter of up and coming Scottish bands, previously releasing Kid Adrift, Unicorn Kid and Twin Atlantic among many more.

As she herself says:

“This is something I have wanted to do for a long time, there are so many great Scottish bands who deserve a foot up and I think this is a great way to get more involved. They will be able to make their songs available on up to 250 digital platforms including iTunes and Spotify and I want it to be like a community where all genres have the chance to showcase their music and music industry professionals from Scotland will be able to get involved allowing bands to reach much further afield.”

A word of constructive criticism: the Eli and Oz website needs some serious revamping – that overlaid drawing of the blue man and dog makes text hard to read. But if they overcome this issue and keep unearthing great new Scottish bands with innovative methods, we  can see Eli and Oz doing great things over the next few years.