London based management firm ie:music (best known for managing Robbie Wiliams) has announced it has entered into a long term deal with Absolute Marketing And Distribution, that agency which offers major record company style services to small independents or artists looking to self-release their recordings.
The deal will see Absolute handle all sales, retail marketing, online marketing, manufacturing and digital management for the various independent labels that are part of the ie:music group. Releases will be distributed through Absolute's existing relationship with the Universal Music Group.
The first release via the new partnership will be from ie:music managed Sia, with a single and album release planned.
Confirming the deal, Music Week quote ie:music joint MD Tim Clark thus: "We are delighted to be working with Absolute. We feel we're in very safe and experienced hands and we're quite sure that this is going to be a long and successful association".
Absolute MD Henry Semmence added: "In today's ever-changing marketplace, combining the skill sets of one of the UK's most successful management companies and Absolute's experienced label management service has the potential to create a completely new blueprint for independent labels of the future. Tim Clark and David Enthoven have always believed in the principle of 'more power to the artiste' and this is a great fit with our ethos of empowering independent labels and artists to maintain control of their careers and their copyrights by fully managing the label on their behalf".