About blocSonic

blocGLOBAL is a fiercely independent Old Orchard Beach, Maine based music label in Northern New England just south of Portland. Below you’ll find details about our various music release formats. If you’d like to learn even more, check out the links below for stories about our Netlabel and Record Label.

Want more information? Want to release music via blocGLOBAL (blocSonic / Mind’s Ear Records)? Contact us… we’d love to hear from you!


maxBlocs

These fantastic releases are blocSonic’s brand of promotional maxi-single and EP. As with traditional maxis, each of our maxBlocs feature 3-6 previously unreleased exclusive tracks! You can expect us to release 2 singles per Original/Xtended Edition release. We’ll also occasionally surprise you with original EP releases! Each maxBloc features:

  • Available in a choice of four high-quality audio formats — Lossless FLAC, OGG, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.
  • Complete art is available in three formats — EPS, PDF and TIF.
  • PDF booklet

All our maxBloc releases are licensed under a Creative Commons license. Please see individual release pages for the specific license details. Regardless of the license, we explicitly authorize the use of our maxBloc releases during for-profit DJ performances, radio broadcasts and in online DJ mixes. We do ask that you notify us of your use for our own curiosity and that blocSonic and the album artist are attributed and linked to where possible.

uniDrops

A special single track release series that allows for our artists to surprise blocSonic listeners with music that perhaps may not fit into the context of any of our other release formats.

  • Available in a choice of four high-quality audio formats — Lossless FLAC, OGG, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.
  • Cover/Insert art and a short PDF booklet

All our uniDrops are licensed under a Creative Commons license. Please see individual release pages for the specific license details. Regardless of the license used, we explicitly authorize the use of our fortyFives during for-profit DJ performances, radio broadcasts and in online DJ mixes. We do ask that you notify us of your use for our own curiosity and that blocSonic and the album artist are attributed and linked to where possible.

Originals

During our travels through the wide-world of netaudio culture, we find artists who stand out and who we feel would be perfect to spotlight independently in original blocSonic album releases. Each Original features:

  • Available in a choice of three high-quality audio formats — Lossless FLAC, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.
  • Complete album art is available in three formats — EPS, PDF and TIF.
  • 40+ page PDF booklet with complete liner-notes, lyrics, photos and album credits.

All our original releases are licensed under a Creative Commons license. Please see individual release pages for the specific license details. Regardless of the license, we explicitly authorize the use of our original releases during for-profit DJ performances, radio broadcasts and in online DJ mixes. We do ask that you notify us of your use for our own curiosity and that blocSonic and the album artist are attributed and linked to where possible.

Xtended Editions

Each of our Xtended Edition (XE) series is essentially a re-release. A re-release of an album that blocSonic found to be an exceptional example of the quality that the netaudio world is capable of producing. These re-releases contain the original album as well as at least a bonus disc worth of material (remixes, demos, outtakes, new material and/or other unreleased material). They also feature fresh album art and as with all our releases an extensive PDF booklet.

Each Xtended Edition features:

  • At least 1 disc worth of bonus material
  • Available in a choice of four high-quality audio formats — Lossless FLAC, OGG, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.
  • Complete new album art is available in three formats — EPS, PDF and TIF.
  • 40+ page PDF booklet with complete liner-notes, lyrics, photos and album credits.

All our Xtended Editions are licensed under a Creative Commons license. Please see individual release pages for the specific license details. Regardless of the license used, we explicitly authorize the use of our Xtended Editions during for-profit DJ performances, radio broadcasts and in online DJ mixes. We do ask that you notify us of your use for our own curiosity and that blocSonic and the album artist are attributed and linked to where possible.

fortyFives

fortyFives are blocSonic’s take on the classic 7" single format. An A side, a B side and tracks no longer than 6 minutes in length. Because of this, it’s the perfect format to allow us the freedom to quickly surprise you with new music any day of the week by any current and future artists. They send us the music, we quickly get it to you. Each fortyFive features:

  • Available in a choice of four high-quality audio formats — Lossless FLAC, OGG, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.
  • Cover/Insert art and a short PDF booklet

All our fortyFives are licensed under a Creative Commons license. Please see individual release pages for the specific license details. Regardless of the license used, we explicitly authorize the use of our fortyFives during for-profit DJ performances, radio broadcasts and in online DJ mixes. We do ask that you notify us of your use for our own curiosity and that blocSonic and the album artist are attributed and linked to where possible.

improvBlocs

Experimentation at blocSonic, lives here!

This release series is designed to celebrate improvisational music creation. Each release is a 20-40 minute improv session that, while improvisational, still retains some loose connection to traditional song structure… think Jazz… but not necessarily JAZZ. Knowhadimean? Each improvBloc features:

  • Available in a choice of four high-quality audio formats — Lossless FLAC, OGG, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.
  • Complete art is available in three formats — EPS, PDF and TIF.
  • PDF booklet

All our improvBloc releases are licensed under a Creative Commons license. Please see individual release pages for the specific license details. Regardless of the license used, we explicitly authorize the use of our improvBloc releases during for-profit DJ performances, radio broadcasts and in online DJ mixes. We do ask that you notify us of your use for our own curiosity and that blocSonic and the album artist are attributed and linked to where possible.

netBlocs

Each of these eclectic releases shine a spotlight on ten or so international audio gems culled from the Netaudio culture. Each netBloc features:

  • Available in a choice of three high-quality audio formats — Lossless FLAC, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.
  • Complete album art is available in three formats — EPS, PDF and TIF.
  • 30+ page PDF booklet with complete liner-notes, track credits and artist photos.

remixPack

Here at blocSonic we have long been champions of Creative Commons licensing. Over the years we’ve looked for interesting ways to give back to the CC community that has provided so much to us and our netBloc series. With the remixPack series of releases, we’re continuing to give back by providing remixable music that we’re encouraging artists, producers, remixers & fans to download, reinvent and submit back to us for possible inclusion in future releases.

blocVersions

Ever present in the world of Reggae music are the concepts of riddims and versions. If you’ve ever gotten a hold of a few Reggae 7 inches, you’ve noticed this. On the A side, the "version" with vocals, on the B side, the "riddim". Much of the time, that same riddim can be used for multiple versions on different 7s. Thanks to Tha Silent Partner (ever the format innovator), we’ll be releasing our own blocVersions series, kicked off with his own “Riddims & Stems” release. For each release we’ll provide the riddims in their own downloadable package in the standard audio format. In addition we’ll provide a special package containing the original riddims along with their stems (in lossless FLAC format). If you're a vocalist and you want to provide your own vocal version, do it, to it and send it our way, maybe you’ll get your own fortyFive release! If you're a producer or musician, use those stems, create something fresh and new and maybe send it to us for possible release! If you’re a music fan, download them and enjoy.

Mind’s Ear Re-releases

blocSonic sister label Mind’s Ear Records specializes in delivering incredible eclectic underground music. The Re-release series focuses on re-releasing underground gems that greatly deserve another physical run.

blocSonic Re-releases

blocSonic continues doing what it’s been doing since 2007… delivering incredible music. With the re-release series it’s giving incredible previously released albums a much needed return to retail!

blocGLOBAL Originals

Sevens

This is blocGLOBAL’s high-quality, direct to retail Traffic Entertainment distributed 7" format for blocSonic and Mind’s Ear Records. If you’ve been digging what we do in the digital space, get ready to enjoy what we do with physical formats!

samplePacks

At blocSonic we have always embraced Creative Commons licensing. We've recently begun moving to a more sample friendly license for all our releases. In addition to that we are giving back to the CC community by releasing our own special sample packs that feature a very liberal Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that can even be used for commercial releases!

Intros

A new compilation series in which we curate a selection of favorites from an individual artist’s body of work. The same care goes into each of these as you’ve come to expect from our netBloc series. Each Intro features:

  • Available in a choice of four high-quality audio formats — Lossless FLAC, 320kbs MP3, 192kbs MP3 & Ogg Vorbis.
  • Complete album art is available in three formats — EPS, PDF and TIF.
  • 20+ page PDF booklet with complete liner-notes, track credits and artist photos.

Xtras

These special collections feature Creative Commons licensed tracks that for one reason or another blocSonic couldn't acquire official permission to use but find them worthy of extra attention. Since no formal permission has been acquired, links to the original files are provided rather than compiling them into a proper release. However, a cover and a tracklisting is provided in order for you to burn them to disc, if you'd like.