Everything Is Recorded: The Collaborative Soul and Electronic Collective

Everything Is Recorded is the visionary studio project and alias of British producer and XL Recordings head Richard Russell. Originating from London, the project is renowned for its ambitious collaborative albums that unite legendary vocalists with cutting-edge electronic production, achieving critical acclaim and a top 20 position on the UK Albums Chart.

Early career

The project was formally launched by Richard Russell in 2016, though its roots are in his decades of industry experience. As the owner and creative force behind the influential XL Recordings label since the 1990s, Russell had already shaped the careers of major artists like Adele and The xx before stepping into the spotlight himself.

Breakthrough

Everything Is Recorded's breakthrough arrived with the 2018 debut album, Everything Is Recorded by Richard Russell. Released on his own XL label, the album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 19. It was praised as a masterful fusion of soul, hip-hop, and experimental electronics, built around a core collective of frequent collaborators.

Key tracks

Close But Not Quite — This early single featuring Sampha and Wiki set the project's atmospheric, genre-blending tone.

She Said — Featuring Obongjayar and Kamasi Washington, this track exemplifies the project's powerful fusion of spiritual jazz and electronic rhythms.

Mountains of Gold — A standout with Infinite and Green Gartside, it highlights Russell's skill in weaving together disparate vocal styles into a cohesive whole.

Cane — This haunting track showcases the iconic, sampled voice of Curtis Mayfield, a testament to Russell's deep crate-digging ethos.

The project's second album, Friday Forever, arrived in 2022, continuing the collaborative spirit with new voices like Roots Manuva and Ibeyi. Russell's role as a curator and sonic architect remains central, building immersive worlds around each guest's performance.

Fans of Everything Is Recorded's collaborative depth and genre-fluid production may also enjoy the work of Burial for his similarly atmospheric and sample-heavy UK electronic landscapes. The soulful electronic explorations of The xx share a minimalist emotional resonance. For another visionary British producer who masterfully blends voices and styles, explore Jamie xx. The innovative spirit of Four Tet also aligns with Russell's experimental approach to dance music.

The innovative sounds of Everything Is Recorded are a natural fit for modern radio programming. Their tracks frequently appear on eclectic independent music radio stations, specialist electronic music shows, and forward-thinking online radio streams that champion genre-defying artists.

You can hear the collaborative music of Everything Is Recorded on the curated radio stations featured here. Explore the diverse playlists available on onairium.com to discover their groundbreaking soul and electronic fusion.