Blog Posts

As part of his weekly ‘Howzat’ column, music journalist Jeff Jenkins tags along to a mastering session at Deluxe Mastering in Melbourne and chats with Tony “Jack the Bear” Mantz…

HIS MASTER’S VOICE
Look closely at your CD collection and you’ll find the credit: Mastered by Jack the Bear. He is ubiquitous. But who is Jack the Bear? Intrigued by the mastering process – Is it really a black art? – Howzat! asked to tag along when a mate was having his record mastered by Jack the Bear. I arrived early at his Brunswick studios, expecting a sterile environment, uptight and uninviting. “G’day, mate,” a large man says, hand outstretched…

Read the full piece here.

Following on from decades of CD Mastering in Melbourne, the current Deluxe Mastering studios recently marked five years in operation. How did we celebrate? By remaining bunkered down at “work”, mastering and relishing more great music:

Tony “Jack the Bear” Mantz has been keeping out of trouble mastering releases for Ganga Giri, Matt Van Schie, Feenipawl, Tonite Only, Matt Sonic, Dinkybike, The Scarlets, Kid Kenobi, Bass Kleph, Cave Of The Swallows, Dead Lovers Lane, Josh Raffaut, Polar Nation, Dead City Ruins, PurEnvy, Jane Walker, The Latency (Canada), Polar Nation, Delta Riggs, P’nau, Choose Mics, Radio Ink, Syntax, The Villains Lair, The Once Overs, Jump Jump Dance Dance, Itch-E & Scratch-E, Pretty Dulcie, David Cosma, fRew, The Exchange (USA), and James Harcourt (UK).

Projects mastered by Adam Dempsey include the new ‘Raiders’ single and EP for Owl Eyes mixed by Jan Skubiszewski (Jackson Jackson, Kate Vigo, and including bass by Jet’s Mark Wilson), Dead Parties (Etienne Mamo of The New Black, and mixed by Michael Badger of the Demon Parade), albums for The Fearless Vampire Killers (engineered by Michael Badger at Soundpark), Vague Cuts (engineered by Jez at Hothouse), Residual (Peter Knight and Dung Nguyen of Way Out West), Mushroom Horse, Fixed Error, debut album of thick guitar pop tones from Drawing Arcs (recorded and mixed by Brent Punshon at Head Gap), 7 inch singles for Raoul McLay, and EP’s for Hyfrydol and Indigo & the Bear (engineered by Dave McCluney at Atlantis Sound).

Thanks to all who’ve been part of our services over the past five years, having us play a role in their releases. Here’s to many more years of great music ahead, continuing to deliver the best in audio mastering service and experience with a musical sensitivity at competitive, all-inclusive rates.

For all your CD mastering, online mastering or vinyl mastering needs, simply call us on +61 (3) 9386 6698 or contact us online here.

Coverage of the ongoing Loudness Wars and its potential for peacetime makes it into our national paper The Australian, featuring comment from Deluxe Mastering’s Adam Dempsey.

Read on: “Studios turning rock’n’roll into raucous noise pollution” by Andrew Harris.

Following decades of experience in audio mastering, we’re proud to mark five years of operation for the Deluxe Mastering facility here in Brunswick.

It’s been a full gamut of projects: from spoken word to contemporary jazz, hip-hop to country, dance music to classical, folk to rock, and for CD, online and vinyl. We aim to bring many more years of service-focused, no-compromise mastering and we thank our valued clients – the goosebump makers – past, present and future, for having us play a final role in their releases.

– Tony “Jack the Bear’ Mantz, Adam Dempsey, Byron Scullin & Finn Keane.

An integral part of Melbourne’s music scene street press, Beat Magazine staff scored Single of the Week to Dead Parties‘ debut single ‘In Dreams of Decadence’ – engineered by the band’s Etienne Mamo, mixed by Michael Badger (The Demon Parade) and mastered by Adam Dempsey.

“This is easily the best thing we’ve listened to yet. Really, really f**ing nice.” Read more here.

We’ve been been flat out and loving it, with Tony “Jack the Bear” Mantz mastering new releases for Matt Van Schie, Matt Sonic, UK producers Nick Warren (Way Out West), Jam Xpress, Hedflux and James Harcourt, as well as new projects for Art vs Science, Chad Mason (Wagons) and new remixes for Jessica Mauboy and Justice Crew. Filming has also been done for a new iPhone app for Mark Opitz.

Releases mastered by Adam Dempsey include Crooked Saint (Tim Wheatley, ex-Rushcutter, mixed by Michael Badger of The Demon Parade), new singles for Luminouz, Kate Vigo (mixed by Jan Skubiszewski), The Fearless Vampire Killers (recorded by Michael Badger at Soundpark studios and mixed by Lars Stalfors in LA), albums for Adam Simmons‘ jazz trio Origami (mixed by Myles Mumford), an album of “voodoo swamp-funk” for Adam Rudegeair, the debut album for James Parry (Tas), and a new full band album for Tracy McNeil (of Fireside Bellows with Jordie Lane) “Fire From Burning”, mixed by Roger Bergodaz.

You can also hear Adam as part of a 3RRR radio documentary on loudness, produced and presented by Ross Richardson. Check out the podcast from the Max Headroom program here.

Releases completed by Finn Keane include Little John (for a video clip), Roller One (7 inch) , The Whitegoods, and Jaguar Spring.