Curve Pusher studios announce new studio complex in Hastings

Founded by Lawrie Dunster in 1999, Curve Pusher has had a vibrant heritage in the electronic music community in London – mastering the music made by its musicians, cutting dubplates for its DJs and providing recording facilities for its producers, they have been involved on every level. In their time in operation, they’ve covered ground as far ranging as spoken word, noise, metal and punk. A few highlights include Damian Lazarus’ Crosstown Rebels, Jamie Jones’ Hot Creations, Seth Troxler’s Play it Say it, Jerome Hill’s Don’t and Super Rhythm Trax, dub legend Aba Shanti to techno innovator Nina Kravitz’s Trip imprint. Curve Pusher also works with some of the world’s major vinyl distributors including Juno, Above Board and Rubadub, along with the likes of Warners and Sony.

Chief engineer, Keith Tenniswood AKA Radioactive Man also comes with 3 decades of experience working in music, with front of house engineering for Sabres of Paradise and through his own work with Andrew Weatherall as Two Lone Swordsmen. Keith joined the company in 2010 in the capacity of a recording studio engineer and soon began training to become a vinyl cutting and mastering engineer – a role he has been skilfully fulfilling for years.

Three of only 100 Neuman Lathes left in the world

Hastings was chosen as the new home for Curve Pusher after Lawrie felt an instant affinity to Hastings and its people after being forced out of his premises in Hackney due to the building being sold for redevelopment. The move has been a force for positivity enabling him to build a new bespoke studio complex from the ground up, overseeing every detail to achieve the highest possible specification for the mastering and cutting process. In total Curve Pusher now houses three Neumann record cutting lathes and has the potential for high capacity and quality productivity. One of these is a rare Ortofon cutting amplifier and Neumann lathe and cutting head hybrid, which also offers the equally rare service of half-speed mastering and cutting for an even higher calibre of cut. Two of the rooms are also full mastering studios designed to provide the best possible listening environment with acoustic treatment from industry leaders Amadeus Acoustics while the third lathe is positioned for flat cutting from already mastered material. There is also the facility to cut straight from tape without entering the digital domain.

The recording studio has also been reinstalled and contains a high-spec list of classic equipment, at the centre of which is a 40 channel Amek Angela mixing desk – the same set up used by Quincy Jones. An extensive list of classic analogue drum machines, synths and outboard gear are in the room and the studio is also able to facilitate recording from a live room for a full band setup. This comes equipped with a full range of microphones, guitars, bass guitar and drum kit ready to use for recording musicians.

During their move, Curve Pusher have received the full backing and support of Hastings Council and Locate East Sussex who supported the business with match-funded financial loans, grants, advice and connections. Hastings has provided a welcoming environment for creative businesses and is working to make their town a hub for a musically minded community of creatives. Curve Pusher fully intend to embrace the local community, in addition to running an introductory discount offer to local residents they are also engaged in a project where they will record, master, cut and manufacture (at sister company Curved Pressings) a vinyl album for release for Fat Tuesday festival’s 10th anniversary featuring 10 local bands.

At the new business location, the primary mastering engineers will continue to be Lawrie Dunster and Keith Tenniswood. Lawrie has well over 30 years experience in the music industry which covers live band performance, front of house engineering, running free parties with the Immersion Sound System and more. He was also a prolific DJ and producer releasing over 150 records made by his own hand on his imprints Pounding Grooves and Routemaster Records. Cutting and mastering vinyl has always been a career aspiration for Lawrie and one that he explains he’s been able to realise in his business and take a step further in the new build project…

“While I’m sad to leave Hackney, the relocation to Hastings has offered me a once in a lifetime opportunity to build this suite of studios from scratch, from the cabling to the soundproofing and room acoustics I’ve been able to refine every detail and create this facility to the best possible specification. It’s a new chapter for Curve Pusher, one which I hope will build on the work we have done in dance music and the international sector already, and will allow us to work with the rich local community of musicians that our new home has in droves.” – Lawrie Dunster