In an interview with NYS Music, Walt Randall, owner and CEO of Lounge Studios in Manhattan, revealed that he is starting a new surround-sound company for his studio called Spatio. The company will launch during the first week of June and allow independent artists to record their music in Atmos Spatial Audio. This new surround-sound format allows for a more realistic and immersive recording experience. 

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However, this new format is pricey and creates roadblocks for independent artists. 

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“All major labels make it mandatory to release Atmos, but it’s too expensive for independent artists. The going rate is between $500-$1500/song. This makes it impossible for independent musicians to get their songs done in Atmos Spatial Audio,” Randall said. 

 

Randall realized what an obstacle this posed for independent artists and decided to address it at Lounge.

 

“When I realized that this amazing format would pose insurmountable obstacles to independent artists, it became my mission to even the playing field”, Randall said. 

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Randall described the process of making Atmos Spatial Audio more accessible to independent artists.

 

“I started by building one of only three Dolby Certified, Atmos Studios in Manhattan. I then developed proprietary software systems that would help speed up the mixing process. Lastly, I trained some of Lounge Studios’ best engineers to work with Spatio,” Randall said. 

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Randall added, “To date, we have done Atmos mixes for every major record label and have done some of the biggest stars in every genre of music, including The Wallows and Lil Baby.”

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Randall emphasized what a big deal Spatio will be for rising musicians.

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​“It’s going to be huge for independent artists and will change the playing field.”

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