Functional Equivalent Recordings is an independent, artist-driven collective founded in 2005
to bring innovative and exceptional music to listeners without the impediments of the traditional
corporate music industry.
Twenty-first century technologies are fueling a global renaissance of
independent music creation and distribution. Essential tools for recording and
distributing music, once available only through the major label structure, are now in
the hands of artists. With the spread of digital technology, entirely new avenues have
emerged for recorded music to reach its audience.
FER aims to realize the potential
of this rich cultural and technological landscape, elevating standards of music production
while narrowing the gap between music creator and listener. Functional Equivalent
releases are made and sold by artists. This is the future of music.
A word about delivery methods:
Amid the rise of the digital download as a standard medium for new music, the audio CD
is rapidly becoming a specialty format. Like the "obsolete" vinyl record, which has found
unexpected longevity in a large (and growing) specialty market, the audio CD continues to
appeal to an audience that prefers to receive music on a physical medium with superior audio
quality and unique visual art.
These discriminating listeners are increasingly aware that,
as with vinyl, not all CDs are made the same way. Most commercial audio CDs are manufactured
at the lowest possible cost - sacrificing quality - and packaged in brittle plastic cases with
minimal artwork, offering little advantage over a downloaded version of the same music.
In contrast, every Functional Equivalent CD is made without compromise to bring the artist's
complete vision to life: Special audiophile manufacturing techniques ensure the most accurate
replication of the original digital master, yielding a significant improvement in audio fidelity
over typical cut-rate mass production. The disc is packaged in a deluxe fold-out case, with
lyrics, photos and artwork designed personally by the recording artist, complementing the
listening experience with visuals and text in the tradition of the great classic records.
Functional Equivalent Recordings is committed to providing first-rate releases in a choice of formats
to suit the needs of the individual listener, and to supporting the emergence of new formats for
higher resoution audio delivery.