The modern music economy has turned primarily towards a stream-based value exchange over the years, exclusively prioritizing quantity and efficacy over qualitative idea exchanges between artists and their fanbase. Simultaneously, creative technology has enabled entirely new markets of varying size and scope to emerge and “disrupt” (ugh) traditional ones. In our observation, there is a gaping rift between artists working in music composition or performance and the creative professionals wielding technology for commerce. The effect is that interesting technological advances are often out of reach or inaccessible to the very artists creating the content distributed through new modes of digital delivery.

79Ancestors began as a way to connect artists and creatives working in disparate fields, to explore interesting new release media and formats. In our own networks, we encountered many visual designers, filmmakers, and creative technologists motivated to apply their professional trade towards passion projects centered around helping musicians that inspired them or music they care deeply about. We established a base roster of artists working across disciplines with an exciting collaborative dynamic.

EFFIXX design director Anthony Ciannamea co-founded the label and currently oversees visual design, production, and creative technology—curating releases with partner and collaborator Benjamin Wynn (Deru).