Night Dreamer - A Direct-to-Disc Music Label

This month we shine a light on Night Dreamer, a label dedicated to the art of direct-to-disc recording. Based at Artone Studio in Haarlem, the team captures a wide range of artists through a live, single-take, no edits, no overdubs process, committing fully to the moment. The studio sits just above Record Industry, one of Europe’s largest vinyl pressing plants so everything is done under one roof.

Artone is packed with restored vintage recording to mastering equipment, this setup supports Night Dreamer’s pure, one-take approach cutting the music directly onto lacquer (acetate).

“I think that beyond the insecurity of recording in one take, lies this place where you’re free and can truly be in the moment, that’s what we’re chasing,” says Neal Birnie, label boss. “Our role is to create the environment for the artists,” he adds. “In the control room, we’re mixing live, reacting in real time, and making sure everything sounds as good as it can.”

Tape has become a big part of that process now. “We started initially passing the drums and bass through tape, sometimes vocals, we loved it, the textures, the subtle compression, silky roll off on some of those sibilant frequencies,” Neal explains. “RTM’s SM900 gave us the higher output we needed, and now it’s part of our workflow. Depending on the project, we’ll route the signal through tape before it hits the lathe.”

Using tape also gives the team a practical edge. Because acetates can’t be played back without degradation, tape provides a faithful reference master. “We end up with two masters, one on vinyl, one on tape. And for that to work, the tape has to be 100% reliable. RTM gives us that confidence every time.”

Night Dreamer have worked across a wide musical spectrum, from jazz heavyweights to Brazilian icons Seu Jorge & Rogê, Jamaican dub legend Scientist, intimate classical recordings, Afro-beat with Seun Kuti, and even a range of Turkish psychedelic recordings. "We love all types of music and the this unique recording element brings everyone through the same process, though each artist approaches it in their own way. Recording direct-to-disc with tape in the chain leaves no room for second takes, it demands total focus, and often draws out something more instinctive, more honest in the performance.” Neal recalls a recent session with a 15-piece choir: “Normally, you might overdub different sections, but here, everyone had to perform together as one. We even had to tuck the Leslie cabinet for the organ into a tiny room just to manage the bleed. But sometimes you just have to embrace it. That’s part of the magic, capturing the energy of a live show, but in a studio setting, printed straight to tape and cut to lacquer.”

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RTM Tape London 2025

On July 20th at Strongroom Studios, London, we brought together some of today’s most respected engineers in contemporary music alongside 140 passionate tape enthusiasts (and the tape-curious!) for a deep dive into how reel-to-reel tape recording plays a vital role in modern production. From workflow secrets to personal philosophies, they shared why tape matters more than ever.

Miles James (Little Simz, Yussef Dayes, Foals) shared his journey from early musical beginnings to touring as a session musician with Michael Kiwanuka. Now working as an engineer, Miles explained how tracking to tape brings something deeply human to his recordings, from the process itself to the warmth and emotion in the final result.

Mikko Gordon (Idles, Arcade Fire, Thom Yorke) walked us through his experimental use of tape loops and analogue “sampling” techniques. He explained that unlike the digital world, tape invites happy accidents and sonic quirks that make each project feel unique, interesting and full of character.

Margo Broom opened up the art (and science) of calibration. While there’s a traditional approach to setting up tape machines, she reminded us that creativity has its place: “If it sounds good to you, it is good.”

Iain Betson, a seasoned tape machine specialist, guided us through the ins and outs of finding the right machine for your needs, whether it's a consumer 2-track machine or a Multitrack. With many makes, models, and quirks out there, there’s much to consider in terms of your workflow and the sound you want when choosing the right machine.

We finished with a Q&A with all the speakers and that could have lasted all evening such was the eagerness of the audience to gain more knowledge.

A heartfelt thank you to all our incredible speakers, the team at Strongroom Studios for their outstanding support, and most importantly everyone who attended. It was a truly special day for us, and we’re already looking forward to hosting more events like this in the future.

Watch this space for future event RTM Tape events!

Dealer Spotlight - Reel Resilience (UK)

Reel Resilience is a UK based provider of support to, and accessories for, professional and consumer format reel-to-reel tape recorders. It draws on the owner, Iain Betson's, 35+ years in the professional audio/video and broadcast industries. As a result, he is considered to be one of the foremost authorities on the reel-to-reel format in the UK.

Trained by the BBC as a studio support engineer in London, Iain worked in the studios at Broadcasting House, at the world-famous Maida Vale studios and the Corporation's Radio Outside Broadcast department, maintaining the Corporations range of quarter inch and two” format recorders.

Iain first saw the shoots of a reel-to-reel revival around 2012, so started Reel Resilience in 2017 to cater for this.

“The pandemic lock-down in the UK was a major boost for the business, it was clear that people were clearing their storage spaces out and discovering old tape recorders. Being based near Derby, in the centre of the UK, we had a steady stream of machines from all over the country to service and repair. Since then, the business has seen no sign of stopping” Iain told us.

Recently the company has refined its support service to specific brands such as Studer, Revox, Otari, TEAC/Tascam and MCI two-track to multi-channel format machines.

The supply of new tape is an integral part of Reel Resilience’s offing to the reel-to-reel sector as Iain believes that without a source of new tape, reel-to-reel audio recording would be dead in about six months. From his extensive experience with the format Iain knew that RTM tape was the superior product over other offerings. Not only in the headline specs of level, noise and frequency response, but also in the more subtle, such as exhibiting a consistent pack to avoid edge damage or having minimal shedding. So, he is proud that Reel Resilience is an appointed reseller of Recording the Masters tape.

“Whether these machines are used in a Hi-Fi listening room in the home, or in a professional recording studio, it is vital users support companies such as RTM to ensure the future of the format they love.”

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E-Commerce Update

We are excited to share some major updates in our e-commerce journey!

eBay Global Launch – RTM products are now available to customers worldwide on eBay, offering easier access and faster service across more regions.
Amazon Canada, Australia & Mexico – We’ve officially launched on Amazon CA and AU, and we’re also available in Mexico with a limited selection of our product range. More to come soon!
New RTM E-Shop Experience – Our online store has been completely redesigned to offer a smoother, faster, and more informative shopping experience.

We’ve significantly improved product content across all marketplaces – including enhanced visuals, updated descriptions, and clearer technical specifications – to help you find exactly what you need.

And we’re not done yet! More regional launches are coming very soon. Stay tuned as we continue to bring RTM closer to you, wherever you are in the world.

Thank you for your continued trust and support.

Rooted in Tape: Beckview Studios & the Art of Analogue Recording

At Beckview Studios, analogue recording isn't a trend or an add-on—it’s part of who we are.

From the moment we opened our doors, the MCI JH-24 24-track 2” tape machine was built into the very foundation of our studio workflow. Based in Scarborough on the stunning North Yorkshire coast, Beckview Studios was designed to offer musicians something deeply immersive, hands-on, and real. While digital tools certainly have their place (and we use them!), our heart has always been in the process of recording music with intention—capturing performance, energy, and truth to tape.

Something changes in the room when the reels start rolling. The presence of the tape machine sets a different tone: focused, collaborative, and alive. That subtle pressure to perform, the discipline of committing to a take—artists feel it, and they thrive on it. We regularly receive enquiries, which in turn lead to bookings specifically because of the machine. However, what seems to inspire most clients is the creative spark that comes from recording this way. For many, it’s their first experience with tape, and they’re genuinely excited by how it shapes the music.

Our Beckview Presents live session series—recorded entirely to tape—has seen a particularly enthusiastic response from younger gigging bands, many of whom are embracing analogue as a way to create a live performance with character and difference. They’re not looking to fix things later—they want to capture a moment and own it.

We use the tape machine in as many sessions as we can, not out of nostalgia, but because it works. The sonic payoff is huge: the subtle compression, harmonic richness, and natural warmth of tape brings a depth and honesty to recordings that’s hard to match in the box. For artists who care about texture, tone, and feel, this is where it all clicks into place.

Beckview is more than just the gear. Our studio is tucked just outside the town centre in a peaceful corner of Scarborough, a stone’s throw from the coast and plenty of local charm. We're proud to offer residential facilities, making it easy for artists to settle in, take their time, and fully immerse themselves in the recording process without distractions. Whether you're staying for a single day or a full week, we offer a relaxed, supportive space designed to help artists do their best work.

Now in our third year, Beckview Studios continues to grow thanks to the support of artists who believe in a different kind of recording experience. We're not trying to be everything to everyone—but if you value warmth, intention, and live-in-the-room energy, we think you'll feel right at home here.

If you’d like to explore the space before making the trip, you can take a full 360° immersive tour on our website:

👉 www.beckviewstudios.co.uk

Check out the latest videos from our Beckview Presents and Lounge series on our YouTube channel

👉 www.youtube.com/@beckviewstudios

We’re always happy to chat about potential projects, tape workflows, or answer any questions. You can reach us directly via email at info@beckviewstudios.co.uk or connect on Instagram and socials @beckviewstudios.

We’d love to welcome you to Scarborough. Come and see for yourself what analogue still has to offer.

DAW Control of Analogue Tape Machines

By Robert Campbell

I have owned a Revox B77 stereo 1/4" machine for many years and have had a lot of fun bouncing digital music tracks on and off the B77 to add some 'vintage' sound colouration.

One day I came across a Fostex G24S 24 track 1" analogue tape machine for sale on eBay and before any common sense kicked in, I bought it! Luckily it was in very good condition and fully functional. I had enough gear to make a few test recordings but it was pretty hard work trying to adapt from my years of recording with Cakewalk's DAW digital set up. I love Cakewalk's user interface and so I started to wonder if there was any way to use Cakewalk to remote control the G24S tape machine.

My G24S was fitted with the optional 8330 Synchroniser Card which not only allowed the machine to be slave locked to timecode, but it also provided a very comprehensive MIDI based remote control interface. This got me thinking ...

Possibilities

If you have ever used a hardware controller, with motorised faders, encoders, buttons and displays, to control your DAW system, then you will probably have figured out that the DAW software outputs status messages so that your hardware controller and your DAW are always in sync. So operate a motorised hardware fader and the corresponding DAW fader will follow on screen. Conversely, if you move a DAW screen based fader, then the hardware controller's motorised fader will follow. You get the idea.

I began to wonder if these feedback messages (from the DAW to the Hardware Controller) could be used to control some of the G24S functions. Many hardware controllers connect to the DAW system via standard MIDI and my G24S had a MIDI remote control connection. Surely it couldn't be too complicated to get the two to talk to each other?

The missing jigsaw piece

The missing piece of the jigsaw was a wonderful free software utility called AZ Controller designed by the very talented Alexey Zhelezov. AZ Controller allows any Cakewalk screen based control to be read and mapped to any MIDI controller value. As the G24S manual provides the MIDI controller code for each of its functions, it was a relatively simple job to create a translation table between the Cakewalk and G24S worlds.

RTM Studio Tours

Over the past few months, we’ve featured studios in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London that are regularly recording with RTM tape. After visiting close to 300 studios over the past year, it’s clear that these examples represent just a fraction of a growing global trend. There’s a thriving community of engineers and producers who embrace the sonic richness and character that tape recording brings to modern productions and maybe more importantly, the workflow that comes with recording to tape, keeping the human aspect of recording music well and truly alive.

We’re committed to spotlighting more of these studios from cities around the world—large and small—showcasing the continued relevance and creative value of analogue workflows. The fact that so many high-profile studios are investing in and regularly using tape machines is a strong indicator: recording to tape is not just back it’s gaining real momentum in today’s music industry.

Stay tuned as we continue to celebrate the resurgence of tape, and the studios leading the charge.

WATCH HERE