RPM Challenge 2019 creates 'beautiful, amazing music,' says organizer Elling Lien
Have a First Listen to some RPM Challenge 2019 creations
"This is just a scratch on the surface of all of the beautiful, amazing, super awesome music that comes out of this place every year," says Elling Lien.
Lien is sorting through stacks of music created during the Newfoundland and Labrador RPM Challenge 2019.
The RPM Challenge is a call to make and record an album of original music during the month of February — just because you can.
101 albums
Elling Lien and the group, Unpossible NL, have been running the RPM Challenge in this province for the past 12 years.
This year, Lien said he has received 101 albums of original music, with a few stragglers still to arrive in the mail.
The music is coming from as far away as Natuashish, although Lien noted that most RPM Challenge albums were made in the St. John's area.
Lien said this year's offerings features more more hip-hop and electronic music, and lots of groups of children.
"That's one of my favourite parts of the RPM Challenge," said Lien.
"Because they [children's recordings] happen alongside professional musicians who use it as a personal challenge," he continued.
"Kids just want to make music, and put it on tape."
Listen here to some of Elling Lien's favourite RPM Challenge 2019 recordings
Do you have a new album of music that Weekend AM should know about for First Listen? Email us: wam@cbc.ca and tell us about it.
You can hear First Listen Sundays on Weekend AM from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. (5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in most of Labrador) on CBC Radio One.
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