Tastemaker: Redefining the local music business

It isn't easy being a musician in Hong Kong. The live scene might have emerged from the slump that once held it back, with numerous decent acts now taking to well-equipped stages, but there's still that little problem of getting people to listen to your music at home.

Arthur Urquiola is well aware of the setbacks. A broadcast journalist by day and a musician in multiple bands by night, he has a pure passion for live music. But unlike many a guitarist drunkenly extolling its possibilities outside a bar, he's actually doing something about it.

Urquiola recently launched Artefracture, a new Hong Kong record label that separates itself from profit-based projects through its decidedly different approach: the albums are recorded by Urquiola, hosted on his website and offered to the public through a pay-what-you-want system.

It's a simple yet bold idea, and one that first found inspiration through one of Urquiola's own recordings. "I've been making recordings on and off for a decade or so, but after all the short circuits, wrong turns and horrible demos, I figured out how to make things work out as I intended," says Urquiola. "I'd put out a record with my band Tigerbombers, which was recorded quickly and cheaply, and we were able to put it online for a free download, make it accessible to everyone and make no loss from it."

It was an important first step and the record's minor success saw Urquiola approached by other Hong Kong-based musicians to help with their projects. "But with all that on the go, it didn't make sense for everyone to go out and fight for attention."

Hence, Artefracture, a label that removes all competition by collectively bringing together some of the city's up-and-coming names. But make no mistake, this is far from a simple hosting site - Urquiola is knee-deep in the label, using his influence and industry contacts to assist as much as he can.