SUBJECT 13
One place for everything in motion — Vibez Recordings, the Japan campaign, R&S, publishing and sync. Dave + JR + Solomon working view.
Where things stand
The one-paragraph version: Japan is the primary market lean for the Vibez release, confirmed 8 June. The campaign arc is Vibez release first, the R&S EP as a second wave, a Japan sub-license closing in parallel, and the autumn/winter Japan + Hong Kong dates as the culmination. Publishing (Westbury) is deliberately held until the releases light the name up — then we re-engage from strength.
Quick status
| Workstream | State | Waiting on |
|---|---|---|
| Vibez July release | open | Masters + track count (Dave) · street date (JR + Dave) |
| Japan sub-license | drafted | Green light to send (drafts ready since 8 June) |
| Vibez website | blocker | Cooper build — release depends on it |
| R&S EP (S13 vs Violet Riot) | open | Date stagger vs Vibez · contract to Albert |
| Westbury retrieval | initiated | Dave's PRS number · Albert PRS records pull |
| Sync outreach | queued | Catalogue metadata prep, then first agency approach |
Vibez Recordings + Japan
The July release is the spearhead; Japan is the market it's aimed at. The 1997 Sony Japan 2CD (SRCS 314–315) is hard proof the fanbase exists — this campaign reactivates it.
The release planning
Shape: ~4 tracks, summer 2026. Website-only first window (4 weeks recommended), then full DSP rollout. Website build with Cooper is the hard blocker.
30th anniversary: 2025/26 is a genuine cultural moment for the label — format still to scope, but Japan press gets a story, not just a record.
Japan campaign arc locked 8 June
| Piece | What it is | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-license deal | License the release (and selected catalogue) to a Japanese partner — P-Vine, Beat Records or Village Again. They fund the Japan pressing, distribution and promo. 3–6 month close window, so it starts now. | Solomon |
| Japan press | Bounce · Ele-King · CDJournal · Rolling Stone Japan — timed to release + live dates. | Melissa (Solomon brief) |
| Japan-exclusive physical | Different sleeve, possible bonus track, Japanese liner notes. Japan is the strongest physical market in the world — this edition earns its own keep. | Solomon + Aria |
| Japanese content strand | X/Twitter Japan-heavy, Japanese-language posts building from release to the live dates. | Nova (Solomon brief) |
| Live dates | Autumn/winter Japan + Hong Kong — the campaign culmination. Asia booking agent to be procured once dates firm up. | Dave + Solomon |
To-do — Vibez + Japan
- Confirm track count + deliver masters — Dave
- Lock street date (staggered against the R&S EP) — JR + Dave
- Confirm exclusivity window: 4 weeks website-only, then DSPs — Dave
- Send Japan sub-license approaches (drafts ready) — Solomon, on JR's green light
- Vibez website build — Cooper
- PPL / PRS / MCPS registration for the Vibez catalogue — treat as new-label setup — Solomon
- Japan press plan brief — Solomon → Melissa
- Japan physical edition concept — Solomon + Aria
- Asia booking agent shortlist once dates firm — Solomon
- Japan market lean confirmed — JR + Dave, 8 June
- Sub-license outreach drafts written (P-Vine / Beat / Village Again) — Solomon
- Catalogue YouTube sweep — 28 WAVs archived — Solomon
R&S Recordings
Subject 13's major-label home. The summer EP is the next move, and a strong Japan wave makes every conversation with R&S easier.
Deal state
Three-album deal (2020, renegotiated). Albums 1 and 2 delivered and paid; album 3 outstanding. R&S holds publishing on tracks released through the deal. No exclusivity restriction — Dave releases freely on Vibez.
Next release: summer 2026 four-track EP, billed Subject 13 vs Violet Riot (3 S13 tracks + 1 VR track). R&S funds launch + exposure; V360 keeps rights on the VR side.
To-do — R&S
- Supply R&S contract (original + renegotiated) to Albert + Clara for review — JR
- Confirm the contract permits a Violet Riot track on a Subject 13 EP — Albert
- Lock EP date as second wave after the Vibez release — JR + Dave + Solomon
- Album 3 posture — decide what we want before R&S asks — JR + Dave + Solomon
Publishing
Two tracks: untangling the Westbury history, and building V360 Publishing for everything going forward.
Westbury Music retrieval initiated
Subject 13 Music has been administered by Westbury for ~30 years. No money received in many years, no new registrations, no contract on file with us. The route: Albert pulls the PRS records → we reconstruct the deal → map the registration gaps → then re-engage via Caroline Robertson.
Timing is deliberate: we go back in when the releases have the name lit up — an active, earning catalogue changes the conversation entirely.
V360 Publishing
New-works home going forward. Clara handles incorporation; Solomon owns strategy and registrations. Forward-structure decision (what stays where) follows the Westbury reconstruction.
To-do — Publishing
- Dave's PRS membership number to Solomon/Albert — Dave
- PRS records pull on Subject 13 Music — Albert
- Registration gap map from the PRS pull — Solomon
- V360 Publishing incorporation — Clara
- Westbury retrieval briefing agreed with Dave — 8 June
Sync
Film, TV, ads and games. Most catalogue income arrives years after release through sync — the Vibez archive is built for it: atmospheric, instrumental-heavy, cinematic.
Strategy
First targets: Position Music (trailer/cinematic specialists) and Synchromusic UK (deep UK relationships). Full Vibez catalogue treated as pitchable. Pitches go hand-picked — maximum three tracks per brief, never catalogue dumps.
To-do — Sync
- Catalogue metadata prep — the 28 archived WAVs tagged and searchable — Solomon
- First agency approach (Position Music) — Solomon, JR aware before send
- Sync availability flags per track (anything restricted?) — Dave + Solomon
Assets
Working files shared through this hub. Studio-use only unless cleared — anything sampled into a release needs clearance first.
Also on Proton Drive
A copy sits in the shared Drive at V360-Music / DAVE-SHARES / — same file, permanent home.