Birmingham studio DEP International have just opened their Studio 1 as a top-flite recording/mixing facility. For many years synonymous with UB40, DEP International has remained shrouded in secrecy, and the relaunch is intended to dispel any doubt about the studios being available for hire. Not only is there the newly refurbished Studio 1, designed by Recording Architecture, but there's also Studio 2, which is a more cost-effective facility.

"Studio 1 is on a par with many of the top London studios, but is more cost-effective due to the location, so we expect to attract major clients from both here and abroad," says studio manager Nick Phipps.

"But we also see DEP International as being a focal point for Birmingham music, so having Studio 2 means that a lot of local bands can record here as well."

DEP's commitment to nurturing local talent has already resulted in a joint venture with Birmingham magazine Brum Beat to find the best in local music. Out of hundreds of demo tapes, four winners were selected to feature on a specially-produced CD, which was distributed to movers and shakers in the industry. Recorded in Studio 2 by chief engineer Mike Exeter and assistant engineer Dan Armstrong, the results are consistent with the expertise of the engineers and the quality of both the rooms and gear in Studio 2 (see side panel). Says Mike:

"The Amek Angela is still a great desk, and along with the other gear in this studio, this is a superb facility. The other thing about this studio is we don't charge extra for anything, because everything's paid for. So you're getting Dolby SR and a lot of other kit that you'd normally pay extra for. We're getting a studio drum kit in there which, again, won't cost extra."

It's refreshing to find a studio with the interests of local talent high in their priorities, but that's one of the main purposes of DEP International. As a developing artist/band, you won't come up against the sort of attitude from engineers or producers that bedevils many a studio session. Equally, you won't find the plug pulled on your session if you haven't quite finished and the clock says you should be.

"We won't send a band away from here with something they're not happy with," says Nick Phipp. "If we need to spend a few more hours getting something right, we will do."

Also unlike a lot of studios, DEP don't book sessions back to back, so if a session needs to be extended for a few hours, it's not a problem. Of the acts on DEP International's showcase CD, one is on the verge of signing, and all have been attracting record company interest. There's obviously a wealth of talent in and around Birmingham, and DEP International could well become an outlet for the area's music, as well as attracting world-class artists away from the capital. But who's the first artist booked into Studio 1? Why, Ali Campbell...

Studio enquiries should be made to Nick Phipps, as well as information about the competition winners (Contact Details)

Recorded at DEP International's new studios, First Impressions' is an auspicious debut for Birmingham's own Unit 213, who were joint winners of the Brum Beat/DEP talent search competition.