Collaboration Stories: Network Archives

RELEASE DETAILS

Title: Network Archives

Creator: 27 artists, musicians, and collaborators

Format: Digital PDF

Price: Pay what you want

Status: 80%+ editions collected

In December 2024, a group of musicians, artists, and creative technologists released something unusual: a 190-page document examining how they make their work. Called "Network Archives 001: A Directory of Inspiration," it emerged from a simple question—what if we documented how we actually create things?

"Technology acted as a catalyst for a lot of us to step outside of the norm," explains Jamie Reddington (aka Sound of Fractures), who curated the collection. "Our paths crossed through online communities and chat groups. We were all starting to ask similar questions through our work and documenting the process."

The project brings together 29 different creative experiments and reflections from artists reimagining what it means to make and share work today. But gathering these voices wasn't straightforward.

"The biggest challenge of releasing collectively is coordination," notes Black Dave, who also releases with the rap collective Worst Generation on Metalabel. "But the biggest benefit is being able to take advantage of the energy generated by other people. When you're releasing on your own, it's easy to get burned out. Everyone's excitement about a release keeps the energy going."

Behind the scenes producer Jade Garcia worked to orchestrate the many moving pieces: "It's not just about creating the zine—it's about making sure the art from the artists comes together to make a beautiful symphony of experiences that can coexist in one place."

The collection spans essays, project documentation, and experimental approaches from musicians like VÉRITÉ and LATASHÁ alongside researchers and creative technologists. Rather than presenting polished achievements, contributors share their processes, dead ends, and honest reflections.

"Collaborating is crucial for artists," explains contributor dav. "The biggest reasons are it makes it possible to specialize, and it enables larger perspectives to arise through the combination of smaller perspectives."

For executive producer C.Y. Lee, who funded the project, Network Archives represents something larger: "I'd love Network Archives to be a yearbook that provokes the members of a creative scene to share their thoughts and reflections from their past year of existing as artists. It creates a rhythm of intention around remembering and valuing the individual and group learnings of the recent past."

The 100-copy limited edition was released through Metalabel, where more than 80% of the editions have already been collected. But more than sales, the project suggests new possibilities for how creative people might work together.

"Too often, our ideas are reframed by platforms and brands as their own, or knowledge is shared without credit," Reddington reflects. "My hope is that Network Archives becomes a home for artist-led knowledge and research, a space that positions creators where they belong and inspires others to share their processes."

For those involved, the project represents something both deeply personal and broadly resonant — a document of what happens when creative people choose to share not just what they make, but how they make it.

FULL CONVERSATION

WHO IS PART OF YOUR GROUP?

The contributors to this project form a dynamic collective of creators, researchers, and storytellers who believe in the power of collaboration and cross-disciplinary dialogue. This group spans the globe, with a shared ethos of experimentation, authenticity, and community-building, and connected by a love of music. The first release, A Directory of Inspiration, features 29 pre-existing projects created independently by the artists. Brought to life by a dedicated group, it was curated by Jamie Reddington (Sound of Fractures), executive produced and funded by C.Y. Lee, produced by Jade Garcia (administration and coordination), and designed by Ana Carolina. The project reflects a shared commitment to documenting and amplifying the creative process.

HOW DID YOU ALL MEET?

The origins of this group lie in the intersection of shared interests and spontaneous connections across online platforms and communities. The initial concept was born from an idea Jamie (Sound of Fractures) had to tell the story of how creators are actively re-imaging creative work and document the gaps between what creators are doing and how that work is presented. This idea quickly grew into something larger after being brought to a core group of artists, and friends who’s voices feature in this article. Their feedback, support, and insights were invaluable, shaping the direction of the project. 

Technology acted as a catalyst for a lot of us to step outside of the norm, and through that, our paths crossed through online communities and chat groups. Not all of us have met or worked together directly, but we were experimenting at a similar time. We were all starting to ask similar questions through our work, and documenting the process.

WHAT IS THIS RELEASE?

Network Archives 001: A Directory of Inspiration is a 190-page digital zine featuring 29 project breakdowns from musicians and creators who are redefining what it means to build and distribute their work. Born from conversations about the lack of creator-led documentation, it captures the experimentation, challenges, and processes behind their boundary-pushing projects. For creators grappling with the limitations of streaming and social media, it offers insights into building sustainable, independent creative identities in a rapidly changing landscape.

HOW DO YOU SEE THIS PROJECT IMPACTING OR INSPIRING OTHER CREATORS IN THE WAY THEY APPROACH THEIR WORK COLLABORATIONS?

Xcelencia: Inspiring: building meaning around a larger purpose project in a singles — first economy that optimizes for virality. Impact: new formats and ways of releasing and displaying music projects that contain more than music.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS OF RELEASING COLLECTIVELY?

Black Dave: The biggest benefit of releasing collectively is being able to take advantage of the energy generated by other people. When you're releasing on your own, it's really easy to get burned out from an individual stance, but everyone's excitement about a release continues to keep the energy going, even when you've personally burnt out or done too much or whatever. I like to think of Metalabel in the context of a band where not everyone has to play at the same time for a song to work. And so because of that, it's easier to work really hard when you can take your foot off the gas when you're running out of energy. The single biggest challenge of releasing in this format is coordination of everyone involved.

WHY DO YOU THINK EXPLORING CO-RELEASING OR COLLABORATING IS IMPORTANT FOR ARTISTS?

dav: Collaborating is so crucial for artists. The biggest reasons for me are 1. It makes it possible to specialize and 2. It enables larger perspectives to arise through the combination of smaller perspectives. Working individually is important too as it can help us more deeply understand our roles in the collaborative work.

Pete Rango: Since I’ve started making music, I’ve always enjoyed the process of creating with others more than by myself. My whole career has been built on collaboration because of the power it holds—not just in achieving goals, but in fostering growth and connection. It’s through working with others that we discover new perspectives, amplify each other’s strengths, and create something far greater than we could alone. Collaboration also challenges us to adapt and contribute in ways that serve the bigger picture, teaching us to lead when needed and support when it matters most. It’s a process that builds momentum, inspires creativity, and reminds us that the collective is always stronger than the individual.

WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING OR REWARDING ASPECT OF COLLABORATING ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS WITH SUCH A DIVERSE GROUP OF ARTISTS?

Dutchyyy: The most rewarding part was recognizing who else was involved and reflecting on how each of them personally inspired or impressed me over the past few years. The idea of combining all that experience and experimentation into one place felt even more impactful than our individual contributions. The diversity of stories, approaches, and perspectives creates a stronger chance for this collective inspiration to ripple out into the world.

The most difficult part was realizing that, unlike the other included artists and projects, my entry wasn’t centered around a singular piece of work. My experimentation with new technology was highly intentional yet out of character. It likely wouldn’t make sense without understanding the three decades of experiences that led to this pivot—why I leaned so urgently into uncharted waters and embraced this shift.

WHAT IS SOME OF THE SCENES WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PULL COLLECTIVE RELEASES TOGETHER?

Jade Garcia: When it comes to pulling together a collective release, there’s so much happening behind the scenes that most people don’t see. It’s not just about creating the zine—it’s about making sure the art from the artists comes together to make a beautiful symphony of experiences that can coexist in one place, where the individual wants to keep learning, reading, and being inspired.

You have the most important component, the artists and their work, but then there’s the creative side outside of the artist or music—things like finding a designer for the zine art, email outreach, follow-ups, organizing content, timelines for planning the rollout, marketing assets, press releases, structure, flow, open & honest communication, proofreading, and making sure the final piece matches the ethos of the release and the intention of what the message is beyond the page—every little detail matters.

LOOKING AHEAD, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE NETWORK ARCHIVES EVOLVE?

C.Y. Lee: I’d love Network Archives to be a yearbook that provokes the members of a creative scene to share their thoughts and reflections from their past year of existing as artists. It creates an rhythm of intention around remembering and valuing the individual & group learnings of the recent past

Jamie (Sound of Fractures): To reflect our love of sharing the process I wanted to share a glimpse of how the project came together: through a mix of personal passion, chat groups, belief from patrons, hours of work in coordination and design, and having the privilege of being around some really inspiring creators who allowed us to include their work. On a personal note, I want to encourage others by saying all it really took was a group of people who believed in it, and a trust in the “doing.”