Written By: Patricia Riffe
Full Sail University is full of students ready to take flight in the industry as the pilot of their career. Sarah Cramer, a music business student, has started a record label and is prepared to introduce new artists who are ready to change the industry. Cramer is a trance and deep house enthusiast who became captivated by the sounds in the 4th grade. The inspiration to start an independent record label came from the desire to offer genuine opportunities to artists in the trance music genre that other independent labels wouldn’t. An independent record label offers a support system for artists. Cramer and her partner, Joe Blanco, will be the backbone of support for new artists in the trance music scene.
Cramer quickly worked her way up the ranks of the club scene in New York. While attending culinary school, she would take the train into the city every weekend. Consistently bringing 100-150 people to a Hell’s Kitchen nightclub got her noticed by the general manager, and Cramer got her start in promoting. Promoting was just the first step in her quick growth through street team management, social media management, and to nearly becoming a general manager herself. Sarah became the ‘Jack-of-all-trades’ within her position and gained many of the skills she would need for her future in the music industry.
“Trance is made to elevate your mind,” and Sarah Cramer and her “Wham-Bam, thank you ma’am,” method is about getting things done and is ready to work with artists whose music does just that. Nothing but growth can be expected from An Ocean Above. Sarah is inspired by many in the industry; however, the one that we spoke of was James Grant. James Grant is one of the co-founders of Anjunabeats, a U.K based independent label working with an outstanding number of artists. She is inspired by their exponential growth while maintaining the family support of an independent label.
When asked what she looks for when signing artists, Cramer replied; “It’s about a drive and passion, and [an artist who is] putting out quality music that is outside of the norm.” She references that there are “cookie-cutter trance sounds… and the little nuances of deep house.” Sarah is looking for artists who ultimately bring something different to the table and is creating quality music. While she cannot say if we will be seeing any Full Sail students getting signed to her label, she did say that she will look for the same thing in Full Sail students that she does any other artist. An Ocean Above will launch the artist line up on August 1stand new music following on September 6th.
Comments