Meet California Music: Crafting Sonic Waves From the West Coast

Photo credit: Johan Hesselgren (@hunkelswede) & Chance Foreman (@chance_foreman)

Kristian and Malte didn’t grow up in California. But, in the way they push creative boundaries and blend artistry with commerce, the two Grammy-nominated European audiophiles are as Californian as it’s possible to be. 

If that sounds paradoxical, it needn’t. In spite of its relative new-ness, California’s music history is as rich and diverse as anywhere on the planet - and Kristian and Malte have created a studio that encapsulates the region’s philosophy and distilled it into a formula that is defining the global sound of household name brands like Kia, McDonald’s and Dove. In doing so, they’ve collaborated with industry-defining agencies like BBH, David & Goliath, and Innocean.

So how have they done it? As Malte poetically explains, it starts with a deep appreciation for the power of audio. 

“Music is the closest you can get to magic in the real world”, he tells LBB. “And the older I get, the more I believe that to be true. Nothing else can move our bodies, unite us, and put us in touch with new parts of ourselves like music can”. 

It’s a passion shared by Kristian. “It makes you feel things instantly”, he adds. “It bypasses logic - nothing can change an atmosphere like music”. 

Today, California Music has grown to become a company that touches every aspect of audio. It’s home to award-winning talent across the world of music and sound, drawing upon the skills of both young and experienced composers, artists, and sound designers like Michael Ferdie (whose feature credits include Dune and Top Gun Maverick). On top of that, the studio is able and willing to tap into its unique network of voiceover talent. And at the heart of it all are Malte and Kristian - recognised within the industry by award wins at Cannes Lions, the Clios, ADC and the Webby Awards, combined with musical recognition from the Grammy’s, Platinum Records and the MTV Awards. 

When asked to pick out a project which stands out as especially memorable in the studio’s journey so far, Malte doesn’t hesitate. “I’ll always be immensely proud of our work for Sekou Andrews and String Theory”, he says. “It was one of those projects which demanded a lot in terms of time and budget - but where we simply found a way to make it happen. And we were able to do that because it was an idea we believed in”.

Above: ‘Love Says’ was created for the civil rights advocacy movement Color of Change, and became a Grammy-nominated song and a piece of visual art. 

Amidst the protests following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, Sekou Andrews was an artist who, in the words of Malte, “had something profound and relevant to say through his music”. So the California Music team pulled out all the stops to ensure he was able to say it. 

“That project saw a multicultural, multinational orchestra coming to LA in order to amplify the voice of an African American poet”, he continues. “Yes, paying the bills is important - but so is art and expression. I’m so glad that we were able to find a way to make that idea work”. 

‘Love Says’ went on to form part of a Grammy-nominated album 'Sekou Andrews & The String Theory', and won six Clio awards. The mesh of neo-classical music and poetry had a profound impact, and remains a key part of California Music’s legacy. “I think it’s a beautifully inspiring and timeless piece, about how love and its twisted incarnations determine all human dynamics in this world", says Malte. 

That point about following artistic instincts and finding ways to make things happen resonates strongly with Kristian. “We’ve always been one to follow the excitement in our work”, he notes. “That’s what led us to create The Great Escape, our in-house band. We’ve produced three albums of our own original music so far, and it’s been so rewarding to see those songs get picked up and licensed by the likes of Netflix and VICE”. 

Above: ‘The Great Escape’ was founded by Kristian and Malte, but has tapped into musical talent both within and outside California Music. 

If anything, Kristian is underplaying The Great Escape’s success. The band has amassed over forty million streams (and counting), has been licensed by brands like Audi, Gillette, and Samsung, and have won acclaim for their bold and artistic music videos. 

In a way, The Great Escape is a kind of symbol for California Music’s philosophy more broadly. Of course, there is a commercial element - and the melody-makers pride themselves on being able to deliver high-quality results for commercial jobs as seen in spots for the likes of BMW, McDonald’s, and Dove. But the reason their music is so commercially successful is because it is so human - not in spite of it. 

To get a sense of their approach’s effectiveness in a commercial context, look no further than the studio’s work with Volkswagen, promoting the electric ID. Buzz.  “Not only were we working with an iconic actor, but an iconic car as well”, recalls Kristian. “We were just ecstatic to make music for this ad”. 

Above: Ewan McGregor takes viewers into “the best seat in the world” in this beautifully-made spot for Volkswagen. 

“The classic car, the movie star - you can’t squeeze any more icons into one ad!”, says Malte. “How exciting it was to create a soundtrack for this legacy”

Their eager curiosity for music contributes to another quality that both co-founders share - an infectious open-mindedness. As our interview draws to a close, LBB raises the topic of AI and how Kristian and Malte might see it affecting their work. But rather than dismiss the potential for ‘artificial’ creativity out of hand, the California Music co-founders are fascinated by what it might bring to the table 

“There’s always a level of cynicism with new technology”, begins Kristian. “Like when we went from being predominantly analogue to predominantly digital, there were lots of people who said it was ‘cheating’. But nobody says that anymore, because everyone appreciates how important the fundamental human ideas still are”. 

The pair accept that there are a lot of unanswered questions - but, in the words of Malte, “we’re both more excited than scared”. 

On the one hand, California Music is about branding and strategy. And on the other, it’s about artistry and creative playfulness. But that word, ‘excitement’, defines this studio better than any other. They’re excited, talented, and, of course, utterly Californian.