AIEG Revives Artist Management
What do you think of when you hear the word alchemy? If it’s not Alchemy International Entertainment Group (AIEG), that’s soon to change. Massapequa resident Ken Lombardi, president and CEO, named his up-and-coming artist management company after the “seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination,” and that’s exactly what its foundation is built on.
Launched in 2012, AIEG had its humble beginnings as a record label. Operating simply as Alchemy International, Lombardi ran the business out of a small West Hempstead office with the help of a group of interns to contact Long Island artists about working together. He ultimately signed several bands, but his inaugural signee was an EDM producer from Huntington named Martron. Unbeknownst to Lombardi, taking on this young protégé would foreshadow Alchemy International’s evolution from indie record label to management powerhouse.
EDM existed in and under countless forms and monikers before its rise and association with the now-iconic initialism. Lombardi’s interest in the genre stretched far beyond mere fandom; a veteran in the electronic music industry, he’d even worked as a producer with several notable acts. It wasn’t until early 2014, when Alchemy International began to restructure and relocated to Massapequa, that he realized the value EDM’s overwhelming popularity could have to non-EDM artists.
“It was an opportunity to take great art and present it to a new audience in a way they can understand and appreciate,” said Lombardi. “It’s the only genre that I can honestly say I never felt limited by. There’s always something new.”
Fueled by the prospect of returning to his musical roots, Lombardi worked to fulfill his contractual obligations to the bands he’d signed while taking the necessary steps to transition Alchemy International from a label to an artist management company. Meanwhile, Martron had been collaborating with The Ragga Twins, a jungle music duo regarded as pioneers of the subgenre who had recently been featured on two tracks from Skrillex’s Recess album. The Twins, originally from Hackney, England, were looking for someone in the states to talk to about management. Martron referred them to Lombardi, and they soon became his second clients.
The excitement of that acquisition had barely set in before Lombardi’s phone was ringing again. In the spring of 2015, The Rapper’s Delight Experience, featuring former Sugarhill Gang legends Wonder Mike and Master Gee, officially joined the roster. Some might find the pressure of managing such high-profile clients distracting, but Lombardi insists he wasn’t nervous at all.
“I came in with a major deal under my arm for them, so I was confident from the get-go,” he said. “I went straight into work mode. These guys trust me with their futures, and that’s something I don’t take lightly.”
Lombardi’s own personal alchemy is what makes the work he does for his clients so revolutionary. In navigating a genre that many believe is now past its prime, he realizes the importance of keeping EDM fans expecting the unexpected. His most recent achievement was an agreement with Warner Music Group for a collaboration between The Rapper’s Delight Experience and German producer Etnik. Wonder Mike and Master Gee wrote and recorded their contributions to the song on the spot, and Lombardi produced the vocal tracks himself at AIEG Studios right in Massapequa. The resulting aural amalgamation is guaranteed to spawn numerous remixes and get listeners everywhere on their feet.
“It’s awesome,” he said in regards to being the one to make it happen. “I’m just happy to be here.”
Since Alchemy International’s rise to AIEG, Lombardi has negotiated deals that have broken the Top 5 in iTunes sales twice. He arranged for The Ragga Twins to collaborate on tracks with Benny Page (“When You Shake It”), Skrillex (“Badman”), and MUST DIE! and Datsik (“Zipper”). He handles the accounts associated with “Ragga Bomb” and “All Is Fair in Love and Brostep,” the two tracks featured on Recess. “Ragga Bomb” has remained highly desirable for remixing; much-acclaimed Russian production trio Teddy Killerz and English producer Zomboy’s efforts both appeared on the Ease My Mind/Ragga Bomb Remixes EP, which hit #8 on the iTunes EDM chart and Teddy Killerz’ remix earned the #1 spot on the Beatport Drum and Bass chart. Skrillex’s remix of “Badman” shot to #1 on the Beatport Dubstep chart and held the spot for 44 days straight.
Martron, Lombardi’s harkening back to the musical universe he came from, continues to collaborate with various artists on original music, as well as breathe new life into their tracks through his burgeoning talent for remixes. He’s confident that AIEG will take him straight to the top.
“I want AIEG by my side for my entire career,” he said. “It’s been nothing but love and respect here and I wouldn’t be where I am without them. They’re a part of my family.”
Listeners can expect some new releases later this year, but his Soundcloud account is loaded with free downloads in the meantime.
In an industry that’s constantly transforming and recreating itself, Lombardi is poised to spearhead artist management on Long Island and, as AIEG’s name suggests, internationally. When asked what it was like to venture into the EDM universe, Master Gee summed it, and Lombardi’s game plan, up perfectly: “We’ve never allowed ourselves to be painted into a corner. It’s a challenge, and we’re enjoying it.”
Connect with AIEG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AlchemyInternational.
