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PRESSING
VINYL AT
FLASHBACK
RECORDS
rarely prioritized small vinyl orders from indie bands, leading
to long waits and poor quality. Meanwhile, factories that did
offer small-batch orders often did so with outdated technology
that compromised sound quality. Motivated to fix the problem,
McLean began learning about modern vinyl technology to start a
high-quality production plant for independent artists.
Seven years later, Flashback Records is one of only about
six vinyl-pressing factories in Canada, producing over 150,000
units per year. The company uses cutting-edge technology to
deliver indie-friendly quantities with major-label quality.
For McLean, making records is more art than operation.
He had to develop both the technical skills — like measuring
the right grams of material — and the intuition to recognize
high-quality vinyl. He also must determine what colour com-
binations pair well with the artist’s intentions, in order to get
the mixture right. Every individual vinyl is also inspected for
scratches, cosmetic flaws and misaligned labels.
The best part, however, is seeing the musicians’ reactions to
the finished product. “It really makes quite an impression on
them. It’s a milestone.” ED.
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