U of A's Hill Records Releases Debut EP Featuring Three Arkansas Artists

Photo Submitted

The cover of Hill Records' debut debut EP, From The High Ground, available now on streaming platforms.

Hill Records, the U of A student-run record label, has released its inaugural EP, From The High Ground, available now on digital streaming services like Spotify.

The compilation features music from three Arkansas artists selected from a 2021 call for submissions: Pat Ryan Key, H3ADCANNON and Foxpaw.

Key, a Northwest Arkansas native and longtime performer, is an award-winning producer and songwriter. He said his recent work is “a blended mix of soul, funk, roots, and rhythm and blues” and that he aims for his music to draw a wide-ranging audience with “authentic lyrics and versatile vocals.”

The eclectic Little Rock-based duo H3ADCANNON consists of Sam Byrd and Dyl Wil, who describe their music as “no-limits, full-throttle hyperpop.” The duo said they focus on “high-energy delivery and inventive combinations of pop punk, metalcore and electropop elements” to keep their work “focused on being fun.”

Foxpaw is a self-described “acoustic-centered indie rock” solo project by Chandler B. of Fayetteville, who said he combines “inspiration from the rural and urban South, dream-like instrumentations and vocals, and old-school recording methods” to give listeners an intimate musical experience.

The logo for the U of A’s student-run Hill Records, which just released its debut EP, From The High Ground, available now on streaming platforms.

“Working with Hill Records has allowed me to be a part of a grassroots organization made up of some of the best talent in Arkansas,” Chandler B. added. “As a folk musician from Arkansas, it makes me proud to be a part of a group that represents my home.”

Jake Hertzog, faculty adviser on the Hill Records project, echoed these sentiments, adding that “it is so exciting to be partnering with such fantastic Arkansan musicians for this project.”

“Plus, our amazing students are able to gain real experience in the music industry while making connections in our region and preparing for a variety of careers in the entertainment business,” he said.

In addition to featuring these artists on its first compilation EP, the artists on From The High Ground will also be featured alongside Hill Records artists selected from the current call for submissions in a showcase at George’s Majestic Lounge at 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 3.

More details and information will be shared soon.

Visit hillrecords.uark.edu to learn more or make a musical submission.

About Hill Records: Hill Records is a student-run record label and entertainment project at the University of Arkansas. This cutting-edge initiative combines music industry pedagogy, entrepreneurial learning, and audio research into integrated, cross-disciplinary experiences.

About the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with three schools, 16 departments and 43 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the majority of the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.