How a Label Uses LALAL.AI to Fix the Unfixable: Interview

In a compact studio tucked away in Russia, a proper creative machine is running. What began as a rehearsal space has turned into a full-fledged production hub loved by artists for its genre-blending live sessions, slick podcast recordings, and punchy drum battles. Mediana Records, a music label and a video production studio, isn't just keeping up with the times; they’re proving that small studios also can produce high-quality audio-visual content even on a budget, with the help of tools like LALAL.AI.

We spoke to Alex, founder of Mediana Records, to learn more about their setup, workflow and how AI audio stem separation has become an essential part of their production toolkit.

From Jam Space to Production Powerhouse

Founded in 2021 as a rehearsal space for personal use, Mediana Records has over time become a full-fledged recording studio. We wanted to know what the label lives and breathes today and what drives their work.

We founded Mediana Records in 2021 just for rehearsals and in 2024, we started filming videos; within a year, the team managed to produce 25 large-format live performances and podcasts. We're working with many talented artists, including indie bands, rock duos, new-rave artists, and art-pop bands. We're gradually expanding our horizons and invite performers from other cities, which is a great step toward growing our studio into something even more meaningful as well as creating unique musical content.

At this point, we provide a full range of audio and video production services from preparing the studio for recording and filming to mixing, mastering, stage lighting setup, shooting, editing, color correction, and animation.

We make content in a variety of genres. Our passion for diversity and experimentation in music attracts a wider audience and helps us create unique pieces in different genres, from jazz to heavy rock.

We love to showcase artists’ talents and draw attention to various musical genres as well.

Both we and our audience really enjoyed the concept of drum battles between drummers! It turned out to be very interactive and dynamic, so we're looking to take this format to the next level and come up with new exciting challenges for musicians.

Inside the Workflow of a Small Label

Mediana Records has a compact team of those who's involved in the recording process. We asked Alex how exactly the magic is happening.

Our team may be small, but we run like a machine, bringing together only camera men and a sound engineer to handle every step of the process. First, we aim to get the best raw sound recordings during the soundcheck. Then, we set up monitoring for musicians, adjust the lighting and cameras, and record the live performance. And as the last step, we just rearrange the studio for podcast recordings and invite guests.

Two processes then run at the same time: sound mixing and mastering, as well as video editing and color correction. Once both stages are complete, we combine them, add the final touches, and produce one large video along with about 30 short clips. We try to consistently release new videos every two weeks and posting 1-2 short clips daily.

Technology and software play a crucial role in everything we do. While we try to use analog mixers and sound processing equipment, most of the processing is done in post-production using digital tools and plugins.

The Role of Technology in a Small Studio & How LALAL.AI Fits In

It's no secret that the era of fully analog setups is over. From big studios to bedroom setups, today’s music and video production rely on a mix of apps, web tools, and now, AI-powered technology. We asked Mediana Records about their setup and how LALAL.AI fits in their workflow.

To achieve the best possible results, we rely on a wide range of tools and technologies that cover every aspect of audio and video production. At the core of our workflow are digital audio workstations; Logic Pro X is our go-to thanks to its powerful audio processing capabilities. We pair it with a variety of plugins for EQ, compression, reverb, and other effects to shape and enhance the sound.

Microphone choice is just as crucial. We work with both condenser and dynamic models, selecting the right gear based on the specific needs of each session. Our professional audio interfaces ensure low latency and capture clean, high-quality recordings every time.

On the visual side, we use high-end cameras, stabilizers, tripods, and carefully controlled lighting setups to deliver crisp, cinematic footage. For post-production, we turn to Adobe After Effects and DaVinci Resolve, which allow us to handle everything from precise editing to advanced color grading.

Behind the scenes, collaboration tools like cloud services help our small team stay in sync and streamline communication. Mobile apps give us the flexibility to capture ideas on the go, while audio processing technologies like LALAL.AI help clean up recordings and simplify our workflow.

When recording drum covers, we used to manually remove drums from tracks, but now this process takes just three minutes and is generally very efficient. In live video recordings, it’s often impossible to position the vocalist far enough from the drums, so a lot of drum sound bleeds into the vocal microphone.

LALAL.AI does an excellent job of removing the drums from the vocal track, which allows us to work with clean vocals. Without this, achieving the desired sound would be extremely difficult.

We also successfully cleaned up a double bass recording that was captured with a condenser microphone during a live session, and the result was excellent.

Besides, when we need to rework old recordings by adjusting balance and equalization, I separate the track into stems, and the results generally allow me to make the necessary edits according to the artist’s preferences. It doesn’t just save time and open new possibilities, it has literally saved some of our releases!

Almost all of our releases have been successfully produced thanks to LALAL.AI. One standout example is the Mediana Live Sessions episode featuring Tony Karapetyan and Sofia Atsbek Negga performing Christmas Jazz. In this session, we accidentally recorded the double bass incorrectly using a piezo pickup, so we had to clean up the sound from a microphone recording instead. We also processed the vocals. The final result turned out great! Take a look 👇

It'd be even better if LALAL.AI could provide AI-generated harmonies, chord progressions, and melodies. Sometimes, having a starting point can help with track creation.

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A piece of advice to all small labels and indie artists who want to improve the quality of sound and video out there: don't be scared of modern technology!

Mediana Records shows that with a focused team, a solid workflow, and a few powerful tools, small studios can produce content that looks and sounds like it came from a major label. Tools like LALAL.AI aren’t just novelties; they’re lifelines for producers and creators who need quality, speed, and flexibility.

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