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The answer, my friends, is blowin’ in the grooves. Today (December 12, 2024), Julien’s Auctions announced an exclusive partnership with T Bone Burnett’s NeoFidelity, Inc., and their forthcoming Ionic Original releases. The Ionic Original is described as a “one-of-one, handmade, collector’s edition master recording, specifically arranged and performed for each individual recorded disc by the artist.” Utilizing patented technology that represents — and these are their words, mind you — “the most significant advance in analogue recording and durability in more than 70 years,” Ionic Originals are also said to “transform prestige musical audio works into singular, original, highest fidelity records; these extraordinary recordings become fine art masterpieces and treasured heirlooms.” Moving forward, these one-of-a-kind releases will be sold exclusively via Julien’s Auctions, a prestige auction house if ever there was.

We initially reported on the Ionic Original concept back in April 2022, and the very first Ionic Original, Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” sold at the time for $1.8 million (USD). What we do know for now about this analog-centric technology — again, via wording provided by the Burnett/Julien’s team — is that Burnett’s NeoFidelity, Inc. created Ionic Originals to “leverage advances in nanotechnology, material sciences, and materials to develop a new physical audio format in which purpose-engineered coatings and underlying composite polymers are applied to a traditional acetate substrate specifically designed for the superior reproduction and preservation of analog sound.”

More details, please. “This new collectable format is able to be experienced on existing and commonly available vinyl playback equipment, [and it] yields the ‘holy grail’ for recording artists and audiophiles: a single format that can offer superior sound reproduction, foreign particle resistance, durability, excellent signal-to-noise ratio, longevity, portability, [and] compatibility with existing playback equipment.”

All of that certainly sounds beyond intriguing — but, naturally, we would love to delve further into the ins and outs of Ionic Originals from our minutiae-oriented, audiophile mien/POV. And thus, AP will endeavor to get further, firsthand descriptors about what all of this really means (tell us about the lacquers, for example!), so stay tuned.

For additional context in the meantime, in a new press statement, T Bone Burnett said of this partnership, “Musicians have solved the mystery of the United States — e pluribus unum: out of many, one. We have listened and harmonized every culture that has touched these shores. The team at Julien’s Auctions understands that the music of the United States is high art, and deserves to be treated with the seriousness and respect afforded to painting or any other fine art. I am excited to work with Julien’s to further our goal of opening a music space in the fine arts world to give all musicians a new high fidelity and more durable medium and a new source of revenue after having the world of recorded music collapsed by inferior sounding mass technologies. Ionic Originals are an archival medium for deep listening to the high art of recorded music.”

Julien’s Auctions CEO David Goodman added, “Julien’s Auctions is thrilled to partner with legendary creative [artist] T Bone Burnett on this groundbreaking collaboration to make Ionic Originals available to its global audience of passionate music collectors, art collectors, and anyone who recognizes that these recordings are true works of art, similar to a Basquiat, O’Keeffe, or Rothko. Each unique disc in the series not only creates a transcendent listening experience as a result of its groundbreaking technology, but as importantly, the two companies are redefining the category of music to come to the auction market by presenting an exciting future for rarities and classic recordings. It’s a remarkable opportunity for collectors while creating a new way for artists to be able to value their ‘works of art’ that truly reflects their impact and importance to art and culture.”

More to come on all that constitutes an Ionic Original — so, like I said, so stay tuned!