True Romance Sound, a rising recording studio in Nashville, is establishing a reputation for capturing bold, live performances with a distinct sonic signature. In its first year, the studio has recorded an impressive roster of artists, including Brittany Howard’s new hardcore project Kumite, the “friendship punk” band Tayls, singer-songwriter Crystal Rose, and Canyon Lights, among others.
Leveraging a suite of AUDIX microphones—including the OMX-T dynamic vocal microphone, i5 dynamic instrument microphone, SCX25A large-diaphragm condensers, and the D6X dynamic kick drum mic—True Romance Sound emphasizes authenticity and live performance in all sessions.
GRAMMY-winning Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard has taken an unexpected turn into hardcore music with Kumite. The project originated from a shared passion for the genre between Howard and Jared Colby, co-founder of True Romance Sound. Colby described the music as “insane beat-down music, unlike anything her fans have ever heard.”
“Early on, we bonded over our love for hardcore, particularly the band American Nightmare,” said Colby. “Late 2024, she was putting together a benefit show and reached out to book my hardcore band, Second Spirit. Soon after, she said she wanted to get in the mix and play the show and asked if we could co-write some songs. Hardcore is the genre I know best. I’ve been playing and recording it my whole life. Between that and Britt’s undeniable talent and love for the genre, it was a natural fit.”
The result, Kumite, debuted live in January 2025, with Second Spirit as the backing band. The recording session, held just days before the benefit show, captured the raw energy of the group in a single night. Colby recalled: “Brittany walked into True Romance around 10:30pm after a full day of studio work on another project. She used the AUDIX OMX mic, handheld in the live room with the drums and amps and absolutely crushed it! … We ran down all three Kumite songs live within an hour, and we were outta here by midnight! This was possibly the most fun I’ve had recording aggressive music in my 21 years of making records.”
True Romance Sound co-founder Alanna Royale describes the studio’s recording ethos: “Our guiding principles are strong. We encourage live performances. We embrace natural imperfections if the overall performance is good, a philosophy we've adopted from our experience with tape.”
Colby adds, “I always encourage bands to play live and embrace mic bleed to recreate the feel of a stage or rehearsal space, which I believe is why records from the '60s and '70s sound so good.”
This philosophy extends across all projects at the studio. Colby noted the versatility of AUDIX microphones, highlighting the i5’s role in producing “some of the heaviest guitar tones I’ve ever tracked on the Kumite sessions” and the D6X’s reliability for kicks, floor toms, and bass cabinets. The SCX25A condensers provide “non-harsh condenser sound, which provides a nice, bright, hi-fi tone without being excessive,” he explained.
While Kumite represents a high-energy, aggressive end of the spectrum, True Romance Sound also works with more intimate, singer-songwriter projects. Royale remarked, “Even though it’s the other end of the spectrum, Jared has dug himself into where he can find sonic parallels and has been able to take the things he's learned about heavy, fast, punk music, and find ways to apply it to music that is so tender and touching. It’s been awesome to watch.”
Although Brittany Howard is currently on tour with Alabama Shakes, True Romance Sound continues to develop material for Kumite while recording emerging acts and maintaining their distinct live sound. Colby emphasizes the importance of reliable, durable microphones: “I can put AUDIX microphones up and they simply sound like the source, which significantly reduces the need for extensive post-production work. Plus, AUDIX microphones last forever and don't require kid gloves. I’ve used AUDIX mics since 2004, and in the past year, I’ve used them more than ever.”
