Krystal Music and Sound Design recently undertook the construction of a new, from-scratch facility in downtown Toronto which reflects the wide sound capabilities – as well as the design disposition – of the streamlined shop.

The company’s main focus is on creating commercial sound and music, but it supplements its creative and business foundations with work in different areas, including music production for feature films.

The shop was founded late last year by David Krystal and executive producer and gm Harvey Wolfe, who are nearing completion of the new 3,000-plus-square-foot studio facility, which provides a fully networked environment with capability for sound to be recorded from any room directly to the main studio.

The new digs were given their lean aesthetic charm by award-winning designer Del Terralonge, with the studio environment designed by Martin Pilchener (currently building studios for Bon Jovi and Will Smith).

Krystal Music places the primary emphasis on commercial work and has been busy with a full slate of domestic spots including a recent cinema ad for Clearnet out of Taxi and tv spots for Pantene out of Grey Advertising, Kellogg’s, Mazda, American Express and a&w (working with Drew Carey).

The shop is also making strides into the u.s., with work for the Florida State Lottery, Nokia (for the South American market) and Publix stores.

Currently the team is working on its first feature project, Upstart Pictures’ Top of the Food Chain, starring Campbell Scott (Big Night, Dying Young) and Tom Everett Scott (Dead Man on Campus). For the film, the shop is composing music in the Toronto office then traveling to Prague to record the score with an orchestra there.

The wide sphere of the company’s musical influence provides an advantage when it comes to carving a niche in the market, says Wolfe, providing visibility and a wide creative base from which to bring additional influences into the commercial work.

Krystal, formerly a touring musician and session player in the u.k., established himself as a writing and production talent upon moving to Canada including a stint with Toronto’s Louder Music. Aside from his commercial work, Krystal is a signed writer for Sony Music and is developing and producing an album out of the new studio, dubbed The Asylum.

‘When we started last year we wanted to create an environment that kept advertising as the centerpiece but also expanded creatively in other directions like film and record production,’ says Wolfe, who also has a background as a musician and writer and in publishing.

‘The diversity of our work is exciting and also has the effect of keeping us fresh. It is particularly positive for our ad work in that non-advertising projects end up giving the commercial work more edge and creative reference points.’

Wolfe cites a recent ad project for Clorets out of Bates Advertising which called for a country feel in the music. Because of Krystal’s relationship with Sony, the shop was able to access the record label’s current hot property, Nashville-based Tara Lynn Hart, to sing on the spots.

The new facility places a strong emphasis on design, with Krystal having visual access to the main control room from his main writing room, as well as a focus on a work-flow-enhancing digital setup.

When complete, Krystal Music will be a fully digital operation with Pro Tools audio workstations as well as a digital console, with the main studio equipped to handle full 5.1 channel and Dolby mixes.

With music and sound design the core of the business, as the facility is completed the shop will be looking at offering a broadened array of recording services including conform, adr and mixing to its clients.