True Romance Sound: Capturing Brittany Howard’s Kumite Project

Nashville’s True Romance Sound have been building an impressive portfolio, following work with a diverse range of clients and projects. The company crafted a live in-studio video session with Canyon Lights, the upcoming record from Tayls, and collaborating with singer-songwriter Crystal Rose. Headliner learns about Kumite, the unexpected new hardcore venture fronted by Alabama Shakes powerhouse Brittany Howard, and how True Romance Sound co-founder Jared Colby crafted the sound.

True Romance Sound captures these projects utilising a diverse array of AUDIX microphones, including the OMX-T dynamic vocal microphone, the i5 dynamic instrument microphone, SCX25A large diaphragm condensers, and the D6X dynamic kick drum mic.

The Kumite project was born from a shared passion for hardcore music between Brittany Howard and Colby. Colby describes the music as "insane beat-down music, unlike anything her fans have ever heard."

Colby details the project's genesis: “Early on, we bonded over our love for hardcore, particularly the band American Nightmare. Soon after, she said she wanted to get in the mix and play the show and asked if we could co-write some songs.” Kumite debuted live in January 2025 with Colby’s hardcore band, Second Spirit, serving as the backing band.

Co-founder Alanna Royale emphasised the studio's live recording ethos: "We encourage live performances. We embrace natural imperfections if the overall performance is good, a philosophy we've adopted from our experience with tape."

The recording session for the new songs was spontaneous. Colby notes, “Brittany walked into True Romance around 10.30 pm 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! The AUDIX OMX-T is perfect for artists who like to record using a handheld because it doesn't pick up cable noise if shaken or change tone if cupped.” All three Kumite songs were tracked live within an hour.

Beyond vocals, the AUDIX i5 is used heavily on guitar tones for the Kumite sessions and is also employed on snare drums, often placed on the side to capture a "heftier, less papery, snare bottom sound."

The AUDIX D6X is used for kicks, floor toms, and bass guitar cabinets, with Colby adding, “I use the D6X on every session. I like it because I can still get that classic D6 sound with the advantage of mid-range control.” SCX25A microphones are used for drum overheads to provide a "non-harsh condenser sound, which provides a nice, bright, hi-fi tone without being excessive.”

Royale highlights Colby's broad expertise, noting his ability to apply concepts from "heavy, fast, punk music" to tender acoustic projects: “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... and find ways to apply it to music that is so tender and touching.”

Jared Colby concludes by affirming his reliance on the gear: “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.”