David Blackman joined Hiltongrove Mastering in 1996 after graduating from City University with a BSc in Music. He quickly began building a strong client base, helped by having mastered the first release by a then unsigned Coldplay – The Safety EP.

​

David was promoted to the role of Studio Manager in 1999 and continued to work on prominent releases for artists such as Soft Cell, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Keane. During this time he also helped to design and install his then current room, along with over-seeing the installation of a Neuman VMS-80 vinyl cutting lathe.

​

In 2005 he bought Hiltongrove Mastering outright. The facility was moved out of London to its current location in North Essex in 2012, under-going a substantial technical upgrade at the same time.

 

Away from mastering, David is a pretty mean pianist and keyboard player, and is currently playing regularly with a number of acts. He also enjoys rugby, Judge Dredd, and eating cake.