Cartesian Binary Sonic Labs

The Story

Cartesian Binary Recordings, founded in 2009 by Rena Jones in Portland, OR, is a pioneering record label dedicated to Deep Ambient, Downtempo, LoFi, and Chillout music. Originally from Texas, Rena’s musical journey began at age 12 with classical violin and expanded into composing and electronic music during her teenage years. Her passion for electronic music led her to San Francisco, where she not only earned a degree in sound engineering from Ex'pression College for Digital Arts but also immersed herself in the city’s thriving underground music scene. As part of the cultural movement that shaped West Coast Bass music and festivals, Rena worked on the development of Pro Tools, blending her technical skills with the groundbreaking sounds that would later influence her music. This experience propelled her to perform and travel globally, bringing her unique sound to audiences around the world.

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As a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer, Rena has built a prolific career over the past three decades. She has composed music for award-winning projects like Dance Dance Revolution and worked on cutting-edge sound design for industry giants such as Adobe and Twisted Tools as well as assisted in the development of Pro Tools in her role as Engineering Test Services at AVID, her technical expertise complements her artistic vision. Known for her distinct fusion of acoustic strings, electronic beats, and philosophical themes, Rena’s solo work has been featured on Echoes Radio PRX's top 30 albums list multiple times. She has collaborated with high-profile artists including Emancipator, STS9, and Grammy-nominated J. Viewz. and recently, she participated in an international collaboration with Holeig Spies on a project inspired by Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, which featured legendary artists Future Sound of London, Coldcut, Gaudi, and Youth (The Orb and Pink Floyd).

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Rena’s passion for helping musicians overcome obstacles in the studio is rooted in her extensive expertise in music and technology. Knowing the visceral frustrations that arise from the loss of money, and time that musicians face when technical issues arise in the studio and how these challenges can kill creativity, projects, and loss of income, she’s passionate about helping others avoid those pitfalls. Her drive to support musicians, podcasters, narrators, voice actors, and anyone needing a home studio stems from knowing how overwhelming it can be to troubleshoot, read manuals, or ensure software and hardware compatibility.

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With over 20 years of experience in the field, a degree in Audio Engineering and I.T., and a background as a sales engineer, Rena blends her unique skills to offer premium audio solutions to a Global Audience. At Cartesian Binary Sonic Labs, she helps her clients by removing technical barriers, allowing them to focus on their creative work while she helps you handle the complexities of technology.