We keep it straight. Catalytic Sound is an artist-run cooperative, not a data company. This policy explains what personal information we collect when you use our site, buy an album, or join our community — and how we handle it. No fine print designed to confuse. Just the facts.

Who We Are

Catalytic Sound (catalyticsound.com) is a musician-owned and artist-run creative music cooperative. We exist to support improvised music, free jazz, and experimental sound — directly connecting artists and listeners without intermediaries. When this policy says “we,” “us,” or “Catalytic Sound,” that’s who we mean.

What Information We Collect

Information You Provide

When you interact with our site, you may share:

  • Contact details — name and email address when you use our contact form or subscribe to updates.
  • Purchase information — name, email, and billing address when buying albums or merchandise. Payment processing is handled by third-party services (Bandcamp, PayPal, Stripe). We do not store your card details.
  • Member account data — if you create an account, we store your login credentials and preferences.
  • Communications — any messages you send us through contact forms or email.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our site, standard web server logs and analytics tools may collect:

  • IP address and general geographic location (country/city level)
  • Browser type and operating system
  • Pages visited, time on site, and referring URLs
  • Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)

This data is collected in aggregate and used only to understand how the site performs and how listeners find our artists.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Process orders and deliver digital or physical products
  • Respond to your questions and support requests
  • Send updates about new releases, label news, or the Quarterly — only if you’ve opted in
  • Improve the site experience for musicians and listeners
  • Comply with legal obligations

We do not use your data for automated profiling, behavioral advertising, or any purpose unrelated to running the cooperative.

Cookies & Third-Party Services

Our site uses cookies — small text files stored in your browser — to remember your preferences (such as light/dark theme) and to help analytics tools understand traffic patterns. We use Google Analytics in anonymized mode. Embedded Bandcamp players may set their own cookies subject to Bandcamp’s privacy policy.

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences at any time. Disabling cookies won’t stop you from browsing the site or purchasing music.

How We Share Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. Full stop. We may share data only in these limited circumstances:

  • Service providers — payment processors, email delivery services, and hosting providers that help us operate the site. They are contractually bound to use your data only for that purpose.
  • Legal requirements — if required by law or a valid legal process, we will disclose only what is strictly necessary.
  • Artist members — if you purchase an album directly from a member label, that label may receive the information needed to fulfill your order. No further distribution.

Data Retention

We keep your personal data only as long as necessary. Purchase records are retained for up to seven years as required by accounting regulations. Contact form submissions are deleted within 12 months. You can request deletion of your data at any time (see Your Rights below).

Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or port the personal data we hold about you. This includes rights under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), among others.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the address below. We will respond within 30 days.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as the cooperative grows or legal requirements change. When we do, we’ll revise the “Last updated” date at the top of the page. Significant changes will be noted in the Quarterly or via email if you’ve subscribed. Continued use of the site after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Contact Us

Questions about this policy or your personal data? Reach the people behind the music directly:

Catalytic Sound Creative Cooperative
catalyticsound.com/contact/
privacy@catalyticsound.com

We’re a small team. Expect a real response from a real musician, not an automated form letter.