Where are you based?
Beautiful Ridgewood NYC.
Can you describe your label mix?
Well it was technically the 10-year anniversary of Allergy Season this past Sunday. This free mixtape came out on November 19th, 2013. So aside from feeling old, I realized it was probably a good time to start highlighting some of the many tracks that are near and dear to my heart on the label. I pulled about 200 tracks from the back catalogue and just let it flow.
What inspired you to start a label?
I was feeling quite frustrated at the time, I had already put out music on like a dozen labels, but the situation always seemed to be the same. The process was achingly slow to get music out and then you never see any money. Not like these tiny labels were rolling in dough from some niche underground dance music release but the priorities felt out of wack. They pay the visual artist, the PR company, etc. but the person who makes the music is last on the list. So I wanted to see if I could come up with a better way to do things, as well as take control of my own musical output. I don’t know if I’ve been totally successful but I do feel like Allergy Season has a structure that makes things a bit easier for artists on the label, and definitely for the most prolific artist on the label (me).
I can break down some of the structure for any artist or labels who are curious: Allergy Season never owns any of the rights to the music by the artists on the label, and it only stays on the label as long as the artists wants it to. The label always pays an advance, and then its up to the label to recoup it, as opposed to the artist waiting for the release to break even before possibly seeing a payout. And doing 33/66 split for label/artist, because it makes absolutely no sense for digital labels to take 50% or more at this point.
Does your label have a sound or a mission?
It’s funny I had an original tag-line of “genre-free”, but I’m actually kind of obsessed with genre, just every genre as opposed to one. So there definitely isn’t “a sound.” I was surprised though, I always thought of the label as just mirroring my own personal tastes at any given time, which are constantly shifting, but sorting through the tracks to make the mix—so much of it works together cohesively.
Obviously, the Physically Sick fundraising compilations with Discwoman had a mission. Frankie and Emma brought on so many incredible artist to the label. I’m super grateful I got to work with them on those. At the time, I don’t think anyone (even us) realized how easily you could harness Bandcamp to raise a lot of money quickly. Also mixing bigger artists with new ones on the comps really worked well as a launching pad for those younger artists who might just be getting started, which was an unintended benefit.
Tell us about your scene(s).
I guess I can speak to the scene in NYC, which is so strong right now. The music coming out of the city and being played here is so incredible. Having been involved for over 15 years, it’s crazy to see how much it’s grown. I think some people assume that NYC has always had a huge dance music scene, but when I moved here it was very small and very tight-knit.
What’s your A&R process?
To be totally honest, there really isn’t one. When I started the label, I tried doing more active A&R, reaching out to artists and listening to demos anyone would send me. I had been a music editor at Dis Magazine for their mix series, where I was constantly trying to find new interesting artists. But over time it's basically shifted to if my friends send me music and I love it, I will ask them if they want to put it out on Allergy Season, and otherwise its just an outlet for my own productions and collaborations.
The advent of Bandcamp has also shifted my perspective, because I really feel like there has to be a reason for a label to be involved, versus an artist just self-releasing. Is putting this out going to help the artist by introducing them to a bigger audience and hopefully getting them some money, or is it just an ego thing for me that it would be cool to have them on the label? Artists should be more wary of that. Certainly labels are investing something in you… but it really doesn't cost a whole lot to put out music these days. So if a labels is acting like they are doing you a favor, keep in mind they get a benefit from putting out your music as well.
What labels do you look up to?
Nervous, Dial, PAN, Perlon, Hessle, DFA, Missile, Livity Sound, Hyperdub, Nice n’ Ripe, Sneaker Social Club, Night Slugs and a million others I cant think of. Also any little labels that put out 3 amazing records and then disappeared… my only regret is its too late for me to do that now ;-}
