Where are you based?
Jack Hardwicke: The project began back in 2015 in Berlin, and after some time in the UK, we moved back there for six years. A wonderful city to live in and work from. In 2022 we moved back to the UK, where I’m originally from, so currently, the label is based just outside the New Forest National Park in Hampshire. It’s a beautiful place full of cute villages, wandering horses, cows and pigs.
Can you describe your label mix?
I tried to include as many releases as possible in a way that made some coherent sense together. I’m not much of a DJ or producer myself so ‘cobbled together’ is probably apt. Hopefully it highlights what we’ve put out in the past several years and a bunch of our favourite tracks from the discography.
What inspired you to start a label?
I have always loved sharing music with people, it’s something I annoyed friends and family with since I was 11 or 12. I loved finding things that my peers weren’t into and trying to get them to listen.
In 2015 I moved to Berlin and, like many, I decided to start something new. It started as a mix series which we did with around 60-odd amazing artists/DJs, and during that time I was lucky to expand my horizons both musically and in terms of making connections in ‘the industry.’
Sort of by chance, but also by proximity, the chance arose to start a label and it felt like the natural thing to do. I feel incredibly lucky to be doing something I enjoy, and surviving.
It would not have been possible, nor continue to be, without a few amazing people who have helped along the way.
Does your label have a sound or a mission?
My mission is simply to try and support the artists that work with us as best as I can, and to try to release music that I would want to hear. It’s a privilege to have any kind of platform, and the limited but not insignificant means to support our artists. I feel a duty to support the right people and the right projects.
I would love to release a really broad range of music, but people probably expect us to be putting out ambient adjacent works, dipping our toes into pop and working with artists from all over, including a significant number from East Asia (Japan, China and Korea). That’s essentially what we’ve done to date.
Tell us about your scene(s).
To be honest it’s not something that I pay much attention to either—for better or worse. If there is a scene I don’t think I’m a part of it, beyond the monoculture fringe that I think most of us live on.
What's your A&R process?
Forge solid and supportive relationships with the artists on the roster, occasionally discover and approach new ones, and hope to find some gold in our submissions inbox.
What labels do you look up to?
In terms of sound and style I’ve certainly been inspired by Kranky and RVNG—they were big inspirations for starting the label. I am impressed with any label that has cultivated a loyal fanbase and carved a niche in a difficult industry to survive in. Longevity, where quality remains high, is hugely impressive - something to aspire to.
Some labels that I like include - Analog Africa, Séance Centre, Warm Winters, Western Vinyl, Moon Glyph, Double Double Whammy, Soundway, Ghostly.
