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Featured Label: Numero Group
Amongst the growth of repackaged soul (Lee Fields & Sharon Jones) and revitalized reissues, is a record label doing its own thing: Numero Group. Numero Group is not a record label signing artists, it’s a crate diggers’ dream occupation of reissuing lost gems. I stumbled upon a write up of the label at Aquarium Drunkard, where they were highlighting a group called 24-Carat Black. At the Numero Group website they have a smattering …
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Featured Label: Ghostly International
Ghostly International is a label that prides itself on the juxtaposition of music and art branding. Created by Sam Valenti IV when he was 19 yrs old, the label was realized through Valenti’s experience as a DJ, interest in live performances, and art history background. With the incorporation of art, and expression, the label encouraged exploration. In the beginning, Tadd Mullinix, best known as Dabrye, comprised 50% of the label’s ro…
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Featured Label: Warp Records
Warp Records has become a staple of good electronic, artistic, experimental, and new wave music since the early 90s. This is not Arista, or Def Jam with pop hit, one time wonders. While some of their artists have topped charts, most of their music remains known by DJs and music collectors. Like most hustlers in the music industry, the label’s first two releases by LFO (not “Summertime Girls” LFO) and Nightmares on Wax were sold…
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Featured Label: Tres Records
ting quality before quantity.Tres hopes to help continue to contribute to the culture and become an example of the idea that independent Hip Hop label is far from dead. After following Blu, considered by critics as one of the top emerging hip hop artists in 2008, I learned he was signed to Tres Records. I saw and reviewed a show of Blu & Exile earlier this year. The LA rapper has an old school west coast aesthetic, rapping about daily issues …
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Si*Se Interview with SFCritic
Here is my recent interview for SF Station with Si*Se. Si*Se: “The Chain” (Cover) Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. The first group signed to David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label, Brooklyn’s Si*Se watched a smooth beginning turn difficult as it navigated the music business and later bounced f…
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Sila & The Afrofunk Experience Interview: Starting with a Dream
…can Music Hall, for the celebration of my award. I am also running back into the studio to record a follow up album to be released in May. I’m hoping to move forward in my music career. (SFC): Are you hoping to go to a larger label? (SM): This whole time I’ve been under my own indie label, self-produced, self-released. So out of this, I’m hoping that better things come around. Unfortunately, until someone says “you’re the shit,” no one listens to…
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Music Labels and Blogs in 2011
A friend recently asked me if I wanted to start a music label. I asked him if he was crazy. The conversation ended there. Today’s major labels like the British EMI are reminiscent of the 1997 film Titantic, as the boat sinks and Leonardo Di Capro hangs on to a wood plank before freezing to death, while his love Kate Winslett survives to tell his story. Hold on to dear life labels, the big ship you sailed is going down! Kid Cudi : “5…
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We’re Indie! Who F’in Cares?
“Indie” is both a genre and an artist’s statement. During the 70s, 80s, and 90s, “indie” was a style of grunge/punk/garage rock, and a cultural style of music and listeners. These days it may mean an artist has an “alternative” sound, though “alternative” is no longer actually “indie,” or literally, the artist isn’t signed to a major label. Recently, SFCritic noticed on a bl…
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[SOTD] Paper Diamond’s “From Now Till…”
he first single that Paper Diamond released just before the EP released back in late January. It’s stuck with me since, unlike the other tracks, because it keeps you engaged. Yeah, the rest is still worth a listen and tops many up-n-coming electronic artists, but eventually fell into “background music” for me. His style is similar to Pretty Lights, retrofitting great voices from the past into a new world, electronic sound. If…
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Bloggers and Labels Talk Business
In light of yesterday’s discussion concerning the future of music labels, and blogs potentially path towards becoming a label, I stumbled upon this relevant panel discussion with bloggers and label executives. This discussion consists of notable bloggers Daily Swarm, DiscoBelle, and label representatives from Fool’s Gold and True Panther. Talking like this makes you think the whole world is listening. Outkast: “The Whole Wor…
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