In the last episode of this unofficial series, I went as far as to pronounce that I likely wouldn’t revisit the premise in the future. That was a bit more than a year ago, and I’m glad that opinions and ideas are allowed to change over time, because otherwise my pants would’ve caught fire by now, and I’m sure my buttocks wouldn’t appreciate having to endure a flaming inferno for my transgressions against truthfulness (or simply not being able to foresee future scenarios in which my stance might differ from today’s, I guess). Oh well.
Leaving the fate of my legwear aside for now, I have put together another triumvirate of boutique ambient labels that I wish to highlight for their outstanding contributions to the scene. Their inclusion comes thanks to their impeccable curation and/or presentation of their physical editions, two identifiers of a truly remarkable indie label in my opinion. I hope that this article will allow you to find a few nuggets of beauty in our effervescent everyday.
oscarson
The first label I want to talk about today found its way into my consideration through… unorthodox measures. One day late last year, I opened my email inbox to find a message from an address I didn’t recognize. It was advertising some kind of music release, so I decided to check out what this mysterious person was peddling. It was the tape release of Hiroaki Yamamoto’s album The Aurora’s Promise on oscarson, and if I was previously grumpy about being contacted by unknown salespeople, I was now elated to add a good ambient record to my tape collection, and another label to watch to my regular rotation.
When said tape arrived, the packaging spoke loudly of the label’s dedication to delivering an aesthetically pleasing end product. The colorfully embossed cardboard sleeve holding the recording more than made up for the initial shock of the uninvited contact, and oscarson became a welcome guest in the humble abode of my music collection. Besides their bespoke tape bundles, they also do vinyl editions and digital-only releases. Their roster includes well-known artists like Glacis, Celer, and Dalton Alexander amongst a slew of creators waiting to be discovered by a discerning audience.
Handstitched*
Handstitched* sets a new standard in handcrafted physical releases. Painstakingly assembled editions house records by the likes of Maps and Diagrams, Wil Bolton, Offthesky, and Ian Hawgood. I’m talking genuine arts and crafts projects here, carefully curated to fit the delightful music they’re meant to accompany. Collage work on a whole new level.
My personal experience with them comes from the recent release of a split record by the aforementioned Wil Bolton and Ouvala, which comes on two cute mini discs in a wallet so beautiful I’m wary of taking it out of the protective baggy it was shipped in. Seriously, this is outstanding dedication to the craft. This level of care and attention to detail means that these editions are extremely limited in number, but that only adds to the value and intimacy of the presentation.
Alongside these mini disc split releases, Handstitched* offers regular-size CDs and tapes, also housed in their signature handmade wallets. I’m in awe of their physical products, so I’ll be keeping an eye on their release schedule from now on.
Seil Records
Based in Frankfurt, Germany, Seil Records is the final piece of today’s puzzle. Their main bread and butter are colorful and diverse tape releases, although they also throw in the odd vinyl for good measure. The label is the main vehicle of electronic artist Boris Potschubay aka Jogging House, who puts out his own music and a curated selection of others via their catalogue. This includes creatives like KMRU, Morimoto Naoki, and Paperbark, all of whom have released with other prestigious ambient labels in the past.
I was personally made aware of this label through browsing the releases of one Morimoto Naoki and in turn purchasing a tape of his album kotoba through Seil Records. A look at their Bandcamp shop reveals a brightly colored, joyful shared identity of these physical items, befitting the label’s self-ascribed mission of ‘making the world a more optimistic place’.
I’m afraid that’s all I have for you today. This is another lovely crop of labels to follow in the future; that’s my take on them at least, and I hope you’ll come to agree. Be sure to follow oscarson, Handstitched* and Seil Records via the links provided throughout the article – there’s a lot to discover! Have a nice day.
