We have started a series where we introduce indie labels. They will recommend 3 releases from their catalog and share 3 things they have learned by running the label.
AnalogueTrash is a UK-based record label and new music blog run by Adrian Brian Thompson. The label got on our radar recently with an excellent single from Friends Of Our Youth (which we covered here).
The label currently has a slew of exciting releases coming out from the likes of This Bliss and Birdman Cult, so we were very excited to have Adrian to share this excellent introduction to both the label and his philosophy.
3 Releases:
Factory Acts – Second Amendment
We’re rather lucky and quite chuffed, actually, that many of the label’s original signings are still with us. Factory Acts have been releasing music with us for a decade now, and represent a lot of what the label stands for musically and more widely.
Based in Salford, UK, the Anglo-Irish duo draws much of their inspiration from the Manchester music scene: post-punk, electronica, and experimental sounds underpinned by thundering basslines that drive home some sharply observant lyrics focused on personal experiences and global affairs, often from a distinctly feminist viewpoint.
Various Artists – AnalogueTrash: Label Sampler Vol. 7
Yeah, I know this is a bit of a cheat, but the samplers are something we’re really proud of. Over the years, they’ve grown in length from eight songs in 2014 to twenty-eight in 2023! They’re very much a showcase for the current label roster as it stands each year, showing the depth and breadth of what we put out.
We don’t have a rigidly defined sound as a label, but we do have an attitude and ethos—one of championing cool underground music and respecting the artist’s vision—both things that can really be heard on these compilations.
A mix of the old and new, plus a number of tracks where artists remix labelmates, our label samplers are another way for us to shine a light on the creativity and skills of the artists we work with. They also help us foster a sense of community within the label family, which we’re really passionate about.
Spray – Failure is Inevitable
Jenny and Ricardo have been described as ‘pop terrorists’ and that fusion of bubblegum electropop and situationist satire is something that is very much a feature of Failure is Inevitable (and their work as a whole).
Their genius is to serve up chorus-orientated, hook-heavy pop that is deceptively subversive. The lyrics are observational and incisive, sometimes based on their early and bittersweet experiences as pop starlets, but delivered in such a bright, innocent way that you can easily find yourself having a ‘wait, what?’ style whiplash at what you just heard.
We love them, and they’re another great example of what we’re about as a label.
3 Things I’ve Learned:
1. Centre people in your work and build up your community
Your people are everything, and for a small label, they’re going to be one of your biggest assets. Artists can get along just fine without a label these days, but many of the artists who sign to us do so because they want to be a part of a community of likeminded people who support each other.
I’ve tried to really lean into this aspect of our work over the past couple of years, and we’ve done some basic but really rewarding stuff like set up regular label networking and skill-sharing sessions, bi-monthly ‘show and tell’ sessions for artists to share works in progress and get feedback, and a label Discord community for artists and folks in our inner circle.
We encourage label artists to remix each other, collab, share live line-ups where appropriate, and nerd out about gear together. Artists get a better label experience if they get involved in the community around the label, and I’m confident it’s why so many work with us for multiple releases.
This is also great from a label perspective. Firstly, because we have a big group of people happy to hype each other’s music, show up to listening parties and live gigs (where geography allows), and support each other; secondly, because the label’s roster is so international, it lets artists expand their networks and fanbases all over the world; and thirdly, I have access to a huge pool of talented, creative, and helpful people who often lend a hand with stuff.
For example, our go-to mastering guy is a label artist, we’ve hired label artists to do merch designs for us, and there are people on the label whose opinions I trust on stuff like marketing, branding, and photography too.
I’ve worked with bands who wanted to work with a label because they were looking for a step up in the industry, and I’ve worked with bands who want to be part of a musical community. The latter are by far the most rewarding to work with, and that’s who we focus on supporting these days.
One of my favourite sayings is “a rising tide lifts all boats,” and it’s very much a key principle of how we try to work.
2. Sidestep ‘the industry’
Everyone talks about ‘the industry’ and ‘making it in the industry,’ but the commercial music industry is a big soul-destroying machine that’s specifically built to crush the little guy.
It’s great if you have those moments of big commercial success, but I’ve found every aspect of running a label is more fulfilling, more rewarding, and more achievable when I focus on building real relationships with real fans as opposed to trying to second-guess stuff like playlisting algorithms and mysterious commercial radio quotas.
It’s all a question of where you’re going to put your energy and what’s going to generate the most tangible rewards for your artists and their music.
Do you spend hours trying to land on editorial playlists that people have on in the background, or do you spend that time engaging with your fanbase and hopefully turning your casual listeners into mega fans who will buy actual stuff and come to your gigs?
Similarly, do you send hundreds of press releases to top-tier publications and national radio in the tiny, tiny hope they pick it up on it; or do you focus on building meaningful relationships with indie radio producers, small bloggers, and real music fans who will stick around and support you for the long haul?
The same goes for social media. Do you spend heaven knows how much time and money trying to build up a following on a platform that constantly moves the goalposts and can quickly go south overnight at the whims of sociopathic billionaires (ahem), or do you focus on building up a mailing list where you own your own data?
I’ll be the first to admit that we never have and probably never will release anything that’s destined for commercial success, but when I made the conscious decision to give up on the big music industry grind and focus on proper grassroots music, real people, and real connections with fans, it became much more sustainable and far more rewarding.
Ultimately, your social media metrics don’t matter, your streaming numbers aren’t that important, and you can land on national radio with literally no uptick in sales or other opportunities (this has happened to us a few times); but a few hundred fans who genuinely vibe with what you do and will come to your gigs and buy almost everything you release are worth their weight in gold.
And if you have to build up that fanbase one person at a time, then do that; it’s worth the effort in the long run.
3. Cling to the wins
Following on tangentially from my last point, there have been a lot of times in AT’s 10+ year life as a record label and 15+ year life as a promoter that I’ve really questioned the point of doing this stuff.
You put in the time and the work, you do everything right, and sometimes releases just don’t land or gigs struggle on with hardly any punters. It’s the nature of the beast, and you can only hope that the people who listen to the music or come to the shows will keep engaging and tell their friends.
There’s also a lot of grind to this record label thing: admin, accounting, promotional legwork, spreadsheets, and general organising. It’s not glamorous a lot of the time.
And when things don’t go well, it can take a toll on my mental health and my motivation, not to mention having to work overtime in my day job to cover the financial shortfalls when things don’t break even.
The way I deal with this ongoing emotional rollercoaster is to cling to the wins we do have, hold on to them, and let those carry me through the periods of grind or when things are tough. Every positive review, fun gig, new connection, or kind message from someone who appreciates what we do gets mentally banked to help balance out the bad stuff.
Rationally, I know that everyone’s in the same boat, that we release killer music, that we work with a fantastic bunch of people, and that the fact that we’re still doing this at over 15 years is a blessing. But my rational brain isn’t the one in charge when things get tough, so having a little reservoir of reminders of the good bits really helps remind me just why I do this and helps me ride out the rough patches.
I highly recommend it as a coping strategy.
‘The Long Way Home’ by Lines of Silence is out now via AnalogueTrash.
Follow the label:
