Projekt Records
Encyclopedia
This is the article for the record label. You might be looking for Pro-jekt
, ProjeKct, Project Pitchfork
, or Projekt Revolution
Projekt is a Brooklyn, New York-based independent record label
specializing in gothic rock
, ambient
, ethereal
, darkwave
, shoegaze, dream-pop, and dark cabaret
created by Sam Rosenthal in 1983
. Projekt bands are more likely to rely on keyboards and acoustic guitars than most other bands in the gothic genre, and their influences range from art and literature to ancient and world music.
Prominent Projekt artists include Black Tape for a Blue Girl
, Steve Roach, Voltaire
, Eric Wollo, Unto Ashes
, Mira
, and Android Lust
,
Based over the years in South Florida, Los Angeles
, and Chicago, Projekt is now located in Brooklyn. Projekt has released 266 titles as of late-2011, with an additional 25 on the Projekt: Archive (formerly Relic) sub-label. Sam Rosenthal runs Projekt as an independent record label for the goth, ethereal, shoegazer, dream-pop, and ambient scene.
The label has had many employees over the years who assisted Sam with his vision. Shea Hovey is the current assistant who handles the press contacts as well as the mail-order; she has been with the label since 2000. Other employees of note were Charles Clutter, Padraic Ogle
(Thanatos
/ Precipice Records) and Sam's ex-wife Lisa Feuer. Briefly, Sam Fogarino of Interpol
worked at Projekt for a few months in the late-1990s, although Sam has often commented, "I never really knew what he did." Constantine Maroulis
, of American Idol
fame, worked one afternoon (approx 2004), preparing catalogs. Rosenthal runs an e-mail list with weekly updates and personal commentary, often about conservatives and the state of the record industry.
and digital downloads. While Rosenthal has ensured that numerous MP3s of his artists are available for legitimate download, in the early days of MP3s he went so far as to praise MP3 even when not downloaded legitimately. Editorials on the Projekt Web site (dating back to January 2001) countered the assumption that all labels oppose all unofficial MP3 downloads. While Rosenthal does not condone downloading entire albums without paying, his view is that those exposed to music, by whatever route, will ultimately purchase albums and support the artists they enjoy. In the ensuing years, his feelings have changed and now he is quite worried about the rampant illegal downloading of albums.
. In 1998, Projektfest was a series of four one-day events in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia
and New York City
. The 2002 Projektfest was held over three days in Philadelphia, at the Trocadero
and other sites. Projekt hosted Projektfest '07 as part of the Blacksun Festival
in New Haven, Connecticut
, in August. Projektfest'10 is scheduled for July 30 & 31, 2010. http://www.projekt.com/festival]Projektfest website[/ref?>
Pro-jekt
Pro-jekt are a band, and they also sometimes describe themselves as Gothic metal. It has also been said that they have a darkwave sound. They were formed in January 2000, in Derbyshire, England. They engineered and financed their own demo album, and later signed to Nightbreed Recordings Ltd, in...
, ProjeKct, Project Pitchfork
Project Pitchfork
Project Pitchfork is an electronic musical group from Hamburg, Germany.-History:Project Pitchfork was formed by Peter Spilles and Dirk Scheuber. Having agreed to work together, they then picked the project's name by picking a word at random from the dictionary. The demo K.N.K.A. was recorded...
, or Projekt Revolution
Projekt Revolution
Projekt Revolution is a music festival hosted by Linkin Park, bringing artists of various genres of music together. Linkin Park started Projekt Revolution in the year 2002 with just one stage...
Projekt is a Brooklyn, New York-based independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
specializing in gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
, ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, ethereal
Ethereal Wave
Ethereal Wave, also called ethereal darkwave in Europe and ethereal goth or simply ethereal in the US, is a term that describes a subgenre of Dark Wave music...
, darkwave
Darkwave
Dark Wave or darkwave is a music genre that began in the late 1970s, coinciding with the popularity of New Wave and post-punk. Building on those basic principles, dark wave added dark, introspective lyrics and an undertone of sorrow for some bands...
, shoegaze, dream-pop, and dark cabaret
Dark Cabaret
Dark cabaret may be a simple description of the theme and mood of a cabaret performance, but more recently has come to define a particular musical genre which draws on the aesthetics of the decadent, risqué German Weimar-era cabarets, burlesque and vaudeville shows with the stylings of post-1970s...
created by Sam Rosenthal in 1983
1983 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization...
. Projekt bands are more likely to rely on keyboards and acoustic guitars than most other bands in the gothic genre, and their influences range from art and literature to ancient and world music.
Prominent Projekt artists include Black Tape for a Blue Girl
Black tape for a blue girl
Black Tape for a Blue Girl is an American Dark Wave band formed in 1986 by Projekt Records' founder Sam Rosenthal. Their music takes on elements of dark cabaret, Dark Wave, ethereal, ambient and neoclassical music. Director David Lynch...
, Steve Roach, Voltaire
Voltaire (musician)
Voltaire , is a popular dark cabaret Cuban-American musician...
, Eric Wollo, Unto Ashes
Unto Ashes
Unto Ashes is a musical ensemble based in New York City that incorporates madrigal, folk, and elements of neo-medieval and dark wave. Founded by Michael Laird and Susanna Melendez in 1997, the band has released five full-length CDs on the Projekt label...
, Mira
Mira (band)
Mira are a five-piece dream pop/shoegaze band from Tallahassee, Florida. One of their earliest gigs was opening for Low at Florida State University. After releasing several EPs , the band signed to Projekt Records, on which they have released three full-length albums and toured nationally in the...
, and Android Lust
Android Lust
Android Lust is the industrial solo project of Shikhee, that combines elements of rock, industrial, gothic and classical styles into a blend of music that she describes as "electronic and dark."-History:...
,
Based over the years in South Florida, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and Chicago, Projekt is now located in Brooklyn. Projekt has released 266 titles as of late-2011, with an additional 25 on the Projekt: Archive (formerly Relic) sub-label. Sam Rosenthal runs Projekt as an independent record label for the goth, ethereal, shoegazer, dream-pop, and ambient scene.
The label has had many employees over the years who assisted Sam with his vision. Shea Hovey is the current assistant who handles the press contacts as well as the mail-order; she has been with the label since 2000. Other employees of note were Charles Clutter, Padraic Ogle
Patrick Ogle
Patrick Ogle was a member of the gothic ambient band Black Tape for a Blue Girl. Ogle was a long time friend of band leader and Projekt Records founder Sam Rosenthal. Ogle performed on the band's "a chaos of desire" and later wrote and performed the title track on the "this lush garden within" CD....
(Thanatos
Thanatos
In Greek mythology, Thanatos was the daemon personification of death. He was a minor figure in Greek mythology, often referred to but rarely appearing in person...
/ Precipice Records) and Sam's ex-wife Lisa Feuer. Briefly, Sam Fogarino of Interpol
Interpol (band)
Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
worked at Projekt for a few months in the late-1990s, although Sam has often commented, "I never really knew what he did." Constantine Maroulis
Constantine Maroulis
Constantine James Maroulis is an American rock singer, actor, and writer from Wyckoff, New Jersey. He was the sixth-place finalist on the fourth season of the reality television series American Idol, and lead vocalist of the hard rock band Pray for the Soul of Betty...
, of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
fame, worked one afternoon (approx 2004), preparing catalogs. Rosenthal runs an e-mail list with weekly updates and personal commentary, often about conservatives and the state of the record industry.
Label support of MP3
Sam Rosenthal was in strong support of MP3MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
and digital downloads. While Rosenthal has ensured that numerous MP3s of his artists are available for legitimate download, in the early days of MP3s he went so far as to praise MP3 even when not downloaded legitimately. Editorials on the Projekt Web site (dating back to January 2001) countered the assumption that all labels oppose all unofficial MP3 downloads. While Rosenthal does not condone downloading entire albums without paying, his view is that those exposed to music, by whatever route, will ultimately purchase albums and support the artists they enjoy. In the ensuing years, his feelings have changed and now he is quite worried about the rampant illegal downloading of albums.
Projektfest
Projekt Records also presents Projektfest, a semi-annual festival of gothic and ethereal music, featuring primarily (but not exclusively) Projekt artists. In 1996, Projektfest ran for two days in Chicago. In 1997, Chicago was again host to two days of Projektfest and a few weeks later another day of performances were hosted in Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. In 1998, Projektfest was a series of four one-day events in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The 2002 Projektfest was held over three days in Philadelphia, at the Trocadero
Trocadero Theatre
The Trocadero Theatre, opened as the Arch Street Opera House in 1870, is a historic theater, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the years, it has offered musical comedies, vaudeville and burlesque. Burlesque performer Mara Gaye performed at the Troc in the 1950s...
and other sites. Projekt hosted Projektfest '07 as part of the Blacksun Festival
Blacksun Festival
thumb|200px|right|Scan of the 2005 Blacksun Festival program cover.The Blacksun Festival was an annual 3-day goth and industrial music international festival held in New Haven, Connecticut spread out between several different venues. The festival started in 2005...
in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, in August. Projektfest'10 is scheduled for July 30 & 31, 2010. http://www.projekt.com/festival]Projektfest website[/ref?>
Current Roster
- Alio Die
- All My Faith Lost...
- Android LustAndroid LustAndroid Lust is the industrial solo project of Shikhee, that combines elements of rock, industrial, gothic and classical styles into a blend of music that she describes as "electronic and dark."-History:...
- ArcanaArcana (band)Arcana is Swedish neoclassical band formed in 1994 and was originally signed to the Cold Meat Industry label.-History:The original band consisted of founder Peter Bjärgö and vocalist Ida Bengtsson...
- As Lonely As Dave Bowman
- AttritionAttrition (band)Attrition are an electronic music band, formed in Coventry, England in 1980 by Martin Bowes and Julia Niblock. The band emerged from the experimental post-punk scene of the early 1980s and, along with other groups such as Throbbing Gristle, Coil, Einstürzende Neubauten, and In the Nursery, greatly...
- Autumn's Grey SolaceAutumn's Grey SolaceAutumn's Grey Solace is an ethereal wave and shoegaze band from St. Augustine, Florida. It consists of vocalist Erin Welton and multi-instrumentalist Scott Ferrell. They have released a total of six albums since 2002.-History:...
- Black Tape for a Blue GirlBlack tape for a blue girlBlack Tape for a Blue Girl is an American Dark Wave band formed in 1986 by Projekt Records' founder Sam Rosenthal. Their music takes on elements of dark cabaret, Dark Wave, ethereal, ambient and neoclassical music. Director David Lynch...
- Dark SanctuaryDark SanctuaryDark Sanctuary is a French Neoclassical band which was formed in 1996 in Paris, Île-de-France.-History:The band's first official release was a 20 minute single track MCD, Funeral Cry, released in 1997...
- Fear Falls Burning
- Forrest Fang
- Katzenjammer KabarettKatzenjammer KabarettKatzenjammer Kabarett is a four-piece dark cabaret band from Paris, France. Aesthetically inspired by German Weimar-era cabarets and burlesque shows, the band also chose a name of German origin that literally translates to "cat's wail cabaret" with Katzenjammer also generally meaning "discordant...
- Khvarena
- Lisa HammerLisa HammerLisa Hammer is a filmmaker, actress, composer and singer and is the sister of director James Merendino...
- LovesliescrushingLovesliescrushingLovesliescrushing is a dream pop, lo-fi, ambient, noise band, that formed in the fall of 1991 in East Lansing, Michigan and later moved to Tucson, Arizona. The two primary members of the band are Scott Cortez and Melissa Arpin-Duimstra...
- Lux Interna
- Mark A Michaels and Patricia Johnson
- MirabilisMirabilis (band)Mirabilis is a neoclassical/ethereal musical project formed in 2001 by Dru Allen of This Ascension and Summer Bowman of the Machine in the Garden. Mirabilis uses vocals as the primary instrumentation, crafting original musical compositions and interpreting traditional classical vocal pieces from a...
- Revue Noir
- Sam RosenthalSam RosenthalSam Rosenthal is the founder and leader of Black Tape For a Blue Girl and Projekt Records.-Projekt Records:Begun by Sam Rosenthal in 1983 as a way to release his own solo electronic music, Projekt Records spent its early life as a cassette-only label with a series of titles that are now long...
- Steve Roach
- Soriah
- Soul Whirling Somewhere
- Tearwave
- ThanatosThanatos (band)Thanatos is a Dutch Death metal/Thrash metal band. With a history dating back to 1984, they are the oldest death metal band from the Netherlands. Their second album, Realm of Ecstacy, had received positive marks from Dutch music magazine Oor for its solid compositions and challenging arrangements...
- The Twilight Garden
- Trance to the Sun
- Unto AshesUnto AshesUnto Ashes is a musical ensemble based in New York City that incorporates madrigal, folk, and elements of neo-medieval and dark wave. Founded by Michael Laird and Susanna Melendez in 1997, the band has released five full-length CDs on the Projekt label...
- Vidna ObmanaVidna ObmanaVidna Obmana is a pseudonym used by Belgian composer and ambient musician Dirk Serries. The name Vidna Obmana, a phrase in Serbian, literally translates to "optical illusion" and was chosen by Serries because he felt it accurately described the music...
- VoltaireVoltaire (musician)Voltaire , is a popular dark cabaret Cuban-American musician...
- WeepWeep (band)Weep is an American rock band from New York City whose music combines elements of Ethereal Wave, gothic rock, shoegazing, post-punk, and synthpop...
- Erik Wøllo
- Every silver lining has a cloudEvery Silver Lining Has a Cloud-Credits:*Buckethead: Guitar, Vocals *Carey Burtt: Guitar*Teddy Daniel: Flugelhorn*Anton Fier: Drums, Vocals *Julian Bernard Fowler: Piano, Vocals *Oz Fritz: Engineer, Mixing*Brian Kelly: Guitar, Design...
Past Roster
- Amber Route
- Arcanta
- AreaArea (band)Area - International POPular Group, most commonly known as Area or AreA, is an Italian progressive rock, jazz fusion, electronic, experimental groupb) “It was the mid-1970s and live events roused enthusiasm as never before; they fulfilled the need to be together and the illusion of continuing as a...
- AttritionAttrition (band)Attrition are an electronic music band, formed in Coventry, England in 1980 by Martin Bowes and Julia Niblock. The band emerged from the experimental post-punk scene of the early 1980s and, along with other groups such as Throbbing Gristle, Coil, Einstürzende Neubauten, and In the Nursery, greatly...
- AudraAudraAudra is an Arizona-based band formed in 1991 in Mesa, Arizona by brothers Bret and Bart Helm.Audra broke out onto the national scene in 2000 when they signed with indie label, Projekt Records...
- The Arms of Someone New
- Controlled BleedingControlled BleedingControlled Bleeding is a prolific experimental music group based in Massapequa, New York. The group was founded by Paul Lemos, the group's only consistent member...
- Eden
- Faith & DiseaseFaith & DiseaseFaith & Disease is a Seattle based Ethereal Wave music project formed in the early 1990s and still active. Core members are Eric Cooley and Dara Rosenwasser . The band was signed to Ivy Records and more recently Projekt Records. They have 6 full length albums and dozens of compilation appearances...
- Jeff GreinkeJeff GreinkeJeff Greinke is an American ambient music and jazz artist and composer currently based in Tucson, Arizona. He is known as one of the pioneers of dark ambient music, with his earlier solo albums often compared to works by Robert Rich, Brian Eno, and Vidna Obmana...
- Human DramaHuman DramaHuman Drama was a gothic rock/dark wave band led by singer/songwriter Johnny Indovina. They are primarily known for playing a mixture of sad acoustic and gothic atmospheric melodies. Although they don't count themselves as being only a gothic band, they are often named so by music critics.-Human...
- Judgment of Paris
- Love Spirals DownwardsLove Spirals DownwardsLove Spirals Downwards was an ethereal darkwave, dream pop, Atmospheric drum'n'bass and electronica recording act from California.-History:Love Spirals Downwards was begun by multi-instrumentalist Ryan Lum and then-girlfriend Suzanne Perry. In 1991, Lum and Perry recorded a demo, which led to a...
- LovespiralsLovespiralsLovespirals is a US Dream pop and Electronica band from Southern California featuring multi-instrumentalist/producer, Ryan Lum, and lyricist/vocalist, Anji Bee.-History:...
- lowsunday
- LyciaLycia (band)Lycia is a darkwave/gothic rock band that was formed in 1988, Tempe, Arizona, United States. The main personnel of the band are Mike VanPortfleet, Tara Vanflower, David Galas and . Although only achieving minor cult success, the band is notable for being one of the ground breaking groups in...
- MiraMira (band)Mira are a five-piece dream pop/shoegaze band from Tallahassee, Florida. One of their earliest gigs was opening for Low at Florida State University. After releasing several EPs , the band signed to Projekt Records, on which they have released three full-length albums and toured nationally in the...
- Mors SyphiliticaMors SyphiliticaMors Syphilitica is a Gothic rock/Ethereal band formed in 1995 in New York City by Lisa Hammer and Eric Hammer after the breakup of Requiem in White. Their music combines often-surreal lyrics with unusual instruments such as the mandolin and banjo, as well more conventional instruments such as the...
- MortiisMortiisMortiis is a band from Notodden, Norway fronted by Håvard Ellefsen, who is also known as the namesake of the band. The name is a misspelling of the word 'mortis', which is the pronunciation used by the band. However, Mortiis started as the solo project of Ellefsen as a means to convey a story...
- O Yuki ConjugateO Yuki ConjugateO Yuki Conjugate is an organic ambient musical group, formed in Nottingham in 1982, now sometimes based in London. Their music has variously been categorized as darkwave, industrial, ambient and tribal-ambient. Members of the group vary, but include C. Elliot, R. Horberry, T. Horberry, A. Hulme,...
- Ordo Equitum SolisOrdo equitum solisOrdo Equitum Solis are an alternative music band consisting of Leithana, pseudonym of Nathalie Herrera, French and Deraclamo, pseudonym of Paolo De Marco, Italian . The duo formed in 1988, released albums between 1990 and 2000 and made many tours. In 2001 the band suddenly broke up...
- Shinjuku Thief
- Slap
- The Sleep of ReasonThe Sleep of ReasonThe Sleep of Reason is a BBC Books original novel written by Martin Day and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
- This AscensionThis AscensionThis Ascension is a gothic/ethereal band from Southern California that formed in 1988. They have released four albums on their own label Tess Records from 1989 to 1999 to major acclaim and growing popularity....
- Peter UlrichPeter UlrichPeter Ulrich is a multi-instrumentalist songwriter and recording artist.-Biography:He was educated at Vaughan School in West Harrow, Cannon Lane School in Pinner, The John Lyon School in Harrow, and Hatfield Polytechnic from which he graduated in Humanities.A self-taught drummer, he began playing...
- Tara VanflowerTara VanflowerTara Vanflower is a vocalist whose music has been described as ambient, experimental, and darkwave.In October 1994 she became vocalist for Projekt Records darkwave outfit Lycia. She married fellow band member Mike VanPortfleet. After two albums, the couple left the band...