The Leaf Label
Encyclopedia
The Leaf Label is an independent record label
based in Yorkshire
, United Kingdom
. Initially known as an electronic music label, releasing mainly instrumental music, the company's approach has broadened over the last few years and now features an eclectic range of artists, with a focus on strong live performers.
The Leaf Label was created in late 1994 by Tony Morley, at that time, Press Officer at 4AD
in London, along with friend and co-conspirator Julian Carrera, then working for music press company Stone Immaculate. The pair ran the label as a hobby until the end of 1996, during which time they released a series of eight 12" singles, of mainly electronic music. The label debuted in early 1995 with a 12" release by Boymerang
, aka Graham Sutton of the influential post-rock band Bark Psychosis
, and early releases also included two volumes of the 'Invisible Soundtracks' series of EPs. Following his recovery from a serious road accident in September 2005, Morley decided to leave 4AD at the end of 1996, setting up his own independent promo company No9, and parting company with Carrera around the same time. The company's first office was in Battersea in South West London, later moving to larger premises in Brixton, South London.
The label's first album release was 1997's Silence FM by The Sons Of Silence, a group which consisted of members of O Yuki Conjugate
. OYC also spawned the label's second artist album release, by A Small Good Thing. The label followed these releases with key artist album releases by Faultline
, Susumu Yokota
, Eardrum and 310 in the late 1990s. Yokota's ambient albums, licensed from his own Skintone label in Japan, remain some of the label's most successful releases.
In 1999, Morley set up the PostEverything mail order operation with Colin Newman
(from the band Wire
) and web designer Dorian Moore. Morley resigned as a director of the company in 2005, and the site closed in 2008.
The label's first real success of the 2000s came with Dan Snaith's Manitoba
, who released two albums under that name in 2001 (Start Breaking My Heart) and 2003 (Up In Flames). Following a lawsuit by Richard "Handsome Dick" Manitoba
of The Dictators
, Snaith was obliged to change his artist name, and subsequently became known as Caribou
, with his third album, The Milk of Human Kindness, released under that name in 2005.
The label followed the success of Manitoba with a run of critically acclaimed debut albums by Murcof
, Boom Bip & Doseone and Asa-Chang & Junray
in 2002, Colleen in 2003, and A Hawk And A Hacksaw
, Psapp
and Efterklang
in 2004. The label celebrated its tenth anniversary with a week of events in London in October 2005, along with the retrospective 2CD compilation Check The Water.
The company relocated to Horsforth
in West Yorkshire
in the spring of 2006. Significant releases since then have included Polar Bear
, Vladislav Delay
, Nancy Elizabeth, Oh No Ono
and Wildbirds & Peacedrums
.
The label moved office again in September 2010 to its current premises, also in Horsforth. The company now also manages a number of artists, and Morley sources music for the Velvet Ears music library, owned by music supervisor Liz Gallacher
.
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:...
based in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Initially known as an electronic music label, releasing mainly instrumental music, the company's approach has broadened over the last few years and now features an eclectic range of artists, with a focus on strong live performers.
The Leaf Label was created in late 1994 by Tony Morley, at that time, Press Officer at 4AD
4AD
4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today...
in London, along with friend and co-conspirator Julian Carrera, then working for music press company Stone Immaculate. The pair ran the label as a hobby until the end of 1996, during which time they released a series of eight 12" singles, of mainly electronic music. The label debuted in early 1995 with a 12" release by Boymerang
Boymerang
Boymerang is a DnB project of Graham Sutton, leading light of post-rock band Bark Psychosis. Sutton released one album as Boymerang, the well-received Balance of the Force, a blend of techy intricately programmed DnB and subtle melodies....
, aka Graham Sutton of the influential post-rock band Bark Psychosis
Bark Psychosis
Bark Psychosis are an English post-rock band/musical project from east London formed in 1986. They were one of the bands that Simon Reynolds cited when coining "post-rock" as a musical style in 1994, and are thus considered one of the key bands defining the genre...
, and early releases also included two volumes of the 'Invisible Soundtracks' series of EPs. Following his recovery from a serious road accident in September 2005, Morley decided to leave 4AD at the end of 1996, setting up his own independent promo company No9, and parting company with Carrera around the same time. The company's first office was in Battersea in South West London, later moving to larger premises in Brixton, South London.
The label's first album release was 1997's Silence FM by The Sons Of Silence, a group which consisted of members of O Yuki Conjugate
O Yuki Conjugate
O 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,...
. OYC also spawned the label's second artist album release, by A Small Good Thing. The label followed these releases with key artist album releases by Faultline
Faultline (musician)
Faultline is an electronic music project centred on producer David Kosten.This UK act's enigmatic music has background death threats, Dennis Hopper dialogue and cover versions sung by rock stars. Faultline is the recording moniker for David Kosten, who claims to have turned to samplers and...
, Susumu Yokota
Susumu Yokota
Susumu Yokota is a prolific Japanese composer.Yokota is well known in the English-speaking independent music scene for his albums of experimental ambient music...
, Eardrum and 310 in the late 1990s. Yokota's ambient albums, licensed from his own Skintone label in Japan, remain some of the label's most successful releases.
In 1999, Morley set up the PostEverything mail order operation with Colin Newman
Colin Newman
Colin Newman is an English musician, record producer and record label owner.-Biography:Newman is a member of the rock band Wire. When the band temporarily split in 1980, Newman pursued a solo career. His first solo LP, A-Z, was released in 1980 on the Beggar's Banquet label...
(from the band Wire
Wire (band)
Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
) and web designer Dorian Moore. Morley resigned as a director of the company in 2005, and the site closed in 2008.
The label's first real success of the 2000s came with Dan Snaith's Manitoba
Caribou (musician)
Daniel Victor Snaith is a composer, musician and recording artist under stage names Caribou, Manitoba and Daphni. Under the supervision of Kevin Buzzard, he obtained a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College London.- Career:...
, who released two albums under that name in 2001 (Start Breaking My Heart) and 2003 (Up In Flames). Following a lawsuit by Richard "Handsome Dick" Manitoba
Richard Manitoba
Richard "Handsome Dick" Manitoba is an American punk rock singer and radio personality, best known as the lead singer of the New York City band The Dictators.- Background :...
of The Dictators
The Dictators
The Dictators are an American punk rock band formed in New York City in 1973. Critic John Dougan said that they were "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth." The Dictators are represented in the "Punk Wing" of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland, Ohio...
, Snaith was obliged to change his artist name, and subsequently became known as Caribou
Caribou (musician)
Daniel Victor Snaith is a composer, musician and recording artist under stage names Caribou, Manitoba and Daphni. Under the supervision of Kevin Buzzard, he obtained a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College London.- Career:...
, with his third album, The Milk of Human Kindness, released under that name in 2005.
The label followed the success of Manitoba with a run of critically acclaimed debut albums by Murcof
Murcof
Murcof is the performing and recording name of Mexican electronica artist Fernando Corona.Corona was born in 1970 in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in Ensenada. He was for a time a member of the Tijuana-based Nortec Collective of electronic musicians under the Terrestre project name...
, Boom Bip & Doseone and Asa-Chang & Junray
Asa-Chang & Junray
Asa Chang & Junray is the band of the Japanese percussionist Asa Chang, who was the founder and original bandmaster of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. After leaving that group in 1993, he formed Asa Chang & Junray in 1998 with programmer and guitarist Hidehiko Urayama. They were joined in 2000 by...
in 2002, Colleen in 2003, and A Hawk And A Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw is a band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, currently signed to L.M. Dupli-cation. The band consists of accordionist Jeremy Barnes, who was previously the drummer for Neutral Milk Hotel and Bablicon, and violinist Heather Trost...
, Psapp
Psapp
Psapp is an experimental electronica band. The band, a duo consisting of members Carim Clasmann and Galia Durant, are sometimes credited with inventing a musical style known as toytronica, a form of electronica made with toys and toy instruments...
and Efterklang
Efterklang
Efterklang is an indie rock group from Copenhagen, Denmark, formed in December 2000. To date, the band has released three studio albums and are currently signed to the 4AD label, as well as their own record label Rumraket.-History:...
in 2004. The label celebrated its tenth anniversary with a week of events in London in October 2005, along with the retrospective 2CD compilation Check The Water.
The company relocated to Horsforth
Horsforth
Horsforth is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England, lying to the north west of Leeds. It has a population of 18,928....
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
in the spring of 2006. Significant releases since then have included Polar Bear
Polar Bear (British band)
Polar Bear is a British experimental jazz band led by drummer Seb Rochford with Pete Wareham on tenor and baritone saxophone, Mark Lockheart on tenor saxophone, Tom Herbert on double bass and Leafcutter John on mandolin and electronics....
, Vladislav Delay
Vladislav Delay
Vladislav Delay is one of the pseudonyms of Sasu Ripatti , a Finnish electronic musician. He has also recorded as Luomo, Sistol, Uusitalo and Conoco.-Background:...
, Nancy Elizabeth, Oh No Ono
Oh No Ono
Oh No Ono is a grammy nominated quintet from Aalborg, Denmark. The band was formed in 2003 by Kristoffer Rom , Aske Zidore , Kristian Olsen and Malthe Fischer .-History:...
and Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Wildbirds & Peacedrums is an experimental band from Sweden consisting of two members, Mariam Wallentin and her husband Andreas Werliin.-Background:...
.
The label moved office again in September 2010 to its current premises, also in Horsforth. The company now also manages a number of artists, and Morley sources music for the Velvet Ears music library, owned by music supervisor Liz Gallacher
Liz Gallacher
Liz Gallacher is a female British music supervisor based in Los Angeles.Gallacher has been called "one of the UK's leading independent music consultants". Her work on projects such as The Full Monty and Resident Evil garnered praise from producers, directors and the press...
.