Unlabel
Encyclopedia
Unlabel is an independent record label
located in Staplehurst near Tunbridge Wells
. It has had releases from bands such as Joeyfat
, Ye Wiles, Cove, Jason and the Astronauts, SJ
(formerly Sutcliffe Jügend) and Charlottefield.
and alt. country to post-rock
/ math rock
, hardcore
and beyond, piano, electronica
/ idm
through to ambient, glitch
, microsound
, gabber
, industrial / noise, soundscapes and anything else that took their fancy, each in a strictly limited edition of 100 numbered copies.
The idea was to release work by unknown artists who might not otherwise be recognised at all alongside a handful of carefully selected guests, including a few names which may be familiar due to their releases elsewhere.
All releases were packaged in distinctive matching artwork with the musical artists' own image on the front and two images from Unlabel on the back - including one of a landscape photographed every week over the 52 weeks of 2006. These CDs were all sold at a bargain price to simply cover manufacturing costs and some of the time involved in running such a massive project.
It is still possible to order the complete set of 52 albums from the Unlabel website along with a selection of individual releases from the series.
scene and the local music venue the Tunbridge Wells Forum
. This includes putting on shows on a regular basis, with artists from all over the world.
band from Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom
. They have been described as a "post punk, indie, ska-core, violin/folk driven experimental left field low fi punk rock band", and have toured with the likes of Capdown
, Spunge
, Citizen Fish
and Big D and the Kids Table
. After a handful of releases on Unlabel, they built their own recording studio called "RAMSHACKLE FACULTY STUDIO" in a shed to record Smoothing Away The Horrors of Indigestion, which was released by Household Name in 2003. They have not worked since early 2004, though have confirmed that if they would all return to England to play again they would not be "churning out the same old tunes".
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:...
located in Staplehurst near Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
. It has had releases from bands such as Joeyfat
Joeyfat
Joeyfat are an eight piece post-hardcore band from Kent, England, active from 1991 to the present.-History:Joeyfat began in the Tunbridge Wells Forum in 1991...
, Ye Wiles, Cove, Jason and the Astronauts, SJ
Sutcliffe Jügend
Sutcliffe Jügend is a power electronics band, which began in early 1982 as a sub-project of Kevin Tomkins' main band, Whitehouse, and instantly gained notoriety as one of the harshest groups of the original power electronics scene.-Biography:...
(formerly Sutcliffe Jügend) and Charlottefield.
Series52 project
During 2006, Unlabel released a series of 52 CD albums - one every week of the year, all by people who were not connected with the label (i.e. none of their regular artists), to include all genres that they cover from the usual guitar based music - acousticAcoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
and alt. country to post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
/ math rock
Math rock
Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...
, hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and beyond, piano, electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
/ idm
Intelligent dance music
Intelligent dance music is a term that describes an electronic music genre that emerged in the early 1990s. The genre is influenced by a wide range of musical styles particularly electronic dance music such as Detroit Techno...
through to ambient, glitch
Glitch
A glitch is a short-lived fault in a system. It is often used to describe a transient fault that corrects itself, and is therefore difficult to troubleshoot...
, microsound
Microsound
Microsound includes all sounds on the time scale shorter than musical notes, the sound object time scale, and longer than the sample time scale. Specifically this is shorter than one tenth of a second and longer than 10 milliseconds, including the audio frequency range and the infrasonic...
, gabber
Gabber
Gabber , is a style of electronic music and a subgenre of hardcore techno. "Gabber" is a slang word of Yiddish origin that means "mate", "buddy" or "friend"....
, industrial / noise, soundscapes and anything else that took their fancy, each in a strictly limited edition of 100 numbered copies.
The idea was to release work by unknown artists who might not otherwise be recognised at all alongside a handful of carefully selected guests, including a few names which may be familiar due to their releases elsewhere.
All releases were packaged in distinctive matching artwork with the musical artists' own image on the front and two images from Unlabel on the back - including one of a landscape photographed every week over the 52 weeks of 2006. These CDs were all sold at a bargain price to simply cover manufacturing costs and some of the time involved in running such a massive project.
It is still possible to order the complete set of 52 albums from the Unlabel website along with a selection of individual releases from the series.
Venues and nightclubs
They are strongly connected with the Tunbridge WellsRoyal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
scene and the local music venue the Tunbridge Wells Forum
Tunbridge Wells Forum
The Forum is a 250 capacity live music venue in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent.The Forum is an independent music and arts venue in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.-Location:...
. This includes putting on shows on a regular basis, with artists from all over the world.
Ye Wiles
Ye Wiles are a ska coreSka punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band from Tunbridge Wells, 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...
. They have been described as a "post punk, indie, ska-core, violin/folk driven experimental left field low fi punk rock band", and have toured with the likes of Capdown
Capdown
Capdown are a band from Milton Keynes, England. Originally known as Soap, their songs have political themes as alluded to by their name, which is short for Capitalist Downfall...
, Spunge
Spunge
Spunge are a ska punk band from Tewkesbury, England...
, Citizen Fish
Citizen Fish
Citizen Fish is a ska punk band that has been together since 1990. The band often makes strong social and political statements, dealing with themes such as anti-consumerism, vegetarianism, questioning the status quo, and encouraging people to get along with one another...
and Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Allston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork In Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and SideOneDummy...
. After a handful of releases on Unlabel, they built their own recording studio called "RAMSHACKLE FACULTY STUDIO" in a shed to record Smoothing Away The Horrors of Indigestion, which was released by Household Name in 2003. They have not worked since early 2004, though have confirmed that if they would all return to England to play again they would not be "churning out the same old tunes".
Discography
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Think Again, Mr Swindler | Unlabel |
| 2001 | Fine Words Butter No Parsnips | Unlabel |
| 2002 | @ 52 Gladstone Place (split with M.D.S.) | Killer Ska Records |
| 2002 | >Unlabel | |
| 2002 | The Canvas That Hums | Unlabel |
| 2003 | Smoothing Away The Horrors of Indigestion | Household Name Records Household Name Records Household Name Records is a DIY punk rock record label, based in London, UK. It has been home to notable artists including Howards Alias, Lightyear, and Adequate Seven. It was started in 1996 by David "Lil" Giles and Katherine "Kafren" Vik to promote unknown UK bands... |
Other artists
|
Sutcliffe Jügend Sutcliffe Jügend is a power electronics band, which began in early 1982 as a sub-project of Kevin Tomkins' main band, Whitehouse, and instantly gained notoriety as one of the harshest groups of the original power electronics scene.-Biography:... Tom Williams & The Boat -History:Tom Williams & The Boat began when Tom Williams, fed up of playing solo, decided to form a band. The Boat came together as a result of friendships that had blossomed after playing in Tunbridge Wells music venue The Grey Lady... |