Tells us a bit about who you are and what you do for Smallville Records on a day-to-day basis.

Smallville is run by Julius Steinhoff and Just von Ahlefeld, also known as Smallpeople, and Pete Kersten, also known as Lawrence. Basically the Smallpeople run the everyday life at the Smallville record store: we sit in the shop to sell records, do the orders at the distributors, plan our parties and label projects from the store and pack orders from our online store. The shop is a place to hang out and meet people, to listen to and talk about music or start a track. But around Smallville is also a great gang of people who are part of it, working and helping out. It’s really a good bunch of people, like Stefan Marx, who is responsible for the complete visual side of Smallville; Jacques from Smallville Paris, who lives in Hamburg for some years now; Richard aka RVDS, who is running It’s and releasing good music, recently on Laid; Wiebke (aka Elin), who runs the party series Dear in Hamburg, Christian (aka Blessing) works in the store with us plus does the artwork for Laid; Helena Hauff is also working sometimes and is a great DJ. It also includes people like Christopher Rau and Tilman tausendfreund, who are friends and also help out if needed; and last but not least Stella, who lives in Berlin now but opened the store with us in 2005 and is a initiator and member since the very first thought about the store.

How did the Smallville record shop come about? When did you branch out with the Paris shop? And what spurred you to start releasing records?

Actually we just wanted a good spot in Hamburg, a shop and hangout. We didn’t really think about whether it would work or not, more just did it. And it worked, we’re doing good — actually better then ever before now. After six years of doing the shop, we know a bit more how everything works. We cannot offer every record that is out there and we don’t want to. We would rather take a large number of one record that we believe in to offer it in the store for a long time. We just made two people really happy a minute ago, because we still had Workshop 9.2 on stock. I guess it’s very good for the store to have a certain sound that we stand for and offer. It’s always the music we love the most, that we sell the most, even if it’s a wide range between deepest house and techno. But that is a good thing and a very important point for our good feeling in the store. The plan to release records and do a label, too, was there from the beginning — it just took a while to set up everything.

The Smallville shop in paris is run by Jacques who lives in Hamburg, but he’s doing the orders from here and visits Paris regularly. The Smallville shop there was originally initiated by Pantha Du Prince, who just stocked a lot of Dial stuff and some good records in a shop for clothes; and he found Jacques to help him out with the daily work in the shop. But meanwhile Smallville paris is integrated in another record store called ground Zero, which is cool. If you are in Paris, you should check it out at 23 Rue Sainte-Marthe, 75010 Paris — it’s nice and cosy.

For a while the label was very closely affiliated with Dial, to the point De:Bug felt it necessary to say “Smallville nicht Dial ist.” Was it difficult to establish the label as its own entity?

Well, actually not. Dial and Smallville are close together due to Pete, who co-owns both imprints, but Dial is 11 years old and smallville only six. The Smallville record store is kind of a Dial shop now, too, as we have the Dial/Laid warehouse in here. Maybe Dial and Smallville are like brother and sister in a way, but in the end still two different labels run by different people. We were not looking to divide it music-wise — this comes naturally — and it’s also natural that it’s still close together, working well with each other. But yeah, there are things in common — artists, sounds and everything — but mostly also the way we look at running a label: without any need to be functional or to fullfil any commercial purposes.

Smallville’s records are synonymous with the artwork of Stefan Marx. How was he first involved with the label and why was he chosen to visually represent the label?

Stefan is a fixed part of the Smallville family and a long-term friend of ours. He was working for Smallville since the very beginning — his first work was our small village logo and text. He’s responsible for every part of our visual body — record covers, party posters and the windows of our record store. Stella actually introduced us to Stefan before we opened the store and we were amazed by his stuff. Stefan also likes the freedom he has to do things. He also released on Smallville; Smallville 25 is from him, it’s called The Dead Sea, a three poster collection in a gatefold record sleeve. All in all, we believe it’s the best thing that could have happened to Smallville. we are very thankful to have him.

What is your A&R policy like these days? Are you mainly seeking out music from people close to you or are you open to demos? How did the Melchior & Pronsato record about?

The Melchior & Pronsato record actually just happened. We knew Bruno and Thomas before and Bruno once just told me they had two unreleased tracks and if I’d be interested to listen, as they like Smallville. Of course I was interested. We all liked the tracks, so we released them — it’s not a long story. But besides, that we must admit, we are not really listening to a lot of demos. There are just too many and unfortunately a lot of bad music that doesn’t fit at all. We got to listen to so much music every day and during the week, so we find it hard sometimes. Most of the Smallville releases came naturally through friendship and people around we knew and like or find interesting. For us it’s important to have a good feeling with the artist, too, and to be on the same wave length, doing it from the heart.

The label’s releases can generally be described as deep house music, but there have been some outliers — perhaps most notably STL’s “Silent State.” Are you looking for specific aesthetic choices to align with the Smallville sound or is it more a certain vibe you’re aiming for? Is there anything specific you won’t put out?

There is no certain aestethic we are looking for, or at least nothing that is verbalised. It’s really more the vibe, the feeling. If something fits Smallville, we will realize it quite fast.

Smallville has been around since 2006, and obviously the musical climate in house has changed a lot since then. How much do you feel the need — or even pressure — to respond to what’s popular at the moment or that year?

We don’t feel the need to respond to anything. I guess that’s important. Of course we are influenced in a way by what is around because we go to parties, clubs, places and cities, and play a lot, so that’s an influence. But not in a way to react on something “popular.”

How much input does the artists themselves have in the final product?

You mean the artwork? It is always an important step to visit Stefan Marx in his studio and to have a look at his works. After that the process comes naturally as there is a lot of inspiring stuff at Stefan’s studio. So artists can definitely take part in the process as long as they don’t want a surprise.

What is one of your favorite releases on Smallville? Why?

It’s a good feeling that we are still feeling all the releases, from the beginning until now. Standouts in terms of the label might have been the album by Move D & Benjamin Brunn, as it was out first album on Smallville. It’s really a timeless piece of music and we got a lot of so nice feedback from around the world. That was amazing to realize and it still makes us happy to see it on Smallville. We won’t forget when we first listened to it in the store. And the same with the “Silent State” track. This also got so much love from so many different camps. I still carrying it in my case wherever I play.

What are some labels, past and present, that have influenced how Smallville is run, and why?

Dial, Emphasis Recordings and FXHE! The first Omar-S records on FXHE were just coming out when we opened the record shop. We loved them a lot and also invited Omar-S to play in Hamburg a short while after. There are a lot of timeless tracks on these labels. Emphasis is the label from Steven Tang. Every record is great and these are always a good hint for people digging for records in the store. We bought a lot of these, so we can offer them as long as possible. Steven was also guest at our Smallville party series and it was great to finally meet him.

Is there anyone Smallville wants to release who it has not yet released? What are your plans for 2012?

The release of a Steven Tang record would be something truly great for Smallville. We are big fans. As for 2012, we are working on a Smallpeople album, hopefully for the first half of 2012. There is some really good stuff in the pipeline for the Smallville label.

Talking Shopcast 14: Smallpeople (67:17)

Tracklist:

01. STL, “Birdart” [Something]
02. Herbert & Dani Siciliano, “I Hadn’t Known (I Only Heard)” [Phonography]
03. Sun Glitters, “Beside Me” (Essáy’s Calm Interpretation) [Kann Records]
04. Ben Westbeech, “Hang Around” (Karizma’s Kaytronic Dub Mix)
[Brownswood Recordings]
05. Juniper, “Jovian Planet” [Ominira]
06. Smallpeople, “untitled” [white*]
07. Smallpeople, “Black Ice” [Smallville Records]
08. Capracara, “Flashback 86″ [Soul Jazz Records]
09. Tang, “Horizons” [Emphasis Recordings]
10. Glenn Underground, “Vision” (GU’s Original Instrumental)
[Strictly Jaz Unit Muzic]
11. Inner Sense, “Vibin” [9Ts Records]
12. Second Life, “Inner Love (Give It Up)” (Black Keys Rework) [Running Back]
13. Omar-S, “Phazed” [FXHE]
* denotes tracks which, as of the time of publishing, are unreleased

Welcome to the latest edition of our series of interviews and mixes affectionately titled Talking Shopcasts. The majority of media and fan attention gets showered on the artists who create the music we love to listen to/DJ with/dance to, and for good reason. But without the hard work, keen ears and business savvy of label staff, we’d be stuck only streaming tracks on their websites. For today’s installment, we focus on Yore Records of Cologne. If deep house has been one of the big stories in recent dance music, Yore has surely curated some of its finest and most lasting moments, doing so with an eclectic range that defies narrow definitions of “deep.” Spearheaded by Andy Vaz — the man behind the Background and A Touch Of Class labels, and a formidable producer in his own right — Yore aims for timeless sounds. Putting out records from all-time greats like Rick Wade has been a big part of the program, but so has Vaz’s keen ear for new talent. Tracks like Kez YM’s “Washing My Soul” and Trackleton’s “Traditional Folk Song” could masquerade as beloved classics twenty years deep, but their fresh approaches and distinct voices transcend imitation or even homage. In the interview below, Vaz discusses Yore’s goals and values, minimal and deep, and the potential value of adding friends on MySpace. To “deepen” your understanding of the label, we’re extremely pleased to host an exclusive mix from Kez YM, featuring music from Yore comrades, influences, and contemporaries. Want more Yore? Be sure to turn back to LWE’s very first podcast, an exclusive mix from Terrence Dixon, and check back soon for further spoils of our talk with Vaz.

Yore isn’t your first record label. As I understand it, you launched Background partly as a response to a problem: Terrence Dixon suddenly didn’t have a label to release his music. What inspired you to found Yore?

I was getting bored of the so-called “minimal” sound — precisely what the bastard people had turned “minimal techno,” which I was interested in, into. It got pimped and killed, little by little, until it was dead and empty-hearted. The minimal of the past few years had little do to with what we intended with Background, which was a mixture of the deep, the radical, the repetitive, the musical, etc. — all of that. Yore’s approach was to try and bring the soul back into the music — electronic music really being music, rather than just percussive loop-sounding stuff — a druggy sound — but something with a musical message. I also wanted to focus on the “timeless” factor. A good record with soul and musical ideas will hold up and stay in your shelves or DJ bags for years. Yore goes against the trend of silly “beaatch” type DJ Tools, one-hit wonders or any form of whatever the hype of the minute is. Yore will provide like-minded heads with unique deep sounds — not more, not less. The feedback the label gets from people around the globe proves that we seem to be accomplishing our goals. Through the messages we receive, we know we aren’t alone!

The name of your label suggests a reverence or maybe nostalgia for the past. How did you settle on the name “Yore”?

My girlfriend, who is a native English speaker, came up with it when I started thinking out loud about the name for the new imprint. I am so thankful for that. I think the name fits perfectly. Oldschool, Timeless, Classic. In days of yore…. Yeah.

Yore is a joint venture with Alessandro Vaccaro. How are duties shared and decisions made around Yore headquarters?

Very simple, I am A&R’ing Yore and handling the promotion while Alessandro handles the administrative side of things. We are just about to launch a new label together called Self Defence, where it will be the opposite model. Alessandro will be the upfront person and A&R for SDF, while I will mainly keep running Yore.

What kind of music will Self Defence specialize in?

Deep techno.

You’ve emphasized a “timeless” sound for Yore, as opposed to just an “old school” one. What separates these, in your opinion?

Well, I did grew up on Detroit and Chicago sounds. Started listening to it when I was 15 — I am 33 now. I think the music had such an impact in its early days! It was so strong, so raw and sexy and, yes, minimal — true minimal! I will always love that sound and I still am a heavy collector of US-flavored house music. However, Yore’s approach is not to sound old — it’s not about that. We cannot ignore that we live in the now and make use of what’s possible now. However, like I said before, I care less about these hundred new “all sound the same,” empty-headed records released each week. We want to put out quality music that will stand the test and be with you for years, just as my record collection will stay with me forever! I am serious! I play my 12″s every day! We want to make records for the lovers, the collectors and the tasty peeps out there — music from heads for heads. And we don’t want to put out a record just to be played for a month and then forgotten. Not an easy task at all, but we are working on it constantly. I have been running labels for eleven years now, and I think I can spot a hot artist or release by now.

Are you at all interested in reissuing older records?

No, that’s not my intention at all. Yore will hit you off with the new. If you want nostalgia, Discogs will be your partner. And that’s the best option. I dig Chi-house classics there on the daily. If you want the old and rare, there will be a price tag on it. I don’t see anything wrong with that. If you love an old record, go get it.

Over the last couple years, you’ve been a vocal critic of “soulless” or “arbitrary” music riding the minimal wave. Do you see similar problems in today’s resurgence of deep house?

Yes, it’s happening already. House gets pimped like they did with minimal, and they will be able to destroy it, no doubt! Now every week there’s tons of plain percussive wannabe house records adding one deepish sounding tone over tons of percussion, and people call it deep house — while it’s basically the same minimal techno with just a hint of a “deep.” Deep, however, is not a genre, it’s a feeling — an emotional energy.

Maybe this is a tricky question, but how would you define that feeling?

That’s the point — you can’t define it. You feel it or you don’t!

Speaking of people who do feel it, I have a couple questions about the Yore family. You’ve known Terrence Dixon for a while. How did you guys first meet?

Oh yeah, we go way back. I met him around 1997 or 1996. He used to stay with me numerous times each year, and I made quite regular visits to Detroit and stayed with him back then.

Yore has hosted a couple big returns — .xtrak and Memory Foundation each broke long silences, and chose Yore as the place to do it. Were those records that you pursued?

Oh yes. I have also known Todd since 1996, so that was an easy one. I’ve always been a fan of his early .xtrak stuff, and he came to mind first when I planned the launch of Yore. He fits right in! I had also admired Memory Foundation’s M-Plant stuff back when it was released. Feels like ages ago and that stuff still sounds fresh. Which proves my point — timeless stuff last forever! So I searched them down and talked them into getting involved again. I also see that as a strength of Yore. Reactivating talent that should not R.I.P yet, and making a new generation aware of some talent that they would have never stumbled across. I think that’s a very valid aim of a record label, rather then signing the latest hype of the month and sharing the “artist” with fifty other labels until the hype is over. That’s not what we stand for.

Of course, some fresh faces in the Yore roster have enjoyed some buzz this year. How did Trackleton and Kez YM first come to your attention?

Kez YM was a total coincidence. He added Yore as a friend on MySpace, and I clicked on the profile and got blown away with the deepest of the deep. He had to be signed. In fact, I believe in his talent so much that it’s the first exclusive signing to the label. We have a three-year exclusive recording deal, and I’m putting a lot of effort into making people aware of his music. It needs to be heard, and the first release did really well for us. Next one is currently being pressed. Warning! It’s so deep, it might change your world as you knew it when you hear it, so get your head right first!

I understand you were fairly hands-on in picking the tracks for Rick Wade’s The Good, The Bad And The Deep record. Do you often select the tracks that end up on a record, or do artists come to you with a package in mind?

I hand pick the tracks — always! If I don’t feel it a hundred percent, I will not put it out, regardless of who made the music. The label reflects my personal taste — just how it should be.

My assumption is that Yore depends more on vinyl sales than, say, Background did. Has the business model changed much from one label to another?

Yes, its definitely focused on vinyl. That’s also because I am such a vinyl addict. I’d eat vinyl, if it had to be. And Yore has already managed to become a collector’s imprint. Again, we make music from heads for like-minded heads. The true heads collect records, play records, love records — just as I do.

What role do digital sales play in Yore?

It’s slowly picking up, but its still kindergarten stuff, sales-wise. Enough for me and the artists to get some fresh sneakers once in a while. But I see tendencies for it to increase. I wish people in rich countries would stop downloading our music for free off the internet — that shit ain’t fair. Speaking of digital sales, though, in about three weeks we’ll open our own digital and vinyl shop!

Do you have a particular favorite release on Yore?

Tough one. Terrence Dixon, Train of Thought? Kez YM? Probably those, but they all sound sweet to me.

I see there’s a new Derrick Thompson record on the way. What else can we expect from Yore in the next year or so?

There’ll be “A Work in Progress,” a new Detroit-based talent co-produced by Chez Damier, and an Above Smoke EP, both on the way. Then the new Kez YM 12″, and my next EP right after. Thanks to everyone for reading and all the positive feedback we get! It’s you who is giving us the motivation to do what we do!

Talking Shopcast 06: Kez YM (60:00)

Tracklist:

01. Rondenion, “Storm” [Rush Hour Recordings]
02. Kai Alcé, “Feeding” [NDATL Muzik]
03. Loco Dice, “Black Truffles In The Snow” (Mike Huckaby’s The Jazzed Out S Y N T H Remix) [Desolat]
04. Lerosa, “Sketch” (Sad Mix) [Uzuri]
05. Vakula “Change The World” [*]
06. A Made Up Sound, “Late Drive” [Philpot]
07. Black Art Music, “Keepin’ The Groove” [Third Ear Recordings]
08. KiNK & Neville Watson, “Inside Out” [Hour House Is Your Rush Records]
09. Chez Damier, “Teach Me, Keep Me” [Mojuba]
10. Rick Wade, “Shamballa” [Yore Records]
11a. Ray Valioso, “You’ll Never Be Mine” [Deep Vibes Recordings]
11b. Patrice Scott, “Nuonce” [Minuendo Recordings]
12. Gherkin Jerks, “Acid Indigestion” [Gherkin Records]
13. Kez YM, “Butterfly” [Yore Records]
14. 2nd Avenew, “It’s The New” (Dub Mix) [Alleviated Records]
15. Kai Alcé, “Decay” [NDATL Muzik]
16. M. Pittman “Obession (Datsallivdatsalliv~`^*!!)” [FXHE Records]
17. DJ Qu & David S., “Nite Ride” [Strength Music]
18. Kez YM, “Natural” [*]
19. The Kings Of Late Night, “Fly Away” (West End Lounge Mix)
[West End Blue]
* denotes unreleased tracks

Welcome to the eleventh edition of our series of short interviews affectionately titled Talking Shop. The majority of media and fan attention gets showered on the artists who create the music we love to listen to/DJ with/dance to, and for good reasons. But without the hard work, keen ears and business savvy of label staff, we’d be stuck only streaming tracks on Myspace. This time we delve into the workings of deep-house mavens Mojuba. Founded by Thomas Wendel, better known as DJ/producer Don Williams, Mojuba captures a dusky, Detroit-influenced style of deep and dubby house music in its intimately designed releases. Home to Nick Solé, Sven Weisemann, Oracy and temporary lodging for Bernard Badie, Mojuba has also spawned the a.r.t.less and wandering sub-labels (the latter of which released a hit this year with “The Rock” by JC Freaks). We chat with Wendel about his approach to drawing in listeners, the vinyl/digital divide, and the meaning of Mojuba.

Please tell me about the beginning of Mojuba. Why and how did you start out? How did you decide on the name Mojuba?

Thomas Wendel: The beginning was 2005. I always had in mind to start my own little label with an own sound for deep-house to feature some friends music which is worth to be heard outside. Then I came across “Minimal Summer” by my old friend Nick Solé and thought, ‘Let’s try it!’ The name Mojuba is an African expression and it is the traditional way of greeting somebody, e.g. father, the chief of the tribe or the ruler of the world I found it on an old African record.

How did you select the artists for Mojuba roster?

It is mainly friends or family apart from some exceptions like Bernard Badie, for example, for the 10th release celebration.

Do you get many demos?

Yes, but I am really fuzzy if it’s about Mojuba and it will be hard for an outsider to get in there. If so it has to be something very special.

According to many doomsayers, running a record label isn’t one of the “smartest” fiscal things to do. How do you keep Mojuba running with sales “as they are”?

Well, I try to keep things interesting for the customers and always try to run label the way I as a consumer would love to experience a label I am following consistently.

Do you think blogs like mine hurt the music industry? Do you think blogs have a role in the future of dance music promotion?

Actually I am not really into blogs, but I think it’s not that nice if there are people who are ripping vinyl and make the music permanently available for free to the public. I love music and I will always support music I like by buying the product and give the artist a little back for their hard work. Recently I discovered blogs about music gear for myself and think reviews and hints on that topic are very helpful.

There is no shortage of labels in dance music. What does Mojuba do to stand out from the crowd?

Hope you noticed the little fabric application on the sleeve, and of course the sound itself, I hope so!

As technology advances further, vinyl is moving closer to becoming obsolete to many DJs. What are your feelings on this? Do you think the end of vinyl is in sight?

Well, the future of non-vinyl DJs is there. I realized the advantages and disadvantages on digital DJing for myself as well and I am not comparing the two ways with each other; to my mind it is a totally different thing to DJ with Traktor Scratch, for example, because the possibilities of sound manipulation which is offered through the software is not comparable to the situation which is offered by vinyl.

What are a few other labels you respect/revere most?

I don’t wanna name anybody here, but there are some out there which are doing their job really good. It is not about name dropping, the only thing that matters is the music!

What specifically can we expect from Mojuba in the next year or so?

A lot. As I said I am trying to keep it interesting for all who like Mojuba and will try to reach more people to introduce this vision of house and techno to them. There will be some old and some new… like it always used to be!

Welcome to the ninth edition of our series of short interviews affectionately titled Talking Shop. The majority of media and fan attention gets showered on the artists who create the music we love to listen to/DJ with/dance to, and for good reasons. But without the hard work, keen ears and business savvy of label staff, we’d be stuck only streaming tracks on Myspace. This time we have to put on shades to talk with our next interview subject, the white hot Oslo. Though the Frankfurt-based collective got its start around the turn of the century, the label only released its first record in 2007. But within a few 12″s, the label’s trajectory has been positively meteoric. Headed by Federico Molinaro and Nekes, the label family includes Johnny D, Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts, Mara Trax and Christian Burkhardt, serving up minimal, tribally influenced deep house that’s heavily influenced attitudes in 2008. Molinaro was rather tight-lipped, but we managed to get his views on vinyl and the essential qualities of a label, but not the meaning of that name…

Please tell me about the beginning of Oslo. Why and how did you start out? How did you decide on the name Oslo?

We started around six years ago, at that time we all of us met and our friendship began. In the beginning we were all DJs and promoters and the label was the normal development for us. Why Oslo? It’s a secret!

How did you select the artists for Oslo’s roster? How do you select tunes for the Love Letters From Oslo sub-label?

In first place, the person must be close to us, almost our artist are friends since long time. The music for Love letters from Oslo has to be something really special for us, and of course something that we wouldn’t release on Oslo.

Do you get many demos? What are some qualities you look for when sorting through them?

Yes, we get a lot demos at the moment. And we really enjoy to see a huge feedback, even if the music doesn’t fit with our label philosophy. There’s not a rule to follow to decide if the music is good or not — as you can see every release has it’s own character — so basically there’s not a special sound aesthetic to follow. But there is, for sure, a sound aesthetic that we don’t follow.

What is one of your favorite releases on your own label? Why?

That’s a really a difficult question. Every release has something particular for us, that’s why we choose every EP.

According to many doomsayers, running a record label isn’t one of the “smartest” fiscal things to do. How do you keep Oslo running with sales “as they are”?

Very good question at this time! I mean, everybody knows that is not possible to make big money with a record label. I think that in the past there was not so much music like now (it was not so easy to have a studio before). Now you have much more music around, and much more platforms like the Internet or Beatport or whatever to find music. So basically the secret is, as a label, you have to concentrate in bringing out quality music and also very important: something fresh. That’s it!

Do you think mp3 blogs like mine hurt the music industry? Do you think blogs have a role in the future of dance music promotion?

I don’t think blogs can hurt the music industry, why? I mean, all these things about blogs can really help in all what is promotion about. But I really don’t follow blogs, so I can not tell you how important they are or will be; I am not really into it.

There is no shortage of labels in dance music. What does Oslo do to stand out from the crowd?

Like I said before, the only thing you can do is release good music, all the rest is not important.

As technology advances further, vinyl is moving closer to becoming obsolete to many DJs. What are your feelings on this? Do you think the end of vinyl is in sight?

I do not agree with this. Vinyl was often announced to die and always became widely accepted again. We have to wait to see what the future does. For me personally it’s a a real shame if one day the vinyl completely disappears. Vinyl is the soul of electronic music, NO VINYL NO SOUL.

What are a few other labels you respect/revere most?

In the past it was Playhouse and Perlon, now Deep Vipes and Raum…Musik play a decisive role.

What can we expect from Oslo in the next year or so?

We are planning a lot of things at the moment, but we can’t talk about it. Be patient!

Welcome to the seventh edition of our series of short interviews affectionately titled Talking Shop. The majority of media and fan attention gets showered on the artists who create the music we love to listen to/DJ with/dance to, and for good reasons. But without the hard work, keen ears and business savvy of label staff, we’d be stuck only streaming tracks on Myspace. Number seven brings us to the Stuttgart-based sweethearts of Philpot. What started as a DIY musical outlet for Tobi Ettle and Michel Baumann — better known as Jackmate, Soulphiction and Manmade Science — quickly expanded to their Music Krause friends and beyond. Their discerning ears have brought us quality deep house and techno from DJ Koze, Move D, Bruno Pronsato, The Mole, and newcomers Break SL and Tim Toh. Baumann was kind enough to discuss the label’s methods for choosing new talent, dogmatic DJs and what Philpot is definitely not.

Please tell me about the beginning of Philpot. Why and how did you start out?

I do the label with my close friend Tobi Ettle who also runs a record shop called Paul’s Musique in Stuttgart. First we started Philpot as a label for my own stuff as Soulphiction, ’cause at that time we started there where no labels in Germany where I could send my tracks to… just Perlon, where I still put out tracks. Over the years friends like the Krause Duo, Bruno Pronsato or DJ Koze handed me some very good music too, so mainly it’s friends and my own projects Soulphiction, Manmade Science and Jackmate that we release on Philpot.

How did you decide on the name Philpot?

Philpot is Larry Levan’s original family name, and Larry Levan stands for me as a symbol of how various dance music can and should be.

How did you select the artists for Philpot’s roster? Do you get many demos?

It all started with our friends and we slowly added some new faces like Break SL, Tim Toh, IKE and finally Reggie Dokes (Psychostasia Detroit). If we feel more than seven out of 10 tracks of an artist, he’s in… and there’s not so many artists who at least have produced 10 different tracks at all. Since three years ago we get loads of demos, and I really ask myself if some people ever listened to our releases before they send stuff. We are diverse, but we ain’t minimal! But we still listen to everything we receive.

What is one of your favorite releases on your own label? Why?

Actually Tim Toh’s “Join the Resistance” series! Part 1 is out right now, 2 and 3 will follow in the second part of the year, including a Lawrence remix. Tim Toh is so intense and yet very musical, I’ve rarely heard music like that over the last years. These tracks are alive! But I really still like all of our releases, [so this is] just one I will mention now.

According to many doomsayers, running a record label isn’t one of the “smartest” fiscal things to do. How do you keep Philpot running with sales “as they are”?

As long as we are even with our costs and the artists are paid, we’re absolutely fine with it! And I really feel that reduced sales are mainly a problem in Europe, ’cause we still sell the same amount of vinyl in Japan or the US. Philpot could have never existed with only the base of our sales in Europe though. We both don’t financially rely on the label — that would be absolutely nonsense anyway.

Do you think mp3 blogs like mine hurt the music industry? Do you think blogs have a role in the future of dance music promotion?

Blogs are a great opportunity for labels like us to spread and get an instant response. It’s a form of ad for us and we don’t normally do that so much, so it helps a lot. I like to dig in ‘em too, mainly about old disco stuff or Les Baxter Soundtracks. The thing we hate is the album-sharing part, cause they do it in lame quality and they surely don’t ask.

There is no shortage of labels in dance music. What does Philpot do to stand out from the crowd?

Oh, I don’t know. Dance music today is very dogmatic in style, DJs are, and we try not to be. We release music we think of as quality music, no matter whether hip-hop, house or techno is the Teacher. We try to be a classical record label.

As technology advances further, vinyl is moving closer to becoming obsolete to many DJs. What are your feelings on this? Do you think the end of vinyl is in sight?

No vinyl, no spirit… just speaking for myself. Even I play CDs with unreleased stuff or edits, but I still carry at least 20 kg of wax. And I still hate that too!

What are a few other labels you respect/revere most?

I absolutely love Perlon, mostly for Zip’s and STL’s productions. Musik Krause from Jena and Freude am Tanzen are close friends and exceptional labels too. Internationally, Firecracker and Stones Throw are huge! Inspirational labels were NuGroove and Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman label. We always liked variety.

What can we expect from Philpot in the next year or so?

We’ll finish the Tim Toh “Join the Resistance” series with two other parts this year, then there will be a new Manmade Science 12″. Reggie Dokes joined our label and will release an EP in October 2008; furthermore, there will be releases by IKE, Vakula and MXM till the end of this year. In 2009′s first half we’ll release the Break SL Album, some Metaboman tracks feat. Ty and Clueso and a new Soulphiction 12″.

Welcome to the sixth edition of our series of short interviews affectionately titled Talking Shop. The majority of media and fan attention gets showered on the artists who create the music we love to listen to/DJ with/dance to, and for good reasons. But without the hard work, keen ears and business savvy of label staff, we’d be stuck only streaming tracks on Myspace. This time we’re shining the spotlight on UK-based creatures of the night, Buzzin’ Fly. After many years with the group Everything But the Girl, producer/DJ Ben Watt moved away from major label circles to have his own outlet for music. And thus, Buzzin’ Fly was born. Now in its fifth year, the label’s slick and steady flow of deeply-influenced tech-house has congealed into a UK powerhouse, providing vinyl homes for Justin Martin, Manoo, Jimpster, Rodamaal and Mlle Caro & Franck Garcia. Mr. Watt was kind enough to offer some very detailed answers about the future of music promotion, BF’s scratchy logo and his role as a “patron of the arts.”

Please tell me about the beginnings of Buzzin’ Fly. Why and how did you start out? How did you decide on the name Buzzin’ Fly?

As a teenager I was bewitched by the golden era of independents. I loved the whole ethos — the artwork, the look, the bands, the music, the badges. I coveted labels like Factory. I knew that one day I would try it myself. But a career as an artist got in the way for 25 years! Then, in 2002, I was DJing on the underground circuit. I made a club track for casual play at the club night I was running in West London. The track was called “Lone Cat.” I made 50 white labels for friends and DJs. Suddenly I was aware it had been bootlegged off the vinyl. It was in the racks at Blackmarket under the name “Watts.” I found out 2,000 had been made! I settled with the distributor, got the pressings stopped and put it out myself. That was the start of Buzzin’ Fly. I realised that I had a very strong idea of what I wanted in spite of being rushed into it. The name of the label was taken from a Tim Buckley song (just always loved the name), and I knew that to give the label an aesthetic would be against the grain for UK dance labels. The logo, the website, they were all chosen to be “unlike” a regular UK dance imprint. In the same way 3D and James Lavelle gave UK hip-hop a visual aesthetic, I wanted to do the same for house.

How did you select the artists for Buzzin’ Fly’s roster? Do you get many demos?

Selection is via a mixture of instinct and coincidence. I trust my ears and thanks moments of good fortune. Yes, we get tons of demos, and I try and listen to everything sight unseen. No prejudice. I found Justin Martin after his brother handed me a demo in a dark club in Miami five years ago.

What is one of your favorite releases on your own label? Why?

I love Manoo and Francois A’s “6 In The Morning.” It was their first single for us. Not a huge seller, but it summed up a lot of the sensibility within the label — that borderline between melancholy and volatility. Dance floor but emotionally moving. I also think it was a sound that predated much of the recent obsession with “deep-tech”… synthetic orchestration, the strong slow crescendo…

According to many doomsayers, running a record label isn’t one of the “smartest” fiscal things to do. How do you keep Buzzin’ Fly running with sales “as they are”?

Of course it is tough, but then it always has been. The history of independents is littered with financial failure, and even the success stories are usually built on the explosion of one band — New Order for Factory, The Smiths for Rough Trade, Franz Ferdinand for Domino, Oasis for Creation. So the realistic aim must be to be a break-even business with occasional success. Having made a good living out of music for 25 years I see myself in some ways as a “patron of the arts” these days!

Looking at it overall, in reality more people are consuming music than ever before these days, it’s just that no one wants to pay much or even anything for it any more. But there are certain costs that won’t go away — marketing, promotion and manufacture. It becomes harder and harder to balance the books. Yes, the digital age promises cheaper delivery costs but at what cost over all? I am looking at my recent iTunes purchases — Foals, MGMT, Joan as Policewoman — not to mention all my Beatport dance stuff — and I realise I have little allegiance to these people. I don’t know what they look like, what they stand for, what their world looks like. And loyalty and a feeling of kinship with the artist has been a cornerstone of the industry for years. So the problem going forward is how to correct the situation of people paying next to nothing for stuff they don’t really care about much and could happily walk away from. It is not going to be solved overnight.

Do you think mp3 blogs like mine hurt the music industry? Do you think blogs have a role in the future of dance music promotion?

Yes I do think they do damage when downloads are offered as opposed to streams. Some people try to liken blogs with dowloadable audio to pirate radio stations or the age of bootleg cassettes, but the problem is to do with the distribution potential. No one much minded when piracy was contained, but now the Internet gives the potential to disseminate vast numbers of tracks with absolutely no payback to the creator of that music. It is as if suddenly overnight Radio 1 and the entire TV and radio networks all over the world were suddenly allowed to play stuff for FREE. No PRS. No needle time. No publishing. The industry would collapse.

I believe in new legislation to protect the writers and artists. License fees or pay per play, even on the Internet. Or perhaps levies on the sale of MP3 players that goes back to the artists and labels. One of these methods has to be employed. Until then I would prefer to see more responsible blogging where streaming at lower res replaces free downloads, and bloggers put their own ego to one side and think about the repercussions. I once got a blogger to remove a freely downloadable Justin Martin track of ours. He said there had only been about 40 downloads of the track, so why did I worry. I pointed out that was $40 removed from the pocket of Justin Martin, which is what he was getting paid to bar-tending to supplement his DJ career. When I put it like that, the guy suddenly saw through it all. He removed the track and stopped giving away free tracks.

There is another argument that says bloggers are helping to “promote” the artist in the same way that labels give away free copies in the run-up to a release, but fails to realise that labels tightly control free goods so as not to impinge too much on real sales while still breathing a little oxygen into a project. Simply putting the track for free on the Internet is just inviting a free-for-all. It is ultimately unethical if it isn’t approved by the artist and the label. Ultimately, yes, blogging does have a major role to play in music promotion but only when done responsibly. The reason society got rid of the Wild West was that too many people were getting killed.

There is no shortage of labels in dance music. What does Buzzin’ Fly do after five years to stand out from the crowd?

Our aesthetic has very much helped. The handwritten Buzzin’ Fly font that appears on all our releases is actually now a bespoke font that we had designed for our exclusive use. Coupled with the visual eye of our designer, John Gilsenan, I feel that gives us an edge on the shelf. As for the music, I am aware of our sensibility and what people expect us to sound like, but I am also looking to stretch the boundaries of what is possible, hence releases like the Mlle Caro and Franck Garcia album that owed as much to Stereolab and Young Marble Giants and austere electro-pop as it did to modern dance floors. I respect labels like Warp and XL who have successfully merged genres within their catalogue. Flexibility, the moving target, these are the aims.

As technology advances further, vinyl is moving closer to becoming obsolete to many DJs. What are your feelings on this? Do you think the end of vinyl is in sight?

It will remain a niche market for diehards. It will end up like the 7 inch single for Northern Soul DJs. Hard-drive based DJing is the future whether we like it or not. Speaking as a musician I love the possibilities of DJing in the modern age: time-stretching, looping, portability, all these things are inspirational. As a fan I will always miss the heyday of vinyl, the sleeves, the smell, and standing trailing a piece of loo paper in front of the advancing needle trying to absorb pools of dripping condensation off the vinyl at a rammed and heaving Lazy Dog club night.

What are a few other labels you respect/revere most?

Stax, Sun, Blue Note, Island, Rough Trade, Sub Pop, Philadelphia International, Kompakt…

What can we expect from Buzzin’ Fly in the next year or so?

The future will be made by people we least expect and come from a direction in which we are not looking…

Buzzing Fly celebrated its five year anniversary with 5 Golden Years in the Wilderness, a three disc collection of classics, rarities and future tunes, released June 23rd.

Welcome to the fourth edition of our series of short interviews affectionately titled Talking Shop. The majority of media and fan attention gets showered on the artists who create the music we love to listen to/DJ with/dance to, and for good reasons. But without the hard work, keen ears and business savvy of label staff, we’d be stuck only streaming tracks on Myspace. This time we’re pointing the mic at Klas Lindblad (aka Sasse/Freestyle Man/et al.), owner of Berlin’s Moodmusic. Born out of desperation in the 90′s, Moodmusic has consistently marked out its territory in the tech and deep house kingdom with melodic aplomb. In addition to his own material, Lindblad has hosted established releases from LoSoul, Henrik Schwarz, Dirt Crew, Spirit Catcher, Naughty, as well as rising talents Mugwump. Lindblad chat to us about his demo policy, the importance of vinyl and why he’s glad to fly solo while running the label.

Please tell me about the beginning of Moodmusic. Why and how did you start out?

Klas: Well, at that time around 1995-96 I got frustrated about sending demos and not hearing from labels so I decided with a friend of mine we ought to change the situation. My friend had a record shop (Mind Records), and he had some contacts to European distributors so we set up Moodmusic on a try-it-out basis. It was just a very simple plan of ‘Let’s put a record out and see what happens.’ Well, we’re still here after 11 years trying it out.

Under that period I was very influenced by early Chicago house and all the Detroit stuff so I thought it would be cool to have a similar design of the label, dirty and low key. So the first label prints we were copying 3-4 times through a fax machine so it would look more like a US label than a neat European pressing. We used to be fanatic about all those obscure pressings which sounded/looked like soo bad!

How did you decide on the name Moodmusic?

There was no plan with the name I think… the idea was to have something which reflected my musical mood as a DJ/artist and when choosing the music for the label.

How did you select the artists for Moodmusic’s roster? Do you get many demos?

As the first 10 or so releases were more or less from me and my buddies in Finland it was not hard to select what to release. We used to play each other cool new stuff and eventually we had an EP ready, simple as that. When I moved to Germany at the end of the 90s I started to get demos and nowadays it’s about 10 a day. I must say people just make it so hard to listen to demos, either the CDs don’t have any or badly written infos or the mp3 links must be downloaded and the naming is completely off the hook so it’s impossible to find the tracks… can’t take it, really. So I decided at some point to stop listening to demos if I don’t get them personally from someone I know or it’s someone I know really loves the label. So basically the roster has developed through my personal contacts with people and it’s mostly really good friends – which I’m very happy for.

What is one of your favorite releases on your own label? Why?

It must the first one, Sasse presents… [The Time Together EP]. It’s just the special vibe of it and it’s a catalogue number 001. Those times were musically very special and I really enjoyed finding out how to run a label — mostly by trial-and-error. Other than that, it’s hard to say. I think Gavin Herlihy’s “Machine Ate My Homework” was a special record as we pressed it one-sided and made a really cool package out of it. Also the current Dave DK album, Lights and Colours, is an absolutely special release for me; it was the first artist album I signed and I think it was a big step up for Dave too, both musically and for his profile. So yes, that’s a definite favourite too which I’m as a label owner very proud of.

According to many doomsayers, running a record label isn’t one of the “smartest” fiscal things to do. How do you keep Moodmusic running with sales “as they are”?

Hmm, yes this is a problem nowadays. There are so many bad stories about labels going bankrupt and having problems due to bad sales, but in my case it’s been still ok and manageable. Seriously speaking, I’m happy I’ve been running the label alone, without much help and no wages to pay, as so many proper companies have gone down or needed serious downscaling. I’m not an accountant but a producer running a label and maybe that’s the secret of it all. Moodmusic is more a lovewhatyoudo-thing than a smart business-oriented company. Surely we sell records and I earn a living out of it, but basically I’m just happy I can do what I love to do!

Dave DK makes Poppa Sasse proud on his debut album

Do you think mp3 blogs like mine hurt the music industry? Do you think blogs have a role in the future of dance music promotion?

I think it’s a very good promotional tool and should be kept like that. The problem is when people only download music from illegal forums and blogs. How can anyone say you’re a fan of a producer and at the same time download the music for free, knowing the artist will not get paid for it. I totally understand you might wanna listen to the newest stuff before buying it or you need to have it before it’s available on the shops, but there must should be some kind of ethics in that too. If you earn any respect as a DJ, you ought to be able to buy the music you play. And if you’re a fan, respect the artist.

There is no shortage of labels in dance music. What does Moodmusic do to stand out from the crowd?

I think we keep the quality high, release only music which we truly love and stand behind — and most of all, we rock the party!

As technology advances further, vinyl is moving closer to becoming obsolete to many DJs. What are your feelings on this? Do you think the end of vinyl is in sight?

I think vinyl will be there for some time still. There’s always people who prefer vinyl and we’ll keep pressing those records — even if the quantities go down I’m willing to sacrifice any profit by producing vinyl. If it’s gonna be 300 instead of 3000, we’re gonna do it. Seriously speaking, the situation is hard for a lot of shops and distributors and a lot of people are depending on the industry to keep running so as a record label I need to respect that. Vinyl is where we come from so I think we should keep it alive.

What are a few other labels you respect/revere most?

There’s so many labels I love, can’t say more about it. Check my next DJ gig and you’ll know more…

What can we expect from Moodmusic in the next year or so?

In September I will release my solo album as Sasse. It’s gonna be called Toinen, which means 2nd in Finnish and will continue where my first album, Made Within The Upper Stairs Of Heaven ended. It’s not purely this or that, but has a strong early house feel to it and I hope people will enjoy it. The first single “New Sun Day” will hit the shops before the summer, so I’m really looking forward to that!

Then we have a few new signings: Naughty aka Filippo Moscatello who released the excellent “World Of A Woman” single last year is working on a Italo inspired album and it should hit the shops end of 2008. Also we have a new band called Penner+Muder who’s first single “Are You Lost” is one hell of a tune — you can actually hear it on my RA podcast as the last track. The guys are working also on a full length album and I’m really excited about the project. Other than that, Dave DK and Dirt Crew will have some new stuff coming out soon.