Label Focus – Time Capsule
London’s Time Capsule comes under the JD spotlight
We quiz Time Capsule boss Kay Suzuki on Time Capsule, the label that unearths hidden gems from the four corners of the globe, from Anime soundtracks and Japanese ‘island’ music to cosmic poetry from Martinique.
WHAT’S THE NAME OF YOUR LABEL, AND WHO RUNS IT?
Time Capsule run by Kay Suzuki.
WHEN & WHY DID THE LABEL START?
Time Capsule was born in 2018 and it reflects a musical community of obsessive record collectors and musicologists based in East London.
The concept is coming from my lifelong journey of pursuing what I call “time art” – the art of capturing the feeling and emotion from a specific time and space and translated into music. We wanted to explore, study, curate and spread the sonic experience of this “time art” as meticulously as we can with as much love and care as possible so that anyone who opens these time capsules will experience the same magic of the music in its purest and most accurate recreation.
GIVE US A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU’VE RELEASED SINCE THEN….
An Italian electronic ambient pioneer’s album from 1978, Japanese fusion from the early 80s, Bill Laswell’s dub album of an Ethiopian artist from the 90s, Indian classical Carnatic music, Gospel jazz pioneers’ EP from 1989, Brazilian funky soul samba album from 1981, a compilation of tropical music from Japan, ethno new age ambient albums from the inventor of five rhythm moving meditation, a compilation of a unique poet/singer from the French West Indian island Martinique, Angolan popular music historian and singer-songwriter’s compilation from the 80s and another compilation containing modern versions of Guadeloupe’s traditional music, Gwoka.
WHAT QUALITIES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE MUSIC YOU RELEASE?
Music that is capturing the feeling and emotion of a specific time and space. This music is usually very functional and honest and each have a very unique sense of time = groove.
This music also comes with very unique stories so we always try to capture them and put them into liner notes on each release.
WHAT KIND OF VISUAL IDENTITY DOES THE LABEL HAVE (ARTWORK, VIDEOS ETC) ?
Each release’s visuals should reflect the music so I try not to have a specific label visual identity except the design part is always done by the house designer so it naturally comes with a certain taste.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SELLING RELEASE TO DATE? TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT AND WHY YOU THINK IT WAS SO POPULAR.
It’s hard to measure as some of the catalogue is sold out and could have sold more… but probably our third release – Illuminated Audio by Gigi.
It was produced and dubbed by Bill Laswell in 2003 and only released on CD. Bill Laswell initially produced an album for her in 2002 and the label owner Chris Blackwell encouraged him to make a dub album and that became this album.
I think the album was overlooked because it was only released on CD at the time and the recent audiophile/vinyl enthusiasts missed out on this epic album.
NAME ONE RELEASE THAT YOU THINK DESERVED TO GET MORE ATTENTION THAN IT DID
Mario Rui Silva – Stories From Another Time 1982-1988.
Because of the pressing plant issue, the repress took nearly a year after selling out the first pressing in a couple of weeks so I felt like I lost the momentum.
IF YOU COULD SIGN ANY ARTIST, ALIVE OR DEAD, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
WHICH OTHER LABELS DO YOU ADMIRE AND WHY?
Music From Memory, Soul Jazz, Strut, Beaumonde, Light In The Attic, Emotional Rescue and many more labels that push the boundaries. I feel their integrity, honesty and the love for music.
WHAT CAN WE LOOK TO FROM YOUR LABEL NEXT?
The next one is going to be a compilation of Japanese anime and Manga soundtracks between 1984 and 1990 when the Japanese economy was at the peak of the bubble economy.
They are all instrumental synth pop tracks and it’s very interesting to hear the level of budget they had!
Noah Sparkes