Label Focus – Semi Delicious
Tasty, tasty house from the fast spreading Semi Deliclious label
WHAT’S THE NAME OF YOUR LABEL, AND WHO RUNS IT?
Semi Delicious, a vinyl and stream only label run by myself, Demi Riquísimo.
WHEN & WHY DID THE LABEL START?
The idea started late 2017. I was DJing under another alias that I had fallen out of love with but I was producing a lot of music that I still liked with no agenda. I knew the music had potential but everyone in my circle said is wasn’t for them or their labels. I still believed in the music and this initial hurdle actually spurred me on to write more music and to come up with a new alias with a platform to release it. I spent the whole of 2018 writing new music and while this was happening came up with the alias Demi Riquísimo which is a play on the phrase Semi Delicious. At this point the label was born. I knew at this point this had to be a vinyl label. I was starting to feel very out of touch with the industry, the way we consume music and how overly accessible everything was to acquire. My first love of DJing came from going out in Bristol where I lived at the time and watching other DJs mix on vinyl and hearing their new selections each week. These new selections were always pressed in limited quantities which instantly put a value on the music. Something that was harder to find always appealed to me. This was part of the inspiration for the way I wanted to do things with Semi Delicious.
GIVE US A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU’VE RELEASED SINCE THEN….
In 2019 I did four Demi Riquísimo EPs, all with four tracks on and luckily they all did really well. Semi Delicious was initially a platform to release the music I’d been working on for the past 18 months but toward the end of 2019 I knew it could be much more than that. I had so many producers and friends around me that were making great music I felt so compelled to extend the label’s roster. Of course I had no idea if anyone would actually want to release with SD, but luckily they did! In early 2020 we did our first VA which featured music from Kassian, Jive Talk and Vhyce. Since then we’ve had releases from Manami who’s just supported Bicep on their last two tours, Manuel Darquart who’s just released an outstanding EP as well as Baby Rollen, Lulah Francs, Gallegos and may more. We’ve also run a string of parties over the past few years with our 4th birthday at Fabric Room 1 In January with Laurence Guy, Michelle Manetti, Lulah Francs and the Real Escobar.
WHAT QUALITIES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE MUSIC YOU RELEASE?
Semi Delicious will always be in the dance spectrum but will never be defined by a genre. I look for individuality, originality and integrity when signing music to the label. I have no interest in signing well produced music that sounds like someone else. I would much rather receive an amazingly executed idea which was badly produced than the other way around. I also love cross pollinated influences.
WHAT KIND OF VISUAL IDENTITY DOES THE LABEL HAVE (ARTWORK, VIDEOS ETC) ?
It’s always been very simple and clean. Mainly to put the initial focus on the music. Each release is hand stamped vinyl with the melted logo ice cream. I do however know the evolving need to engage people visually through different forms of media which is why we’re trying some new ideas in 2023.
IF YOU COULD SIGN ANY ARTIST, ALIVE OR DEAD, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
I mean I would have to choose someone who’s dead. I’d love to hear what Jim Morrison and The Doors would produce in the current day. Ray Manzarek used a Rhodes Piano Bass with his left hand, while performing the main melodies with his right on an organ which was so ahead of its time and very similar to how house music is produced now. Although saying that, for me it’s unknown and undiscovered artists that really excite me.
WHICH OTHER LABELS DO YOU ADMIRE AND WHY?
The label I’ve enjoyed the most over the past five years has been Paramida’s Love On The Rocks. I love its Italo-Proto-House-90’s trance influences. Its sonic diversity has evolved since the inception, which for me is really important as I find it dull when labels stay in the same lane for too long. I’ve also been enjoying the output from Haws, Duality and Dar Disku this year.
WHAT CAN WE LOOK TO FROM YOUR LABEL NEXT?
More VA’s and EPs in 2023. We’re also launching a new sub label A Lifetime On The Hips in February for straight up club cuts so be on the lookout for that! And of course Reconfigured 2 featuring Manami, Gallegos, Asa Tate & Gina Breeze putting their spin on the Demi back catalog. It’s out today imprinted on limited orange vinyl – don’t sleep!