Label Focus – Organic Analogue/OA
OA reflect on their first decade in the groove
10 Years of Dancing is a double cassette album celebrating the first decade of Organic Analogue, who’vespent the past ten years bringing superlative electronics from far flung corners, and close to home, to an eager public. We put them under the Label Focus spotlight…
WHAT’S THE NAME OF YOUR LABEL, AND WHO RUNS IT?
Nate & Bene – our label is called Organic Analogue, but most people shorten it to OA. It’s founded and managed by Nathan Gibbs and Benedetta Sodini, though we’re commonly known as Nate and Bene.
WHEN & WHY DID THE LABEL START?
Bene – In the early 2000s, I made the move to the UK, leaving Italy behind to pursue my main passion: design. It was also an opportunity to fully immerse myself in the music scene I always loved since I was a teen, something I had longed for but hadn’t had much of a chance to experience back home. I crossed paths with Nate within this musical context, and we’ve been friends ever since. We found ourselves dreaming up plans to start a label, assembling fantasy lineups, obsessing over artworks, and discussing artists we both loved. Soon, we realised that within all this creative chaos, a unique vision and style were emerging that felt distinctly ours. At the time we were both involved in the netlabel scene. With a network of talented people we crossed paths with, we took a leap of faith into the world of vinyl, driven by our shared passion and a willingness to embrace the unknown.
Nate – Umm, yeah, good question. I’ll keep it brief. For me, my father and two uncles were disco DJs back in the day, so there was always lots of music around growing up. The turning point was when they gave me two sheds of all their records when I was like 13 or something, and that was the trigger, really. I was like, ‘I want to make records.’ As for OA though, I have no idea where the name came from, but my cousin and I used to DJ under that name, and it just stuck. Like Bene said, it all began back in the MySpace era as a net label, though the exact dates elude me. Then, after the meeting of minds with Bene, we officially launched as an independent record label around 2012/13. As for the ‘Why,’ that’s a question I find myself pondering most years, haha! It’s seriously difficult to make ends meet running a label these days, but we’re so grateful for all the support to still be doing it. Initially, it was about providing a platform for our friends’ music, but over time, it evolved into collaborating with artists worldwide. I’m not sure if that fully answers your ‘Why,’ but ultimately, our goal is simply to release great music that we genuinely love. It’s as straightforward as that
GIVE US A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU’VE RELEASED SINCE THEN….
Bene – We’re focused on quality, not quantity, I’d say. In ten years, we’ve released 11 little gems that are more than just releases. It’s a deep collaboration with the artist, and sometimes it feels like giving birth. (Lol)
Nate – Haha, yes Bene, exactly this, it’s always a nerve wracking moment when our children fly the nest. Journalist Joe Muggs recently described our work as ‘Elegant Electronics,’ a phrase that perfectly captures the essence of our releases I thought. So yeah, we’ve been releasing elegant electronic music from the beginning I’d say. (might need to put that on a T-Shirt actually)
WHAT QUALITIES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE MUSIC YOU RELEASE?
Nate – Music is all about evoking emotion, right ? If a piece resonates with us on any level, regardless of style, we’re drawn to it. It’s ultimately about what connects with you personally, isn’t it ? I firmly believe that there’s no such thing as objectively ‘good’ or ‘bad’ music; it’s far too subjective for such rigid categorisations. Our approach isn’t about scouring the internet for a specific sound or style, rather, it’s about the organic progression of our connections with artists. This often stems from encounters with individuals we’ve met over the years or recommendations from friends. A perfect example of this was when Oli Warwick, who handles all the writing at OA, told me to attend a small event in Bristol featuring DJ Guy. Despite being unfamiliar with him, I was completely blown away. This lucky encounter led to a great friendship and the discovery of hundreds of tapes containing music DJ Guy created in the early ’90s. That then inspired us to produce the DJ Guy – Structures & Rhythms 94-99 album. So, in essence, this is how things typically unfold for us at OA, through genuine connections and unexpected discoveries. If anyone’s interested in sharing their music with us, meeting in person is the best way. For instance, you can find us at the Independent Label Market in
London this year, we’ll be more than happy to accept demos and chat.
Bene – Yes! Connections are at the heart of what we do. We met on the dancefloor. And we shared many dance floors throughout the years. We both respond to everything that makes us smile, makes us dance, tingle our spines. It transcends genres, and time. We love to tell stories of the past and have all ears to anything interesting and new.
WHAT KIND OF VISUAL IDENTITY DOES THE LABEL HAVE (ARTWORK, VIDEOS ETC) ?
Nate – This is more of a question for Bene as it’s her main role within the label.
Bene – Well, it all began with sketching out analogue circuits. I still have a whole bunch of doodles somewhere. That’s how the logo was born. I aimed for something simple and timeless. I loved the idea of maintaining consistency across each release, keeping all centre labels the same while allowing flexibility with sleeve artwork, which often draws inspiration from the music, resulting in a collaborative effort with the artist. Additionally, sometimes we like to enhance the package with zines, colourful inner sleeves, or even coloured vinyl. I’d like to believe that every element of the artwork aligns harmoniously with each other, the music, and the artist. Last but not least, I have a fondness for featuring illustrations, which is why we maintain an ongoing relationship with two incredible illustrators, Ignacia Ruiz and Will Davey, who have graced us with some amazing pieces.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SELLING RELEASE TO DATE? TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT
AND WHY YOU THINK IT WAS SO POPULAR.
Nate – This has to be the HVL – Ostati album. HVL is a Georgian artist hailing from Tbilisi and a resident at the Bassiani club. He’s one of those early discoveries that gave our label a clear sense of purpose. He’s such a prolific artist; receiving new music from HVL at the OA HQ is always an exciting time. The album ‘Ostati’ was years in the making, but the time invested was totally worth it; a proper timeless classic in our opinion. Leading up to its release, some turbulent events unfolded in Tbilisi. Just a quick one, but there was a controversial police raid on the Bassiani and Café Gallery triggered by false drug-related allegations that then sparked some serious youth activism, culminating in a historic protest in front of the parliament building.
I mean, this is all very loaded, but it was so powerful to see the videos that came out around that time. Against this charged backdrop, though, ‘Ostati’ gained widespread attention, featured as the soundtrack for a Resident Advisor documentary and earned praise from Aphex Twin. The resonance of underground music on a global scale speaks volumes about HVL’s talent and the resilience of the Georgian community, who’ve had to fight for their right to dance, a privilege most of us take for granted. Honestly, we have so much respect for all those guys.
Bene – Yes! Big shoutout to the Georgians! We’ve expanded our reach by hosting a bimonthly show on the amazing Mutant Radio in Tbilisi, maintaining and strengthening this relationship.
NAME ONE RELEASE THAT YOU THINK DESERVED TO GET MORE ATTENTION THAN IT
DID.
Nate – It has to be Croza – Lady Killer. We adore that record. It marked a significant departure from our usual style, let’s say, yet it felt deeply connected to the musical influences of mine and Bene’s roots… DISCO! While it received recognition within certain circles, I believe it should have been the definitive summer anthem of 2018. That record, haha, it just had that perfect vibe.
Bene – Haha, Croza! Absolutely! It’s like a hidden gem that somehow flew under the radar. It’s just the epitome of disco, funk, happiness, and summer vibes, all rolled into one perfect dancefloor record we’ve ever released. Plus, the artwork is a personal favourite of mine, featuring an illustration by Ignacia Ruiz and Will Davey. That record is just fire.
IF YOU COULD SIGN ANY ARTIST, ALIVE OR DEAD, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND
WHY?
Nate – When you brought up that question, I thought, ‘Hmm, this might be tricky to answer.’, but the name that immediately came to mind was ‘Drexciya.’ I mean do I even need to say why? haha, ‘Drexciya’ was just one of those artists that bought Bene and I together, so having them on the label would have been a dream come true.
Bene – Hmm, I don’t have a straightforward answer to that. There are just too many inspirations out there for me. I like to believe we’ve done a decent job so far in bringing our vision to life through our roster. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself when I realise we’ve actually released the artists we wanted to or secured remixes from absolute legends. It might not seem like a big deal to everyone, but it’s a huge deal for us.
WHICH OTHER LABELS DO YOU ADMIRE AND WHY?
Nate – Ahh, there are far too many to mention that have left a mark on me, but if I had too, the most impactful would be labels like Skam, Rephlex and Warp. I just have such historic connections with these labels, they really were pushing the boundaries of sound and creativity. I mean when was the last time you bought a record in the shape of a 303? haha. It was a time of unparalleled excitement and discovery in music in my opinion. Those formative years ignited a passion within me for all of this that still burns today.
Bene – I’ve always been incredibly connected to the same labels Nate mentioned. They were part of my musical upbringing, (…alongside a lot of hip-hop!) and subsequently, one of the reasons why I made the move to the UK and how I met Nate. But it’s crazy how much music is out there now and how much I’ve absorbed along the way. So much so that narrowing it down to just three old labels feels limiting. These days, I mostly follow friends, people we release, and their projects, and from there, the musical network keeps expanding. Sorry, I’m not big on dropping names!
WHAT CAN WE LOOK TO FROM YOUR LABEL NEXT?
Nate – We tend to hold off discussing this these days until the masters are approved. In our experience, the production process is rife with potential changes and pitfalls, and we prefer not to raise expectations too soon. Crafting a record nowadays is a masterful juggling act. That said, I’m happy to share some of the artists we’re currently collaborating with: Beppu, Demdike Stare, Jeremiah R, The Horn, Doc Sleep. If and when they see the light of day is another story.
Bene – With our latest release marking our tenth year anniversary, we’ve consolidated some relationships and sparked new conversations that are all very exciting. Last year, we also kicked off a new series called SPLITS, where we pair two artists who we believe complement each other musically on a split EP. We’re keen on doing more of those soon.