Page 28 - Zone Magazine Issue 015

Electornical Reeds – Belgian record label full of passion
how this music genre made us feel. So we each found our way to express our love for electronic music: those expertises!
When you look for new music to sign, what are some key elements you are looking for?
Following the historic examples of labels such as R&S Records or F Communications, it is an open mind, quality of productions, and the human side of artist-label relationship which reinforce the foundation of Electronical Reeds’ philosophy. Dancefloor driven cuts and melancholic grooves that shape the label’s sound have received a warm welcome from electronic music lovers and professionals all over the world. More than just a label, Electronical Reeds aspires to be a meeting platform for established and upcoming artists who unite with a common goal of promoting quality electronic music. We talked to Electronical Reeds A&R Arnaud about their Vision, latest releases and future plans.
How would you describe the vision of ELECTRONICAL REEDS?
The very first thing that comes to mind is ‘something more’ !! - music wise of course!!!
What made you decide to create the Label ELECTRONICAL REEDS back in the days?
What else do you plan for the upcoming months?
Being already involved in the electronic music scene, we wanted to create a platform for new and established artists, so we could release, promote, broadcast quality music while keeping an open mind. That is why we came up with ‘Electronical Reeds’, a name that summed up our vision: Electronical for electronic music and Reeds because back in the days we just wanted to release quality music and we wanted to be flexible regarding the genres.
You just released your first EP in 2017 called 'Face It' by Berlin based artist NELA. How the feedback has been so far?
Our release agenda is quite full for 2017 with the latest release by O.D.Math, a release with Laurent Chanal upcoming, two releases by Felix Cage and a compilation of Electronical Reeds tracks selected and mixed by O.D.Math. We also have 3 upcoming artists on the schedule, but as we are still talking, arranging, figuring how to work together, I will keep those names for myself... For now. We will also try to work more closely with streaming services like Youtube or Spotify as we would like to be closer to our audience!!
Where did your love for electronic music begin?
The first feedbacks we usually receive are the ones from our friends. Luckily for us, we know those are honest ones. So we were very excited to see our friends really get into the 3 tracks of the EP. The best part was when the feedbacks from bigger artists arrived with names like ED ED, Rodriguez Jr., Sam Divine, Fabrice Lig, Kiki or DJ Sossa and Shades of Gray among them. It is always exciting to see those artists make positive comments and digging the tracks you are about to release. We do thank them for that!!! Moreover, we had the chance to listen to the tracks of the EP in clubs and the reaction of the people was intoxicating! It is a big deal for us to experience the reaction of the crowd and realise that the work of the past weeks is finally out to the world to live its own life...
It gives us the energy to continue what we do!
Connect:
With a team of four, it would be too long to tell the whole story. We all have different backgrounds when it comes to music. But with a big electronic music scene in Belgium in the 90's we were surrounded by the genre. And we felt for it!
Pic courtesy of Electornical Reeds
Gradually we got more and more involved in the scene, each of us developing our own expertise: composing, producing, arranging, DJ'ing, helping the artists with legal stuff, etc... But one thing that we had in common is
Words by Jordan Parrish
I think we stayed true to our first purpose: be more than a label!
Of course it is about releasing music but we choose the music and its composer as a package. When the music is good and it matches our musical direction, we want to project ourselves together with the artist in the future, talking achievements, wishes and goals. We are much more interested in the artist’s passion for the music than social media numbers!
We want to sign artists that have guts and that can express it in their music.
Take Felix Cage and O.D. Math for example. We have worked with them since the early days of their career because we really loved their universe, inside and outside their productions. And they are working with us because we have a team ready to support them on more levels than just the releases. As more recent examples, we released Bigasti and we are working on the new release of NELA. We really think they are promising artists and we are already figuring out what we could achieve together in a near future!
In 5 years... Seems so far yet so close (laughs) Electronical Reeds would be a platform for regular crew artists allowing further developing of their careers while offering the opportunity for younger talents to shine on the label and possibly join the regular roster. We would have an office with our legal bureau and a studio with several production rooms, a mastering room and a mix and recording room... In other words, the artists would provide the music, we would provide the means to share it with the world... and this would be done in a ‘Light & Breezy’ atmosphere as I love to call it
As our mantra says: Dancefloor Driven Cuts & Melodic Grooves !! I think it says it all.
Where do you want to be in 5 years time?
www.electronicalreeds.com
label spotlight [belgium]
__________________________________________________________________________________