For the latest in our sporadic label interviews, in which we find out more about some of favourite (and criminally overlooked) record labels, we've caught-up with Dave Newman - head honcho at the rather sublime Audiobulb Records.

Hi David, when did you launch Audiobulb and what made you decide to set-up yourself?

Hello to you Jon.

Audiobulb was launched in August 2003 with the release of the Exhibition #1 compilation (which was and still is free to download). At that stage the label was striving to communicate its presence and identity against a backdrop of shrinking physical record labels and growing on-line net labels. The core motivation for starting the label came from my desire to support, promote and develop new music. I was aware the independent music industry was in a state of flux. The digital download revolution was building steam and in many cases the indie labels appeared to be adapting more efficiently than the cumbersome major labels. It was also a time when net labels were offering audiences a serious alternative to paid music by "giving music away" for free via the creative commons framework.

I have always been an avid music fan and I had spent several years discovering new music via the Internet, moving from established labels to community web-sites to little known artist sites. I found myself listening and returning to certain artist's work again and again. I found myself wondering why they had not been picked up, released and nurtured by a label. At that stage I was listening to works by Henry Leo Duclos (Gulo Gulo), He Can Jog, Diagram of Suburban Chaos & Disastrato. Through listening and contacting the artists it was clear to me that each artist was spending hours and days crafting their sound and sculpting detailed, beautiful and personally meaningful music. The challenge for me in the early days was to convince these artists that Audiobulb could represent their work in manner that fitted with their ethos, their identity.

How would you describe the music you release?

Audiobulb releases more than purely music. The official line goes something like this….. "Audiobulb Records is an exploratory music label designed to promote creativity in all its forms. Audiobulb releases artist works on CD & download formats as well as multimedia works, VST (virtual instruments), audio hardware and other creative tools. Our aim is to facilitate the development of new artists working within a realm of care, quality and craft. Works supported by Audiobulb often explore the interface between the electronic and natural world. We embrace the complexity of unique electronics, intricate acoustics and detailed microsound."

In relation to the music, I believe that it is always changing and evolving. I purposely stay away from pinning a specific genre badge to the label and instead align us to the term "exploratory music". To date our releases have tended to incorporate influences from the electro-acoustic, glitch, electronica/IDM, ambient and microsound camps. Ultimately I believe music requires dynamic contrast to be interesting. By this I mean that tracks should be given room to develop, ebb and flow, build, climax and disintegrate. Just as light and dark provide a contrast for imagery, silence and noise provide the contrast for sound. The power of the musical narrative requires this contrast to truly assist the listener in having a meaningful experience.

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Do you give your artists total freedom or do you have a say in what makes the final finished release?

I work with people I respect and whose music I adore. There is no need to exert an undue influence on their releases. However, I do have an opinion and am always willing to share it with the artists. I try to work with the artists giving them constructive feedback and putting forward ideas about what might make the best release. On the whole the artists are happy to enter into these discussions, as they sometimes feel too close to the material to make an objective decision. My degree of input does vary between artists. For example Finn (Ultre) tends to present me with 30-40 tracks and says – "Help me pick 10 for an album" and we will then begin a process of compiling tracks that work together. Other artists such as He Can Jog and Calika have a more succinct idea of what they want and how they want it. At the end of the day each release is a collaboration involving artist and label but I am under no illusions about my input. Artists sweat blood and tears for their music and the final release has to be in a form that they fully endorse.

Besides the recent Calika album Seedling Mother (read our review), what else is planned for the rest of the year / new year?

2007 may be drawing to a close but we are still working to release new projects. These include:

* A beautiful EP by He Can Jog.
* The FZ-Bulb – a warm fuzz distortion pedal by Ruin.
* Version 6 of the Endless Endless project - weaving new ambient/microsound pieces into the beginning and the end of the forever evolving Endless Endless audio.
* Root of Sine 4 is ready to go – with a set of new tracks created solely from the building block of 1 second 440hz sine wave sample.
* 2008 will see series 1 of the Favourite Places compilation released. I'm really excited about this project which depicts field recordings and audio tracks representing the favourite places of contemporary artists such as Biosphere, Leafcutter John, Taylor Deupree & RF amongst others.

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What has been your ultimate highlight for Audiobulb?

There have been many highlights to date and I hope many more to come. The memories that spring to mind include the first day the web-site went online and all the praise for Cürets design and artwork. The first time I received a box of Audiobulb CDs - the first sales - the first play on BBC radio one by John Peel. However, audiobulb is an evolving process and there is little time to dwell on past successes – the key is to keep working so that the label and the artists develop and every release is in itself a highlight.

Is artwork important to you as the CD sleeves (and MP3 compilations) all have stunning artwork?

Artwork is crucial. It is a visual representation of the artist, the music and of the label brand. Whilst I agree that you should never judge a book by its cover, I also believe that if a cover demonstrates attention to detail, care and craft then the quality of the music within the package is likely to operate in the same sphere. I find the whole process of working with artists and selecting artwork exhilarating, however it is a long process that requires patience. For me the most compelling artwork is that of the Exhibition compilations and Switches (these can be viewed in the releases section on Audiobulb.com). These images all come from the genius of Cüret. Cüret has a unique worldview and a talent for extrapolating tiny visual details and incorporating them across the artwork to form a narrative. For example, the Switches compilation features a dismembered insect spilling forth tiny artist logos from its abdomen. These visual narratives and sub-narratives mirror the work within the audio.

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What would you say are the general highs and lows of running your own label?

It is always extremely rewarding to hear new music that has something unique and strikes a chord in me. The process of hearing the music, contacting the artist (via email) and finally meeting up with the artist and working towards a release is a great process. It gives me the chance to work closely with people whom I greatly admire and respect, such as Finn McNicholas (Ultre) & Simon Kealoha (Calika).

I do not dwell on "lows" as all the tasks are necessary and serve a purpose for the label. However, I can't say I enjoy completing all the paperwork that goes with tax returns. It can be frustrating listening to demos from people who have obviously never taken the time to check out the audiobulb ethos before asking me to release their bland generic dance music.

In an ideal world, who would you sign to Audiobulb?

Eno, Plaid, Mum would all be welcome. However, for me the challenge and the enjoyment lie in unearthing new talent and supporting them to develop. Ultre, Calika, He Can Jog & Henry Leo Duclos have all been ideals for me.

Do you have any advice for someone considering starting their own label?

I don't tend to offer advice – I'd rather support someone to reflect and problem solve for themselves. I think people run labels for different reasons. As an overview I think it is useful to try and take a long term view and make a decision about what you want to achieve and how much time, energy and money you have to invest in the label. A label can be a person with netlabel ethos releasing the music of their friends or a multi-million pound business. Ultimately it requires someone who has vision, organisation, creative flair, passion and the motivation. These attributes plus plenty of graft will generate new and dynamic content for the audience.

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Being such a small label, how do you compete with the big boys and get your music heard out there?

Literally you reap what you sow. It is all about networking, emailing, making telephone calls, putting yourself forward to do interviews, contacting radio stations and posting on message boards. These activities have to be done in the right quantity, at the right time with the right people. Audiobulb cannot afford to hire external promotions team. I am responsible for our PR but word of mouth and the enthusiasm of fans goes a long way. I also employ a guerrilla marketing strategy. This aims to get relevant information and music into media channels (such as AngryApe) that are open to receiving it.

Which other labels do you like or have inspired you?

I enjoy a great deal of music from a diverse sources. However, I would say The Leaf Label, 12k and Stasisfield have consistently put out music I really respect. FatCat have also done a great job in developing themselves and alongside Warp illustrate how far indie labels can go.

Do you think Radiohead's recent "name your price for our new album" scheme will change the future of the music industry?
No, I think it is a gimmick. In my view it is OK to have a definite value for a package of music. It helps maintain the artist and supports the label to plan for the future and make decisions about quality, quantity and distribution. I am sure Radiohead have generated plenty of publicity through this stunt but I doubt whether such a well-established band needed to generate hype. I also wonder whether the release will enable their fans to access their music in a high quality format. For me the whole point of charging for a CD is that you are giving people the opportunity to own a high quality package containing the full and detailed inspiring soundstage.

Lastly, what has been on the Audiobulb stereo lately?

A demo by "Build Buildings" and the newly pressed "1 | Favourite Places" compilation (to be released March 2008). I have also been listening to the new Autistici album "Volume Objects" out on 12k.

Related links:

Audiobulb Website
Our list of Audiobulb reviews