“Netlabel” (Used 32 times)

Back in the early 2000s, I began discovering the incredibly diverse world of netlabels/netaudio. At first, my exploration was hindered due to my lack of commitment to the need of listening to such a large array of music only to discover a very few gems that appealed to my tastes. By 2006 I had come to realize that there wasn’t any easy button to discovering music I love. I also decided that I’d take it upon myself to create that easy button for others to discover the vibrant music scene more easily than I was able to. That easy button became blocSonic.com and was launched in January of 2007.

For the first two years, I concentrated on the series of releases for which blocSonic was created, the netBloc series. A series of releases that collects 10-12 personal netaudio favorites into a fully realized compilation album that comes with complete album art, a PDF booklet with extensive liner-notes and is available in multiple audio formats, including lossless FLAC. In those first two years, 26 volumes were released that shined the spotlight on a widely eclectic range of netaudio from all over the world. The netBloc series quickly generated interest among music listeners, netaudio artists and netlabels alike.

Then in 2009 came the natural next step… releasing blocSonic original albums alongside the netBloc series. That year saw the release of the first four blocSonic originals… Just Plain Ant’s “Dig Deep”, Formula’s “The Catastrophic Connection”, Luck & Ripps’ “The Catastrophic Connection” and CM aka Creative’s “Classic Material Vol. 3: UI Radio”.

Along with new netBloc and original releases, 2010 came with it’s own additions to the blocSonic release line-up… maxi-singles and EPs known as maxBlocs and blocSonic’s own brand of deluxe edition re-releases called Xtended Editions.

2011 was a year of refining the blocSonic release schedule and planning for more growth this year.

In January blocSonic celebrated its fifth year with what became known as MUTE month — four releases by the cross-atlantic team of Tha Silent Partner and UNknown (Formula) known as MUTE.

Since launching, blocSonic’s audience has only grown and continues to do so now even as I plan future additions to the release line-up, a new site design and other exciting changes. The future is bright for netaudio and for blocSonic. I can’t wait to let you in on what I’ve got cooking!

For now, get to know blocSonic or simply catch up… with this selection of 50 highlights from the 2007-2012 archives.

Peace
Mike Gregoire
Founder/Curator blocSonic.com

Bold psychedelic sounds laced with an abstract funkiness, The Fluffy Inside EP arose from the dark recesses of somewhere…not a necessarily a sinister place, just…dark.   Pandacetamol have delved deep into the acid and emerged with scorched eyebrows and an intangible sense of fluffy.

Tracklist Fluffy Inside EP 01. Strange People 02. Pie in the Sky 03. Figments 04. Visit to Nilbog 05. Under a Nightmare

Download Fluffy Inside by Pandacetamol

Digital Pit is the netlabel arm of the French musique libre webzine freezeec, and specializes in an array of high-quality digital beats.

FMA now hosts a handful of highlights from the label's deep Creative Commons BY-NC-ND catalog, including the French-language noire-inspired hip-hop of Mr Ascofi, the seductive downtempo jams of Mobster (check out the minimalist Björk-inspired track below), and the tripped-out smeared beat abstractions of Hiroshima make me wanna juke!

Check out Digital Pit's FMA Profile

and dig in deeper at www.digitalpit.net

The first Portugese netlabel, Enough Records, is currently celebrating their 10-year anniversary. Founder Felipe / psenough curates his special mix for the FMA:

with a catalog of 274 releases and counting, this mix is just the tip of the Enough Records iceberg, but it offers a great glimpse into the breadth of the label's output, from Jennifer Avila's shoegazing dream-pop to Rolemusic's "Yellow Dust" (as previously featured by True Chip Till Death). There's a really great string of instrumentals on this mix from kesson shoujo, Ikimashoo Aoi, Frame and Wurlitztraction. All of Enough's releases are Creative Commons BY-NC-SA, and you can browse the catalog by country and tag over at Enough's website with their nifty Image Flow.

Enough Records also has a great netlabel manifesto, expounded upon by label contributor Dylan of BeatLizard and the Netlabel Coalition.

In our interview with headphonica you'll hear their reasoning on using the -NC license and the extra freedoms they provide live DJs.  Make sure you check out their curator page too.

In our interview with Bad Panda Records hear Claudio's plans for world domination and check out the tunes with which he plans to do it.  You can check out more of the "bad" music on their FMA curator page.

You'll also hear some discussion of German football favorites St. Pauli as well as Italian giants Juventus and AS Roma.

If you're a curator that releases music under a remixable CC license and would like to set up an interview, drop us a line here, on facebook or leave us a voicemail at (512) 686-6329.