As you have seen mentioned in the last several IDMf Netlabel Postings - The IDMf Netlabel contains a rich history of releases dating back to 2009’s IDMf001: In Depth Melodics. It is our goal throughout the coming year to celebrate this history with a series of retrospective releases. @Manton has scoured the catalog, release by release, and selected 63 tracks that display the absolute best of what the Netlablel has to offer. A multitude of genres and artists will be represented. The music is being released over a 5 album collection, at intervals throughout 2024. Each release will include a previously unheard bonus track from one of our long-standing Netlabel Artists along with other surprises along the way as we resurrect the back catalog. We feel this is the best way to expose new listeners to what the Netlabel is capable of, remind us why we are all here and blow the dust off.
The label is the forum in manifest. Were it not for the IDMf Netlabel, we would all just be sitting here talking…into the void.
Behind the scenes there has been a great deal of preparation going into all that will be the above. The end goal of all of our efforts has been to launch the retrospective collection, with the initial release and 4 to come, being presented on streaming services. This has proven to be more problematic than it would seem.
The IDMf Netlabel is currently comprised of @rfj, @Manton, @Fidelium & @relic. Throughout the history of the Netlabel we have each served in various capacities, with Nick currently taking on the lions share of the work for the release schedule this year. In order to make this work in the way we would want, the platforms require the Netlabel to be ran as a business. That would be fine if we were raking in cash from the releases we have on offer. However, the funds we receive don’t even cover what we are doing currently, let alone the goals we have. We report that to say running the label as a business requires tax forms and other things that really shouldn’t apply to what, as of now, is a free-time hobbyist project for our own personal enjoyment and love of this music.
Streaming services are a multifaceted challenge. The second of which being cost. Monthly fees are calculated by artist count and with retrospective releases the artist count becomes simply too much to bear. It is our intention however, to make it happen.
So, what’s the point? We want to be clear this is not an attempt at a cash grab. We are not asking you for money beyond the releases you are already buying on occasion.
We wanted to release this statement to let everyone know that the IDMf Netlabel carries on, and is looking for ways to expand throughout the coming year and beyond. We are all hard at work at coming up with new ways of presenting our beloved catalog and bringing new original artist content to you all in the future.
It is our goal to bring us back to what brought us here, from the days of @Fidelium and the original crew. A love for independently produced and released electronic music, that truly pushes the envelope, and gives labels like Warp a run for their money.
We have done that before and plan on demonstrating this with the retrospective releases we will be dropping here soon…
Prepare to be amazed.
Regards -
IDMf Netlabel Management
